Annual New Year's Dip: Establishing the Mood for the Coming Year
Rewritten Article:
Celebrating the New Year with a splash! Nauthólsvík played host to over a hundred enthusiasts on New Year's Eve for a unique swim event.
"We've been craving a sea dip on New Year's Day since 2020, and it felt absolutely fantastic to be back!" exclaims Herdís Anna Þorvaldsdóttir, chairperson of SJÓR, the Reykjavík Sea Swimming Association.
Unlike typical swims, participants at this event donned their finest attire, making it more of a celebratory dive than a simple plunge. According to mbl.is/Arnþór, this New Year's Day swim has its own unique charm.
This year, conditions were a bit out of the ordinary. Þorvaldsdóttir mentioned that the frigid record cold of -2.2 degrees Celsius, broken in 2018 and revisited multiple times this year, and the unusually thick ice covering the water added a whole new dimension to the experience.
The extreme cold didn't deter people from taking the dip, but safety precautions were essential. As Þorvaldsdóttir donned a sparkly gown to celebrate the new year, she wasn't the only one flaunting their best party wear. Many showed up in stunning outfits, with several groups opting for matching themed styles. The sequins certainly helped keep the chills at bay.
She believes starting the year with a bracing sea swim is an excellent way to kick-start the adventures ahead. "The sense of achievement you get from challenging nature's laws is incredible. It sets such a positive tone for the whole year. When you conquer a freeze like this, it makes other challenges feel a lot more manageable," she says.
As the festive group gathered after their icy dip, they reveled in the shared experience that set the tone for the year ahead. While there's no official tradition around Nauthólsvík's New Year's Day swim featuring fancy attire and thick ice, cold water swimming is a treasured Icelandic custom with health benefits and invigorating effects.
- As the temperature dipped below freezing on New Year's Day in 2023, attendees of the extraordinary swim event at Nauthólsvík donned their finest attire for a fashionable dive.
- The news of the unique New Year's Day swim in Iceland, with its record-breaking cold and ice-covered waters, was covered by Mbl.is journalist Arnþór.
- Participants in the annual outdoor-living event showcased their love for nature by braving the cold waters, their stunning outfits contrasting beautifully with the stark winter landscape of home-and-garden scenes.
- Despite the low temperature of -2.2 degrees Celsius, which was last seen in 2018, more than a hundred brave enthusiasts chose to swim, demonstrating their commitment to their lifestyle and love for the invigorating effects of cold water.
- Chairperson of SJÓR, Herdís Anna Þorvaldsdóttir, views starting the year with a bracing sea swim as an inspiring lifestyle choice that can set a positive tone for the year ahead, instilling a sense of achievement and resilience for tackling any challenges that lay ahead in 2023.
