Swimmers raise £4800 for North Baths in Wick after eight-week chilly challenge
A group of cold-water swimmers have raised £4800 after braving the chilly weather of autumn and winter to do lengths of the North Baths almost every day for eight weeks.
The six women initially set a target of swimming a collective 30,000 metres in the open-air pool on the north side of Wick Bay. They extended it to 60,000m and ended up achieving 69,273m, almost 70km.
The money will go towards the ongoing maintenance of the North Baths and surrounding area and the upkeep of essential equipment.
Those who took part are all committee members of the Friends of the North Baths – Patty Coghill, Anne Cormack, Doreen Leith, Jennifer Martin, Donna Plowman and Linda Smith.
They began the North Baths Chilly Swim Challenge on Sunday, October 27, when the clocks went back, and finished it Saturday, December 21, the winter solstice.
Swimming took place on 48 days out of a possible 56.
Chairperson Patty Coghill was thrilled with the amount they raised.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “When we started this challenge, I would have been overwhelmed if we’d got £2000 between our raffle and the sponsors. We really appreciate it.”
Jennifer explained: “Normally we swam six days a week. We took a day off on a Saturday, and there were a couple of days we didn’t get in.”
Prior to the challenge, the group had been swimming three days a week. “But now we’re going to keep up the six,” she said.
Jennifer pointed out that there had been fitness benefits too, saying: “We’re all toned up!”
On the coldest days, the wind-chill made temperatures feel like minus eight or minus nine.
Linda said: “We were quite determined that during the challenge we wouldn’t wear the thick wetsuits.
“The coldest was when the water was two-point-something. When you come out it’s the wind-chill that gets you.”
Doreen stressed that the swimmers were careful not to put themselves in danger.
“We always assess wind, temperature and tides before we go,” she said. “On that basis, the next decision is made when we arrive here and then once we’re in the pool we assess how each other is feeling and build in the fact that we’ve got to get changed in the cold.”
Linda added: “It’s important to check on each other.”
All the swimmers found the challenge fulfilling and enjoyable.
“We loved it,” Linda said. “We don’t expect to get in every day in January or February, but we’ll do as much as we can for as long as we can.”
One of the high points came on the second-last day of the challenge, around 6.45am, when the whole Wick Bay area was bathed in bright moonlight. “The moon was coming through the clouds and it was absolutely fantastic,” Linda said.