Boxing Day Swim!
26 December 2008
Okay, okay, we better come clean at this juncture. Its not Elvis at all, I know..had you fooled there for a moment, but it is really Tom Wilson, aged 18 from Pluckley, who played the part admirably as he humourously got soaked in the surf. "Any chance of use of the mayor's car afterwards? " asked Elvis after his energetic extravaganza in the briney blue... but all the officials ran for cover at that point!
On a bitterly cold day, and it was bitter, a horde of madcap enthusiasts went into the surf. They were all brave and hardy souls, many doing the deed for charity. The gallop surfwards was watched by a large crowd which was great to see. The event is growing and growing and it really is terrific.
Yes they're off! The official blows his whistle and the great and the good re-create the charge of the light brigade. Like lunatics breaking out of the asylum en masse, they surge forward with crazy grins on their faces and then whoosh, into the freezing surf they go. Still grinning and splashing and all of course totally mad!
You dont have to be mad to take part but it certainly helps, in the galloping crowd you can spot Vic Matcham and Carole Webb. The hapless photographer had to thread warily for fear of being accidently taken into the sea by the enthusiasts, and that would never do.
No sooner do the gang charge in...when they pretty soon charge back out again even faster, the sheer chill of the water can instigate a quick surge rearwards in almost everyone. The DCAL girls, Miss Dover Loren Selby and Junior Miss Dover Jordan Sehmbi, brave and hardy girls that they are, were in there in the mix, in the fray, and made sure they didnt get trampled on the way out. The frozen faces leaving the rolling breakers were in dire need of a bowl of soup. Gawd just think, a wise owl enterpreneur cudda made a killing!
The statuesque Carole Webb strides out of the ocean here in fine style, without a goose bump showing and looking magnificent too. It's almost like she had been in for a dip in the warm heat of Monte Carlo. Carole, wife of the Town Clerk Mike Webb, has taken part in this event for a number of years now and always plays her part very well indeed. Well done Carole for taking part and supplying the glam here in the doverforum pictures.
Of course the star of the event is Vic Matcham. He is the one the newspapers want to picture most. He plays the clown in fine style and is always good for a genuine laugh and regularly raises money for charity with his antics and his outfits. He has been a star cricketer, he has been James Bond etc. etc.
This time Vic went all Casablance on us for this particular dip. Complete with fez and cane...one could almost hear the painful strands of "a kiss is just a kiss...." playing in the background. The shot shows a soaked but happy Vic, in his not-so-drip-dry suit, emerging from the drink.
There was one or two calls enquiring where Mr Rossi was, you know, that leader from that well known band, but it was all good natured. Vic has said this will be his last dip but perhaps not, Im sure we would all like him to do it again next year.
PaulB
Elvis on Tour:
We were lucky to have Elvis make an appearance here in Dover today. The singer, who is currently travelling the globe on the "Rave from the Grave " tour, was happy to pose for photos while the surf beat all about him. " Its only rock n roll but I like it" sang Elvis in a voice not mellowed by recent absence. His heavenly strumming was magnificent too, surely the envy of musicians everywhere. "You cant beat a good strummer!" said one fan.Okay, okay, we better come clean at this juncture. Its not Elvis at all, I know..had you fooled there for a moment, but it is really Tom Wilson, aged 18 from Pluckley, who played the part admirably as he humourously got soaked in the surf. "Any chance of use of the mayor's car afterwards? " asked Elvis after his energetic extravaganza in the briney blue... but all the officials ran for cover at that point!
On a bitterly cold day, and it was bitter, a horde of madcap enthusiasts went into the surf. They were all brave and hardy souls, many doing the deed for charity. The gallop surfwards was watched by a large crowd which was great to see. The event is growing and growing and it really is terrific.
Yes they're off! The official blows his whistle and the great and the good re-create the charge of the light brigade. Like lunatics breaking out of the asylum en masse, they surge forward with crazy grins on their faces and then whoosh, into the freezing surf they go. Still grinning and splashing and all of course totally mad!You dont have to be mad to take part but it certainly helps, in the galloping crowd you can spot Vic Matcham and Carole Webb. The hapless photographer had to thread warily for fear of being accidently taken into the sea by the enthusiasts, and that would never do.
No sooner do the gang charge in...when they pretty soon charge back out again even faster, the sheer chill of the water can instigate a quick surge rearwards in almost everyone. The DCAL girls, Miss Dover Loren Selby and Junior Miss Dover Jordan Sehmbi, brave and hardy girls that they are, were in there in the mix, in the fray, and made sure they didnt get trampled on the way out. The frozen faces leaving the rolling breakers were in dire need of a bowl of soup. Gawd just think, a wise owl enterpreneur cudda made a killing!
The statuesque Carole Webb strides out of the ocean here in fine style, without a goose bump showing and looking magnificent too. It's almost like she had been in for a dip in the warm heat of Monte Carlo. Carole, wife of the Town Clerk Mike Webb, has taken part in this event for a number of years now and always plays her part very well indeed. Well done Carole for taking part and supplying the glam here in the doverforum pictures. Of course the star of the event is Vic Matcham. He is the one the newspapers want to picture most. He plays the clown in fine style and is always good for a genuine laugh and regularly raises money for charity with his antics and his outfits. He has been a star cricketer, he has been James Bond etc. etc.This time Vic went all Casablance on us for this particular dip. Complete with fez and cane...one could almost hear the painful strands of "a kiss is just a kiss...." playing in the background. The shot shows a soaked but happy Vic, in his not-so-drip-dry suit, emerging from the drink.
There was one or two calls enquiring where Mr Rossi was, you know, that leader from that well known band, but it was all good natured. Vic has said this will be his last dip but perhaps not, Im sure we would all like him to do it again next year.
PaulB
- Well done to you all,the ones that went in and all the public for turning out.
The sun was out but very cold and the sea was some what rough.
Vic matcham - Can you help me please I left my winter coat down in the hut can anyone gave me a phone number or tell me when the next time it is open so I can pick it up.
Thank you
Vic Matcham - Did Elvis get a lift in the mayor or not that was a very good one.
Vic M - Well done you brave hardy souls.
I've put a posting on the other thread, so no neeed to repeat all that, but it was a strong, cold wind down there.
I agree about Carole W. Paul, she does add a sense of elegance to the occasion, but then so did Georgette (Rapley) and she swims in there every day - well done Ladies.
Oddly, I didn't see the DCAL girls at all.
Roger - Well done to you all, brrrr......makes me cold just looking at those photos, you are brave!
- Splish, Splash they were taking a bath, such an array of happy photos all smiling in the freezing waters with the sun smiling with them. Well Done to all those brave souls, Vic & the DCAL girls holding hands, Barry and Georgette holding hands, maybe Carole should have bonded with Elvis lol!
- Well done to all thoses who braved the sea it was sure cold just watching from the beach, thats just a classic one of is that the real Elvis surrounded by the cold sea spray. OH MY
- I watched them all go in from the safety of the beach, must have been freezing from the looks on people's faces!!
So well done to pops and everyone who braved the sea! =)
x - I have been away for Christmas spending some time with my family and I have just looked in to see the great photo coverage and jovial report 'live' from Dover beach. It's great to see local news up so fast, I don't buy the local papers anymore, and its good to see that most stories of note are here as they happen.
- Isn't it great to see such a great tradition (boxing day dip) taking off in this way? I think this is really helping to define Dover as a community.
You can just see me to the left of the Jnr Miss Dover scrambling out after diving in bravely with no sensation in any of me extremeties lol!
Well Done to all of the 'Boxing Day Dippers' who did so well for raising much needed monies for various charities.