June 19, 2025 • 15 mins
Ebony Abblitt takes the plunge into the chilly waters of Long Beach, as she examines how a controversial one-off event became a beloved annual tradition.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
I Heart Dazzy.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Tomorrow morning, after we've gone through the shortest day and
longest night of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, three
thousand naked strangers will congregate on Sandy Bay Beach and
run into the ocean, donning nothing but a red cap
to protect their hair. The Dark Mofo Nude Solstice Swim
marks the end of the Winter Solstice and FORASMI seen
as a start to a new year and a new beginning.
(00:25):
I'm Ebony Applet and this year I me the brave
or stupid depending on who you ask, and I am
taking part in the swim for the very first time.
So in this week's episode of My Heart Tazzy, I'm
doing a deep dive into the swim and what we
could expect in the depths of the derwent Tomorrow Morning,
I Heart Dazzy. Twenty thirteen was a big year for
Tasmania and we saw Dark Mofo for the first time
(00:47):
and with it the first edition of the Nude Solstice Swim.
The festival intended to be very serious with serious art installations.
This slightly quirky, out less serious idea coming via an
email which was initially dismissed David.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Walsh gave me the instruction or the direction to focus
on large scale outdoor installations and to be taken seriously
in the art world. So a kind of new swim
sounded a little silly, but it was one of those
ideas that just kind of sticks in your mind.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Sadly Carmichael, he was the first creative director of the festival.
The idea of linking it with the Solstice then came
to Lee recalling Solstice celebrations down in Antarctica that in
March with an icy plunge. But I have more on
that a little later in the episode. The first iteration
of the swim wasn't without its challenges. More than two
hundred people registered to take part. When police advised Lee
(01:39):
that participants could be arrested if the event went ahead.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
That was quite concerning.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
We weren't going to put our guests or an audience
in the position where they might get arrested, so we
put the event on hold. And then somehow the media
got hold of it and we essentually opened up a
public debate, and then Minister i Burn stepped in and
allowed the event to happen. So yeah, really grateful that
(02:07):
he did.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
That in a full circle moment, Li says he became
friends with the senior Tasmania police officer who made the
initial contact and they actually did the swim together. Last year,
Lee says he had no idea how big or how
special the event would be. Thankfully the moves changed significantly.
Now in twenty twenty five, these three thousand people snapped
up tickets in less than twenty four hours, the fastest
(02:30):
the events ever sold out. Almost two thirds of people
taking part are from Tazzi, with most of the remainder
coming from the mainland, as well as visitors coming from
as far as Brazil, Mexico, Singapore and the UK.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
The swim is really about a moment, to claims at
the end of the festival, I see it's after the
longest night of the year and it's the beginning of
evasively a new year. From that point, it only gets
lighter from that moment, and at that moment that we
can all collectively shake off everything. It's a beautiful moment
of harmony and of cleansing and of camaraderie of you know,
(03:07):
three thousand people.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
On sand Man Starklightfos Curry and creative director Chris Twite.
He hasn't been with the festival for long. Last year's
Nude Soulstice swim was his first, and he says there's
a real buzz about the beach beforehand.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
When you get there, when you do it for the
first time this year you're going to you know you
will arrive and there's like sort of a quiet shuffle
and a murmur amongst people look at their coats on
or their oodies on, and they're trying to stay warm,
and they huddle together like.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
A group of penguins on the edge of.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
The water, and you know, they collect their towels and
their swim tabs and they're looking for a prime pozzi
and there's a little bit of nervousness and hesitation, and
somehow you know they've done it before. They're you know,
they're keen and excited and they're ready. They're they're the
kind of ones that people are looking to. And then
all of a sudden, the running begins and there's you know,
(04:00):
fantastic long drummer sang a way, creating this thunderous noise.
Then the layers go off and then people start to scream,
they throw up, they're close and they run into the
water and then there's a completely different screen when they
hit that water and they're just wrong. It's an amazing experience.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Chris says there's many different reasons that draw people to
do the swim, from people who love the tradition to
those doing it as a dare and everything in between.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
There is that moment of that desire to have a
market in the year. So this is a moment where I,
you know, I change, I shd I grow, and that's
really important for some people. For other people, it's you know,
about the full stop of a year that you know
may have been one of success or tragedy for them,
(04:48):
and they want it. They want to mark that with
an occasion. For other people it's about camaraderie and getting together.
And for some other people it's an experience that they
just know that they can't experience anywhere else, that they
have to travel to the furthest edge of Australia, to
the cold and dark part of the year to have
this experience with other people. You know, it's not the
(05:09):
same if you were doing it, you know at the
top end of the country. You know, it's a completely
different and uniquely Tasmanian.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Moment I spoke with Tim. He's a fellow first timer.
I asked him about his motivation. He says it's something
he's wanted to do for a number of years, but
the stars just aligned this year.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
I had a lot of changes in my life over
the last few years. Just after during the end of
the COVID period, my marriag endit it was a twenty
year relationship that's ended that. Within two months of that,
I also lost the job that I've been doing for
twenty years, and not long after that, I was diagnosed
with ADHD and AfD. So I had a lot of
(05:49):
really big changes all happened really close together, and ever
since then, I've been learning to be comfortable in my
own skin again, trying to find that confidence in my
and I'll think it just to get to know myself again,
feeling like I hadn't really known myself properly in a
every long time. And so the softer swim is just
something I've always wanted to do, and in past years,
(06:11):
there's always been something that was getting the way, or
something would happen that would mean I have to put
it off or I'd miss out. There's always something that happened,
and this year it all just lined up. I happen
to have the weekend or off work, and I have
no other excuses, and I thought, well, I'm going to
give it a shot.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
He sees a swim as similarly to how Chris described
as a marker in the year and a chance for
when you all and a new start. There's several things
that make Tim nervous about the swim. The facture we
naked among thousands of strangers is one, the cold conditions another,
but that isn't going to stop him.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
By the time I'm standing on the beach is surrounded by, however,
many thousands of other people are all prepared to do
the same thing. I don't think there's going to be
any way I'll be able to chicken out of it.
The whole idea of it petrifies me, I guess, but
I think as long as I turn up on the day,
I'm fairly sure I'm just going to go through it
over the be My partner is doing it with me
(07:06):
on the day as well. It's also something that she's
always wanted to do, and it was kind of a
path that we made each other that well, if we
can get in one year, we're going to do it,
and we both manage to get tickets.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
He's expecting it to be a transformative experience, one that
sure to bring up a lot of emotions for everyone involved.
Tim says he's also very much looking forward to what
happens after the water sees its mass exodus of people.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Downing in front of the fire is center we get
out of the water. It's it's going to be the
best feeling in the world. I think in my head
on building up that moment to just imagine how how
good that simple pleasure is going to feel. But I
don't think I'll give to feel truly warm and relaxed
until I'm in warm, dry clothes in a car with
eaters on driving back to a warm hotel room. I'm
(07:52):
hoping it's going to be the sense of having done
it that's going to be the main thing. It's going
to be a story for me being able to stay
after that I've done it and that it's an experience
that I had and that all was part of something famous,
quite frankly, and people come from across the country and
around the world to come and do this. So yeah,
I mean just to be able to say that I've
(08:12):
done it. I think it's probably going to be the
most rewarding part at the end of it, but yeah,
probably the spire warming up afterwards will be the initial
the best thing.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
There'll be eight fires along the beach with six flares
lit and a gong and simple ritual will be performed
by the Tasmanian Chinese Buddhist Academy of Australia. Importantly too,
there'll also be coffee vans that I imagine we'll do a
roaring trade.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
My Heartsasi, My Hearts ASI.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
A lot of work goes into planning the hol Dark
Bofo Festival, including the newd Solstice swim. Chris White says
it's a partnership between the creative team, Lifeguards Council and
the relevant authorities. This year, there'll be forty five surf
life savers on the beach, along with rescue boats, boards
and true and an unmanned aerial vehicle just in case
(09:03):
they're required.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
It's more than a few swim caps and a bit
of sand like it is a massive effort from the team.
They run this whole or festival and then they have
to get up literally before the.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Crack of dawn to run this event. So we're always
super thankful for the teams.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
That work hard, working with those stakeholders to make sure
that we have this space that we can do this in,
and in the fantastic work we've had with the police
over the years to allow the events to even occur.
And then of course, you know the Sandy Bay local
to have this one day of a year where a
thousands of people are screaming and charging of the beach
(09:39):
at the very early morning. So there's so much good
will it exists around it to so many different places
to make.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
That happen, and there's a lot of elation when everyone
gets out of the water. Not everyone is rushing back
to their cars and blasting their heat is Oh my god, it's.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
So jovial, you know, like everyone is quickly trying to
get warm and the same time looking around, grinning earer
were in sharing this common moment of like, oh, we
just did this thing. You know, you accomplish something together
as a group. It's a beautiful sort of like exchange
(10:14):
between all of those strangers.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
I spoke with Irene, who's about to do the swim
for the fourth time. She says, there's something ethereal about
the experience.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
You know, all our bodies are all different tapes and sizes,
but that's the same with everyone. And we don't care,
like we don't have to hide away. I just personally
really like the liberation of it. It is standing there.
It's like the whole world above or the universe. If
you like you're just looking down on you, look it
to you and your bare humanity.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
In the past of flis of Irene and her friend
group holding hands and running in together when viral. It's
a release of inhibitions and that's what she thinks keeps
people coming back year after year.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
Definitely very free. And I ran in the first time
and came back up, ran back in again, just to
make the.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Most brilliant And if you think it's going to be
cold in the Durwinz marathought for our Antarctic expeditions. Each
year they host celebrations to mark the solstice, including a
special feast and a winter swim of their own.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Right across the three Antarctic Australian stations and indeed across
the rest of the continent. The swim is now very
much important and essential part of the Middle inter celebrations.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
That's Andy Water and he's the station leader down at
Casey Station. When we spoke it was in the minus
twenty degree temperature range. An enormous amount of meticulous planning
goes in place before it can go ahead.
Speaker 6 (11:35):
First and foremost, as with everything we do here in Antarctica,
on this station and the others, the safety of our
people is absolutely paramount.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
A large chainsaw is used to cut a square hole
in ice that used to be ocean, done under very
careful supervision, with strict practices. They then attach a ladder,
usually one that's made out of wood or a similar material,
so people's fingers don't stick to it when they're hauling
themselves out.
Speaker 6 (11:59):
It's not inconceivable that the temperature at the time we
do the swim, the ambient temperature could be around the
minus twenty to minus thirty degree mark, and once you
throw a little bit of wind into that, it can
get pretty chilly. So all the precautions will be there,
and by precautions I mean an emergency team on standby
with the requisite training in rescue on the ice. Our
(12:21):
station doctor, who if she does do the swim, will
do it last a tenth that's set up to be
able to quickly warm people back on the land, and
of course everybody doing it in a really orderly fashion.
So look, the majority of the station will do the swim.
It's something we look forward to.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
The water temperatures at Casey Station for the swim approximately
a very chilly minus one point eight degree. See, it's
definitely warmer in then out. Lately at the station there's
been very little sun. There's around four hours of daylight
per day and they've been losing around seven minutes a
day on average four the last month. Month the winter
solstice a special and important time for our Antarctic expedition
(13:04):
is not only because that starts turning around, but it's
where they celebrate their success to date as well as
those that have come before them, but also their friends
and family back at home.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Everybody pays a price for service, and the price for
some of the loved ones back home is not having
their loved ones around. So we really appreciate that very much.
And the message back to those associated with Casey Station
is your people are doing great. It's a wonderful community
and we're doing our job and we're loving our job
and loving our community.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
I asked Lee Carmichael for his top tips for first
time is like myself. He's issued a warning to wait
until the last minute to take off your clothes.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
In early years, we actually did have a few cases
of hypothermia were tracksuits are something that are really easy.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
To get on and off quickly.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
And yeah, way to the last moment. That's my advice.
But other than that, just you know, I just really
enjoy it. The water far more scary than the murdity.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Chris Twaine says, it's not about how long you stay
in there for.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I don't think it's about the amount of time that
you spend in the water. It's about joining together to
go in. You know.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
That's the moment we do together.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Whether you stay in longer or you jump out and
you still went in, you know, and that's the moment
we all.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Share together down in the dear When Chris says it
can be a really emotional moment when you come out
of the water. One of his top tips is to
be kind to yourself.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
There is a weight that comes off, there is a release.
It's an incredible moment. There's something you know, I'm ordial
about it, this connection to the water and to a
time in the year and the way that the sun
is moving around the Earth and what that means for
us as human animals, you know, and that's the time
that we can really connect and move away from the
(14:51):
moments of our lives and think about the things that
are important to us, the people who are around us,
the place which.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
We live in, the things that we do. It really
sort of dwarfed.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
You're in a galaxy sized moment.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Given his initial hesitations about including the new swim as
part of the Dark Mofo festival, Li says the swim's
popularity was unexpected and unforeseen.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Could not have imagined.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
That it has ended up the way it has.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Under any circumstance. Really, it's just, yeah, it blows.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
My mind that some good news for everyone listening. The
Dunk Mofo team are already busy working on plans for
the twenty twenty sixth festival. You know what they say,
there's no rest for the wicked. That's it for this
week's episode of My Heart Tazzy. I'm Ebanie Autlett. Thanks
so much for joining me
Speaker 4 (15:41):
My Heart Tazzy
I Heart Dazzy.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Tomorrow morning, after we've gone through the shortest day and
longest night of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, three
thousand naked strangers will congregate on Sandy Bay Beach and
run into the ocean, donning nothing but a red cap
to protect their hair. The Dark Mofo Nude Solstice Swim
marks the end of the Winter Solstice and FORASMI seen
as a start to a new year and a new beginning.
(00:25):
I'm Ebony Applet and this year I me the brave
or stupid depending on who you ask, and I am
taking part in the swim for the very first time.
So in this week's episode of My Heart Tazzy, I'm
doing a deep dive into the swim and what we
could expect in the depths of the derwent Tomorrow Morning,
I Heart Dazzy. Twenty thirteen was a big year for
Tasmania and we saw Dark Mofo for the first time
(00:47):
and with it the first edition of the Nude Solstice Swim.
The festival intended to be very serious with serious art installations.
This slightly quirky, out less serious idea coming via an
email which was initially dismissed David.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Walsh gave me the instruction or the direction to focus
on large scale outdoor installations and to be taken seriously
in the art world. So a kind of new swim
sounded a little silly, but it was one of those
ideas that just kind of sticks in your mind.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Sadly Carmichael, he was the first creative director of the festival.
The idea of linking it with the Solstice then came
to Lee recalling Solstice celebrations down in Antarctica that in
March with an icy plunge. But I have more on
that a little later in the episode. The first iteration
of the swim wasn't without its challenges. More than two
hundred people registered to take part. When police advised Lee
(01:39):
that participants could be arrested if the event went ahead.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
That was quite concerning.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
We weren't going to put our guests or an audience
in the position where they might get arrested, so we
put the event on hold. And then somehow the media
got hold of it and we essentually opened up a
public debate, and then Minister i Burn stepped in and
allowed the event to happen. So yeah, really grateful that
(02:07):
he did.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
That in a full circle moment, Li says he became
friends with the senior Tasmania police officer who made the
initial contact and they actually did the swim together. Last year,
Lee says he had no idea how big or how
special the event would be. Thankfully the moves changed significantly.
Now in twenty twenty five, these three thousand people snapped
up tickets in less than twenty four hours, the fastest
(02:30):
the events ever sold out. Almost two thirds of people
taking part are from Tazzi, with most of the remainder
coming from the mainland, as well as visitors coming from
as far as Brazil, Mexico, Singapore and the UK.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
The swim is really about a moment, to claims at
the end of the festival, I see it's after the
longest night of the year and it's the beginning of
evasively a new year. From that point, it only gets
lighter from that moment, and at that moment that we
can all collectively shake off everything. It's a beautiful moment
of harmony and of cleansing and of camaraderie of you know,
(03:07):
three thousand people.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
On sand Man Starklightfos Curry and creative director Chris Twite.
He hasn't been with the festival for long. Last year's
Nude Soulstice swim was his first, and he says there's
a real buzz about the beach beforehand.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
When you get there, when you do it for the
first time this year you're going to you know you
will arrive and there's like sort of a quiet shuffle
and a murmur amongst people look at their coats on
or their oodies on, and they're trying to stay warm,
and they huddle together like.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
A group of penguins on the edge of.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
The water, and you know, they collect their towels and
their swim tabs and they're looking for a prime pozzi
and there's a little bit of nervousness and hesitation, and
somehow you know they've done it before. They're you know,
they're keen and excited and they're ready. They're they're the
kind of ones that people are looking to. And then
all of a sudden, the running begins and there's you know,
(04:00):
fantastic long drummer sang a way, creating this thunderous noise.
Then the layers go off and then people start to scream,
they throw up, they're close and they run into the
water and then there's a completely different screen when they
hit that water and they're just wrong. It's an amazing experience.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Chris says there's many different reasons that draw people to
do the swim, from people who love the tradition to
those doing it as a dare and everything in between.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
There is that moment of that desire to have a
market in the year. So this is a moment where I,
you know, I change, I shd I grow, and that's
really important for some people. For other people, it's you know,
about the full stop of a year that you know
may have been one of success or tragedy for them,
(04:48):
and they want it. They want to mark that with
an occasion. For other people it's about camaraderie and getting together.
And for some other people it's an experience that they
just know that they can't experience anywhere else, that they
have to travel to the furthest edge of Australia, to
the cold and dark part of the year to have
this experience with other people. You know, it's not the
(05:09):
same if you were doing it, you know at the
top end of the country. You know, it's a completely
different and uniquely Tasmanian.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Moment I spoke with Tim. He's a fellow first timer.
I asked him about his motivation. He says it's something
he's wanted to do for a number of years, but
the stars just aligned this year.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
I had a lot of changes in my life over
the last few years. Just after during the end of
the COVID period, my marriag endit it was a twenty
year relationship that's ended that. Within two months of that,
I also lost the job that I've been doing for
twenty years, and not long after that, I was diagnosed
with ADHD and AfD. So I had a lot of
(05:49):
really big changes all happened really close together, and ever
since then, I've been learning to be comfortable in my
own skin again, trying to find that confidence in my
and I'll think it just to get to know myself again,
feeling like I hadn't really known myself properly in a
every long time. And so the softer swim is just
something I've always wanted to do, and in past years,
(06:11):
there's always been something that was getting the way, or
something would happen that would mean I have to put
it off or I'd miss out. There's always something that happened,
and this year it all just lined up. I happen
to have the weekend or off work, and I have
no other excuses, and I thought, well, I'm going to
give it a shot.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
He sees a swim as similarly to how Chris described
as a marker in the year and a chance for
when you all and a new start. There's several things
that make Tim nervous about the swim. The facture we
naked among thousands of strangers is one, the cold conditions another,
but that isn't going to stop him.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
By the time I'm standing on the beach is surrounded by, however,
many thousands of other people are all prepared to do
the same thing. I don't think there's going to be
any way I'll be able to chicken out of it.
The whole idea of it petrifies me, I guess, but
I think as long as I turn up on the day,
I'm fairly sure I'm just going to go through it
over the be My partner is doing it with me
(07:06):
on the day as well. It's also something that she's
always wanted to do, and it was kind of a
path that we made each other that well, if we
can get in one year, we're going to do it,
and we both manage to get tickets.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
He's expecting it to be a transformative experience, one that
sure to bring up a lot of emotions for everyone involved.
Tim says he's also very much looking forward to what
happens after the water sees its mass exodus of people.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Downing in front of the fire is center we get
out of the water. It's it's going to be the
best feeling in the world. I think in my head
on building up that moment to just imagine how how
good that simple pleasure is going to feel. But I
don't think I'll give to feel truly warm and relaxed
until I'm in warm, dry clothes in a car with
eaters on driving back to a warm hotel room. I'm
(07:52):
hoping it's going to be the sense of having done
it that's going to be the main thing. It's going
to be a story for me being able to stay
after that I've done it and that it's an experience
that I had and that all was part of something famous,
quite frankly, and people come from across the country and
around the world to come and do this. So yeah,
I mean just to be able to say that I've
(08:12):
done it. I think it's probably going to be the
most rewarding part at the end of it, but yeah,
probably the spire warming up afterwards will be the initial
the best thing.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
There'll be eight fires along the beach with six flares
lit and a gong and simple ritual will be performed
by the Tasmanian Chinese Buddhist Academy of Australia. Importantly too,
there'll also be coffee vans that I imagine we'll do a
roaring trade.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
My Heartsasi, My Hearts ASI.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
A lot of work goes into planning the hol Dark
Bofo Festival, including the newd Solstice swim. Chris White says
it's a partnership between the creative team, Lifeguards Council and
the relevant authorities. This year, there'll be forty five surf
life savers on the beach, along with rescue boats, boards
and true and an unmanned aerial vehicle just in case
(09:03):
they're required.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
It's more than a few swim caps and a bit
of sand like it is a massive effort from the team.
They run this whole or festival and then they have
to get up literally before the.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Crack of dawn to run this event. So we're always
super thankful for the teams.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
That work hard, working with those stakeholders to make sure
that we have this space that we can do this in,
and in the fantastic work we've had with the police
over the years to allow the events to even occur.
And then of course, you know the Sandy Bay local
to have this one day of a year where a
thousands of people are screaming and charging of the beach
(09:39):
at the very early morning. So there's so much good
will it exists around it to so many different places
to make.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
That happen, and there's a lot of elation when everyone
gets out of the water. Not everyone is rushing back
to their cars and blasting their heat is Oh my god, it's.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
So jovial, you know, like everyone is quickly trying to
get warm and the same time looking around, grinning earer
were in sharing this common moment of like, oh, we
just did this thing. You know, you accomplish something together
as a group. It's a beautiful sort of like exchange
(10:14):
between all of those strangers.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
I spoke with Irene, who's about to do the swim
for the fourth time. She says, there's something ethereal about
the experience.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
You know, all our bodies are all different tapes and sizes,
but that's the same with everyone. And we don't care,
like we don't have to hide away. I just personally
really like the liberation of it. It is standing there.
It's like the whole world above or the universe. If
you like you're just looking down on you, look it
to you and your bare humanity.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
In the past of flis of Irene and her friend
group holding hands and running in together when viral. It's
a release of inhibitions and that's what she thinks keeps
people coming back year after year.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
Definitely very free. And I ran in the first time
and came back up, ran back in again, just to
make the.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Most brilliant And if you think it's going to be
cold in the Durwinz marathought for our Antarctic expeditions. Each
year they host celebrations to mark the solstice, including a
special feast and a winter swim of their own.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Right across the three Antarctic Australian stations and indeed across
the rest of the continent. The swim is now very
much important and essential part of the Middle inter celebrations.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
That's Andy Water and he's the station leader down at
Casey Station. When we spoke it was in the minus
twenty degree temperature range. An enormous amount of meticulous planning
goes in place before it can go ahead.
Speaker 6 (11:35):
First and foremost, as with everything we do here in Antarctica,
on this station and the others, the safety of our
people is absolutely paramount.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
A large chainsaw is used to cut a square hole
in ice that used to be ocean, done under very
careful supervision, with strict practices. They then attach a ladder,
usually one that's made out of wood or a similar material,
so people's fingers don't stick to it when they're hauling
themselves out.
Speaker 6 (11:59):
It's not inconceivable that the temperature at the time we
do the swim, the ambient temperature could be around the
minus twenty to minus thirty degree mark, and once you
throw a little bit of wind into that, it can
get pretty chilly. So all the precautions will be there,
and by precautions I mean an emergency team on standby
with the requisite training in rescue on the ice. Our
(12:21):
station doctor, who if she does do the swim, will
do it last a tenth that's set up to be
able to quickly warm people back on the land, and
of course everybody doing it in a really orderly fashion.
So look, the majority of the station will do the swim.
It's something we look forward to.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
The water temperatures at Casey Station for the swim approximately
a very chilly minus one point eight degree. See, it's
definitely warmer in then out. Lately at the station there's
been very little sun. There's around four hours of daylight
per day and they've been losing around seven minutes a
day on average four the last month. Month the winter
solstice a special and important time for our Antarctic expedition
(13:04):
is not only because that starts turning around, but it's
where they celebrate their success to date as well as
those that have come before them, but also their friends
and family back at home.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Everybody pays a price for service, and the price for
some of the loved ones back home is not having
their loved ones around. So we really appreciate that very much.
And the message back to those associated with Casey Station
is your people are doing great. It's a wonderful community
and we're doing our job and we're loving our job
and loving our community.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
I asked Lee Carmichael for his top tips for first
time is like myself. He's issued a warning to wait
until the last minute to take off your clothes.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
In early years, we actually did have a few cases
of hypothermia were tracksuits are something that are really easy.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
To get on and off quickly.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
And yeah, way to the last moment. That's my advice.
But other than that, just you know, I just really
enjoy it. The water far more scary than the murdity.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Chris Twaine says, it's not about how long you stay
in there for.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I don't think it's about the amount of time that
you spend in the water. It's about joining together to
go in. You know.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
That's the moment we do together.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Whether you stay in longer or you jump out and
you still went in, you know, and that's the moment
we all.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Share together down in the dear When Chris says it
can be a really emotional moment when you come out
of the water. One of his top tips is to
be kind to yourself.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
There is a weight that comes off, there is a release.
It's an incredible moment. There's something you know, I'm ordial
about it, this connection to the water and to a
time in the year and the way that the sun
is moving around the Earth and what that means for
us as human animals, you know, and that's the time
that we can really connect and move away from the
(14:51):
moments of our lives and think about the things that
are important to us, the people who are around us,
the place which.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
We live in, the things that we do. It really
sort of dwarfed.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
You're in a galaxy sized moment.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Given his initial hesitations about including the new swim as
part of the Dark Mofo festival, Li says the swim's
popularity was unexpected and unforeseen.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Could not have imagined.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
That it has ended up the way it has.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Under any circumstance. Really, it's just, yeah, it blows.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
My mind that some good news for everyone listening. The
Dunk Mofo team are already busy working on plans for
the twenty twenty sixth festival. You know what they say,
there's no rest for the wicked. That's it for this
week's episode of My Heart Tazzy. I'm Ebanie Autlett. Thanks
so much for joining me
Speaker 4 (15:41):
My Heart Tazzy
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.