Ventnor’s annual Boxing Day swim has been cancelled for 2019, it has been announced at the eleventh hour.
It has been decided by organisers that it is too dangerous for the swim to go ahead due to the adverse weather conditions.
The event was due to get underway on Ventnor Esplanade at 12 midday.
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Good, just ‘look at me’ types
You would of thought the service attending the event to offer safety cover would of been able to inform the organisers of the incoming weather conditions in advance. Unfortunately it appears they have very little if any knowledge, extensive or otherwise of local sea state & weather conditions. This is a sad & possibly dangerous state of affairs. The organisers could of & should of been informed of this weather system way before 11:30am today, Hence the very late cancellation! Of which some people who had made the effort to dress up & collect sponsorship still decided to take the plunge. Luckily no harm came to them & when seeing people walking down to the beach in their fancy dress to be informed so so late in the day, I can’t say I blame them for taking a dip.
A few years ago conditions had been horrendous up-to & over the Xmas period & to save the day the organisers were well informed in good time to allow them the chance of broadcasting the change of time for the swim by one hour.
This way the swim took place when it was safe to do so, the collection buckets were doing well for the charities & local pubs were heaving for a longer period. Everyone was happy.
Today’s event could of easily been handled in the very same safe way if there was any knowledge to offer. Surely prevention is far better than cure & would of kept things semi organised, instead of the little groups taking to the water at a time they chose rather on the whistle, which does make things awkward to monitor.
I do hope moving forward this event can return to being more professionally assisted on safety side. People marching around in uniforms are little help if they have zero knowledge to offer.