Fresh start in 2014 in "warm" ocean

'Cold, cold, cold,' is the only thing a participant in the New Year's swim in Scheveningen could utter. She was standing on the beach, along with 10,000 other "swimmers," trying to catch their breath from the fresh start of 2014.It was exactly twelve hours into the new year, when the crowd burst loose. The diehards ran toward the ocean to get their feet wet or submerge completely, dressed in swimsuits and orange caps. Nieuwjaarsduik
Alexander Fritze
Wikimedia commons 'I did not go in far,' said someone. 'Sorry, but I was afraid I would not be able to come back out.' The ocean water was relatively warm with a temperature of 7.5 degrees Celsius, thanks to the mild autumn temperatures. 'Still, it may feel chilly and that has to do with the wind,' said meteorologist Willem Beringen to Omroep West. Most contenders hurried back to the beach after their "dive" to withdraw in one of the readied tents with chattering teeth to get dressed again. Participants were rewarded with a cup of soup by the sponsor, who also provided them with orange caps. Following the event in Scheveningen an increasing number of places also sponsor a New Year's dive. There were 125 organized New Year's dive events, involving a total of more than 46,000 people.