Thousands watched on as daredevils as young as eleven years old and well into their sixties ran into the water to celebrate the start of 2023.
The event has taken place on the record since 1986 when three locals felt it was an appropriate hangover cure, but some claim it began even before then.
Although not ‘officially’ part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay programme this year, that didn’t stop people from having a dunk, taking it right back to its roots and making it as busy as ever.
With chill-inducing temperatures at four degrees (which felt like two), the local RNLI were on guard to ensure there were no casualties on the day.
One of the volunteers from the twenty strong lifeboat crew said: “The waters are really cold so there is the possibility of cold water shock, so our advice to people is to walk in nice and slowly. Some people last five minutes but experienced swimmers can last for twenty minutes sometimes.”
“There’s always pretty spectacular costumes from a bathtub one year to someone dressed as a Forth Bridge.”
People dressed in pink tutus, rugby outfits, Santa hats, in kilts, as a penguin and even a bottle of gin as they took to the water, some even armed with a bottle of Buckfast.
Siobhan Lees, who dooked in a bikini eleven years ago, said: “My eleven year old daughter Ava Seagroat is doing it with her friend Ella who is also eleven and goes to the local primary school. She is just crazy and loves it and I’ve got cups of herbal tea for her. She goes wild swimming all the time. It’s a great start to the year and fab for the community.”
All participants enjoyed free cake from local bakers.
