Chalkwell water club takes its annual winter Thames dip (From Echo)

Chalkwell water club takes its annual winter Thames dip

7:00am Thursday 29th December 2011 in Southend

BRRR, that was cold! A woman in a bikini, elves, a snowman and Santa were just some of the colourful characters who plunged into the chilly Thames Estuary.

For the second year in a row, members of the Chalkwell Redcap open water swimming club proved they were made of tough stuff by braving the icy waters.

Sixteen members of the club, some dressed in festive-themed costumes, met opposite the Arches cafe on Westcliff seafront for the charity challenge.

As members of the public counted down from ten, the swimmers held hands and ran together, plunging into the water.

Hardy members of the club managed to stay in the water for several minutes while others, after being fully submerged in the water, didn’t stay quite as long.

Meanwhile, people with buckets collected cash from the watching crowds, all of which will go to the Essex Air Ambulance.

Club member Lorraine Rate, 53, from South Woodham Ferrers, said: “As you can imagine, it was absolutely freezing, but there was a lovely atmosphere.

“We had a few people dressed as elves and some as Santa, and one woman even wore a bikini.

“We managed to get a bit of a crowd to watch and they counted us down from ten as we all ran in together.

“When I was stood on the beach I was shivering, but when we ran the adrenalin kicked in and you don’t feel the cold so much.”

The event, which was organised by the club’s social secretary and took place on Christmas Eve, is expected to become an annual affair.

Next year, the Chalkwell Redcap swimmers are also attempting to swim from Southend to Kent and back.

Six swimmers will have just six hours to complete the challenge in July 2012. That event aims to raise money for the RNLI and Essex Search and Rescue.

The swimming club meets regularly between May and September by the Crowstone at Chalkwell.

For more information visit www.

theredcapchallenge.blogspot.com