Also known as the Polar Plunge, and if you’ve ever felt the water off Dunedin you know why. This is long after the event: these guys didn’t want to get out.

The whistle blew, and scores of people headed into the surf, watched by hundreds more from the Esplanade. Then it appeared to turn into a sprint to get back and into the tubs!

Maybe we’d better provide a few more next year.

The tubs were bucketed full of seawater and heated by gas. Pat Hyland, as ever, did sterling work wading in a cold sea. Thanks again Pat.