The 2013 Christmas Day swim at Budleigh Salterton


















Every Christmas Day spectators and swimmers gather on Budleigh beach just before 10.00 am. Or should that be sadists and masochists...?




Even the odd dog is welcome to join. 

























The weather had been stormy in the run-up to Christmas Day and I'd heard rumours that the event might have to be cancelled. 

But who would decide? The coastguards in the photo were looking as if they thought everyone was mad. 

They told me that the event is spontaneous with no organiser. People just turn up.






















Here are some people putting on brave faces as 10.00 am approaches.



 


 And they're off!


















Clearly some people are having second thoughts. Those waves look quite big.





Yes indeed. This could have been a big mistake.





 
The return! For most people that was after a few minutes.






 Some people just enjoy showing off. 















  



The crowds break into applause...





















... for the RNLI boats who are always out there on Christmas Day.  Off they go to the Exmouth Christmas Day swim. 


























Funded by charitable donations, the lifeboat crews and lifeguards of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution have saved at least 140000 lives at sea since 1824.  Click on
rnli.org  to read more.

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