Guernsey Press

Wet and wild start to 2020

RESIDENTS of all ages on Alderney had a wet and wild start to 2020 with the traditional fire brigade ‘squirt’ followed by a Polar plunge at Braye.

Published
An Alderney New Year’s Day tradition with firefighters soaking children in Marais Square (Picture by Emma Pinch, 26795354)

New Year’s Day is traditionally when the volunteer fire brigade tests out its pumping equipment using the water-filled cattle trough in Marais Square.

Now each New Year at 11am, firefighters arrive in the square in a blaze of sirens and flashing lights and invite children to have a look around their vehicles. Then the fun begins in earnest.

Yesterday, children dared each other to run within squirting distance of fire hoses and get a soaking, while others were unceremoniously dunked in the trough.

Since a ‘safe zone’ was established last year, many more turned up to enjoy the spectacle.

At midday, Braye Beach was became the focus of the fun. On a misty day, around 40 people – and triple the number of people looking on – plunged into flat calm sea braving a water temperature of about 10C.

Swimmers wished each other a Happy New Year amid the shrieks and warmed up with a hot toddy later at the Braye Beach Hotel.

Veteran new year swimmer Moira Sleeman said: ‘It was bracing, to say the least, but it wasn’t really that bad. I’ve been in quite a few times in December.

‘It’s the perfect way to start off the new year.’