A record crowd of 3,000 people braved the chilly waters of Hobart’s River Derwent for a nude sunrise swim on Friday to mark the winter solstice.
The annual event, part of the Dark Mofo festival, saw participants sharing tips like doubling up on socks, keeping shoes on until the last minute, and bringing a friend.
The swim began at 7:42 am with the sound of drums and red flares marking the start. Tasmanian swimmer Bec Wade described the experience as invigorating and iconic, saying it was special to join such a large group.
The swim, which started in 2013 with just a few hundred participants, saw its numbers grow from 2,000 in 2023 to 3,000 in 2024, filling up quickly.
On the day of the swim, temperatures were about 6°C outside and 12°C in the water. Marcus Salton, a veteran of four swims, noted that while the experience gets easier each year, the larger crowd made navigation tricky this time.
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