• 2 days ago
A yellow weather warning for strong winds has been issued across Kent, leading to a new years day sea dip being rescheduled
Transcript
00:00On New Year's Day, Ramsgate Beach usually sees an array of people in fancy dress,
00:04ready to dip into the cold waters in celebration of the new year.
00:07But with harsh winds predicted across Kent, this event has been moved.
00:11Fortunately this year we've had to cancel it because of the
00:15forecasted bad weather recommended by the RNLI that it's too dangerous to go in really
00:19and we don't want any injuries. Cancel it and rearrange it for the Sunday the 15th thing,
00:23midday. We're all going to meet at the Queen's Head at 11 o'clock and then come down here for
00:27midday on the Sunday and hopefully there'll be just as many people and we'll all have a nice
00:32safe time in the sea. But for tomorrow people should rethink their water dipping plans.
00:37A yellow weather warning for strong winds has been issued across Kent for New Year's Day
00:42and with gusts of wind expected to reach up to 40 miles per hour,
00:45people have been advised to avoid the waters. During a storm and during heavy weather our
00:50advice is not to enter the water unless you've got specific training and skill and are really
00:55capable. Swimming in stormy water really isn't a good idea so my advice is to wait until conditions
01:02settle down before taking a dip. There's nothing wrong with going out for a stroll, going out for
01:06a walk, but remember that storm-driven sea can be really hazardous so let's stay back from the
01:12edges and that's edges of promenades, piers, any sort of man-made structure and indeed the beach
01:17because it is possible for waves to knock people off their feet to get swept into the water.
01:23Although the event has been moved there is hope for better weather at the weekend
01:26and for Ramsgate New Year's dip to fill the sea with people in costumes and for them to
01:31finish proudly wearing their medals. But it's not just the achievement of taking part in the
01:35cold plunge, this event has been raising money and awareness for a charity over the last decade.
01:40Started 12 years ago, we lost a little boy, a week old, we were looked after by the Ronald McDonald
01:47House at St Thomas's so we promised then and there that we'd do something to raise the money for them
01:53the dip was meant to be a one-off I think there was eight of us the first year and instead of
01:58being a one-off it's just grown and grown. Last year I think there was over 430 dippers and over
02:02a thousand people watching and it's a really good local event we're getting more and more local
02:06businesses involved we're just going to keep on going and see how big it can get but just
02:11I say it's just it's just a real good feel good factor about it and then we keep our
02:16little boy's name it's a positive thing and raise money for a great charity. With the sea swim event
02:22moved make sure you too are checking the weather ahead of your new year's plans to stay safe.
02:27Daisy Page for KMTV

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