Get in the swim for New Year’s Dook

broughty ferry: January 1 event to raise thousands

Next year’s New Year’s Day Dook in Broughty Ferry is shaping up to be the biggest ever.

Local community groups and clubs are being encouraged to join the annual open-water swim at Broughty Ferry harbour in teams.

Those who can pull together 10 or more members will receive a £10 discount on their entry fee, which Ye Amphibious Ancients Bathing Association (YeAABA) life president Joyce McIntosh hopes will encourage hundreds more people to join in.

The New Year’s Day Dook, a tradition which stretches back centuries, grows in popularity every year and raises tens of thousands of pounds for local charities in the process.

Each January 1, foolhardy souls brave the near ice-cold waters of the River Tay and recently have been dressing in some fetching and interesting outfits to do it.

This year’s celebration attracted 300 swimmers to take part including some from as far away as Australia, Canada and Israel.

A carn iva l w ith var ious entertainments will once again run alongside the Dook and it is hoped the number of attendees can be topped this coming January.

Mrs McIntosh said: “There are a few Dooks in Scotland on New Year’s Day but ours has a well established history, which makes it just that little bit different.

“This January’s Dook made more than £15,000 for local groups and charities and we hope to smash that this year.”

Entry forms can be found on the YeAABA website and Facebook page.

This January’s Dook made more than £15,000 for local groups and charities JOYCE MCINTOSH

Picture: Kim Cessford. Some of the hardy swimmers at this year’s YeAABA New Year’s Day Dook in Broughty Ferry.