The Star: July 15, 2021

The Star Thursday July 15 2021
26
OUR PEOPLE
‘Seagulls sometimes dive bomb us’
• From page 25
What do you talk about? Are
the teeth chattering?
We have all sorts of
conversations out there. You
tend to find that while you’re in
the water it’s not too bad. Maybe
about 10 minutes after you get
out your body temperature
actually cools down, that’s the
danger of staying in too long.
That’s why you’ve got to know
your own body and not stay out
there too long.
What’s the temperature
variance during July?
‘Hypothermic’ to ‘penguins
wouldn’t swim in this?’
In the past it has been as low as
8 deg C, at the moment it’s about
10.
Has anyone ever got out of
their depth with the likes of
hypothermia?
So far we’ve been lucky. You
will notice your fingertips are
white and things like that. So far
we haven’t had anything extreme
happen but now we’re more
numbers we have to be a little bit
careful getting in if it’s rough.
The benefit of Scarborough is it’s
normally pretty okay. When it’s
high tide and if there’s a wind
blowing and you’re getting down
the steps … sometimes we might
say it’s a bit rough here, let’s go
down the beach a bit. We have to
be careful with the age range and
the people that we’ve got.
How far do you venture from
shore?
We go out until we’re waistdeep.
Our loose rules are we’ve
got to get our head under. By the
end of it we’ve kind of had to dive
under, be fully immersed, then
we get out.
Do you encounter much
marine life?
We often get bitten by crabs.
We’ve seen hector’s dolphins a
few times, at the moment there
are quite a few seals about. It’s
dark when we get in so often we
won’t see things . . . then a shag
will pop its head up amongst the
group. If we wake the seagulls up
sometimes they dive bomb us.
Is there a frantic dash for
the towels and puffer jackets
when time is up? How do you
HARDY SOULS: Members of the Scarborough Dippers brace themselves for another chilly Wet July exercise.
ward off the cold?
We have hot water bottles,
buckets of hot water to put our
feet in for a couple of minutes.
The beauty of it now is the cafe at
Scarborough Fare opens at seven
o’clock. It didn’t use to open until
eight. We don’t go in there every
day but they put the heat pump
on for us and we’re all in there
with the buckets (of hot water).
What happens if a committed
dipper can’t make it to
Scarborough for a day or two?
Is there a degree of flexibility
built in?
I’m a prime example, I’ve just
been up in the North Island for
a few days. I had to go dipping
up there. There was a swim race
at Waiheke Island, a few of us
were competing in that so we
had the luxury of dipping in
about 15 degrees. We’ve got this
facebook page and every day we
have a group photo of what day
number we’re up to and anybody
that’s not there, they have to do
dipping somewhere else and
provide a photo. You might have
to find a lake or a river. It’s quite
interesting where people end up.
The other day a couple had an
early yoga class so they had to
dip in an ice bath. Basically it’s
7am every morning, but on the
weekend we dip (or float) a bit
later.
Do dippers try to bend the
rules. Do the hot pools at
Hanmer Springs or Waiwera
count?
WEEKEND WARRIORS: The dippers often take the plunge
when the sun is up during the weekend.
No, we can’t have cheating.
What about wetsuits? Do they
fit the Wet July image or are
they a bad look?
We haven’t had anyone one yet
that’s gone to that extreme. We
wouldn’t not let them wear one.
We’re just happy to wear togs.
What organisations have
benefited from the dippers’
fortitude?
Project Jonah was the first,
they basically rescue whales.
The second year we raised funds
for the Sumner Lifeboat Club,
they bought a defibrillator. In
2019 we raised money for solar
lights to be put up at Cave Rock,
unfortunately that project hasn’t
really happened. The money’s
still sitting there. Last year the
funds were split between the
Sumner Surf Club (binoculars
and equipment) and Taylors
Mistake Surf Club (landscaping
at new headquarters). This
year we’re spreading the
donations around: The Sumner
Kindergarten needs some new
equipment, there’s a surfboard
library starting up – they’re
making surfboards for people to
use. We’re also contributing to
life vests for disabled surfers. The
first year we raised $1000 – there
were only four of us – last year we
raised $6000.
How is the money raised? Are
the dippers sponsored like the
whiskered men of Movember?
When I set this challenge I
decided I’m going to donate $10
a day for every day I dip, so its
$310 at the end of the month. If
I miss a day I’m going to have
to put $50 in. To date I’ve never
had to put $50 in. Other people
donate whatever or they might
get friends to donate to the
challenge. We haven’t actively
asked for sponsorship, it’s just
amongst ourselves. We don’t
force anyone to put money in.
Money is not the only bottom
line is it? Dipping can be
enriching in other ways can’t it?
The other good thing I’ve
enjoyed about it is a lot of
people haven’t been confident
in the water before and after
they’ve mucked around with us,
they’re now taking swimming
lessons. Some of them have done
swimming races. It’s been really
great to see their love of the water
and being able to then continue
to improve themselves and really
be able to swim.
There are also perceived
health benefits from cold water
dipping aren’t there?
It’s meant to help your immune
system. The shock of the cold
water is meant to do good things.
Plus, it’s meant to be good for
mental health. There’s been
quite a few stories of people
that have had depression and
things like that, they immerse
themselves in the cold water and
they’ve managed to get off their
antidepressants.
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