27 December 2010New Pictures added below...
The Boxing Day Dip:
This fab event goes from strength to strength, ever more people are coming down to see all those madcap people taking the madcap plunge, and as Vic Matcham says in the comments below.. it is turning into one of Dover's terrific annual events. The weather was relatively very good yesterday, wall to wall blue sky and glorious sunshine so it brought the crowds out bigtime and everyone enjoyed themselves. Although it felt a tad nippy on the beach it was nowhere near as bad as some of those awful days recently. At least this time there was no driving snow or biting wind.
As 12 midday approached, the reckless revellers, the near-naked near-numb Noreens and Trevors, some dressed in oddball costumes, all gathered in line awaiting the final whistle to give them the go ahead. When it came they all galloped furiously towards the briney blue. The sudden drop in body temperature must be..ermm... invigorating! but as ever yours truly was happy to watch from the close wings and grab a picture or two of the invigorated.
Many Forumites were circulating and mingling, and above is one such Forumite in the shape of Councillor John Goodwin. And seen here taking John for a walk and enjoying the all round spectacle is little Georgie. Georgie looks fab and who could resist photographing such a stunningly gorgeous dog. Georgie was born on St Georges Day hence the name. This picture gets top slot today. John is clearly very proud of his dog and quite right too.
The picture below shows some of the crowd emerging after the splashdown..with teeth a chattering and limbs a quivering, but was it fun? - Yes indeed!! On the right hand side in the shot below you can see Dover's most colourful character Vic Matcham flailing about with his cane akimbo and sporting an ever so elegant Fez.
And now...this is what's called getting to grips with your elected representative...
Yes indeed, newly elected Dover Alliance Town Councillor Georgette Rapley, she of the prison yard stripes, gets the rough treatment from some of her Castle Ward constituents. And didnt they get a good grip toooo!! Oooh I say! Yessirreee...Manhandled she was by a gaggle of hearty male flesh, this taken before the plunge into the unfathomable icy depths. But all in the way of good honest fun.
Here is Georgette again having just emersed herself in the shivering ocean, and clearly she lives on to tell the tale and is still able to pose in the sunshine beneath the backdrop of Dover's finest building..yes thats right...The Gateway!!
Top man at events like these is Vic Matcham and here he is preparing to shock all and sundry by threatening to remove his robe. This of course would have cleared the beach in no time! But it was all just frivolous jollity... Vics wife Lesley finds the prospect totally hilarious as you can see. Thats the good natured Lesley on the right. Vic only decided to go in at the last minute having previouly said his trips into the surf were over.
Official pic of Vic on left having just left the sea in fine style and on the right we have long term Forumite Tom 'Guzzler' Mitchell preparing there to let rip towards the icy waters. Guzzler was raising funds for the Help for Heroes charity. Many of the dippers were raising funds for charity so a huge well done to all.
And out of the East came the three wise men, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and mirrh.....errr well not exactly, but some of the last few to leave the sea..one has shrivelled to bones as you can see...gosh it must have been cold in there! Fortunately the chap was revived to full vitality when someone gave him a hot pot noodle. The e-number additives kicked in real fast much to everyone's relief. In the centre is that man Vic again.... PB
