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Nude swimmers take chilly plunge in Dark Mofo solstice swim

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • Over 3,000 swimmers participated in the annual Dark Mofo Nude Solstice Swim in Hobart, Australia, on the coldest morning of the year.
  • Swimmers braved air temperatures of 4C and water temperatures of 12C, with an apparent temperature of -1C, to mark the festival's end.
  • Participants offered advice for first-timers, including embracing the cold and consuming schnapps.

Hobart experienced its coldest morning of the year on Monday, but the chill did not deter more than 3,000 people from taking a frigid dip in the ocean for the annual Dark Mofo Nude Solstice Swim. The event marks the closing of the city's contemporary arts festival.

Swimmers gathered at Long Beach before sunrise, with air temperatures hovering around 4 degrees Celsius and the water a brisk 12C. The Bureau of Meteorology noted an apparent temperature of -1C, conditions one participant described as "perfect for the swim."

Perfect conditions for the swim.

— Urshla ConnorA meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology commenting on the weather conditions before the swim.

A group of swimmers from Queensland, who have made the event an annual tradition, arrived dressed as frogs. They shared their tips for newcomers: "Be brave, just embrace it. Drink schnapps. Drink schnapps beforehand and after." Organizers confirmed that 3,000 individuals had registered for the popular, albeit chilly, solstice tradition.

Be brave, just embrace it. Drink schnapps. Drink schnapps beforehand and after.

— Swimmers from QueenslandOffering advice to first-time participants of the Nude Solstice Swim.
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Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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