Monday 26 December 2016

Boxing Day Traditions.

The weather threatened the traditions.

In fact the weather threatened my sanity.




Big winds today.  So no walk for me.


That is our lifeboat behind the wave.

Every year on Boxing Day, 26th December, Fraserburgh has the Boxing Day swim.  Idiots swim across the harbour to raise money for the RNLI.  Royal National Lifeboat Institution. This is a voluntary organisation.  Each volunteer has a pager.  When it goes off they all go.  Rescue people and boats.  Just amazing.




What is even more amazing that people still do it.
The temperature in the water was 3 degrees.  The wind was at least 60 mph.  23 people did the swim.  The Dawn Patroller was there.  I wasnt.

The other traditions.  

The  annual temperance walk held at the  coastal  villages of Inverallochy Cairnbulg and St Combs where the walkers are led by flute players 

Each year the North East of Scotland Aberdeenshire villagers of Inverallochy, Cairnbulg and St Combs take part in a temperance walk to shake off the winter cobwebs. Each village in the Buchan  Coast takes turns to host the walk which has been happening for over 160 years. 

The history of these walks dates back to an evangelical time in the villages when they were regenerated after a bad period during the 19th Century when there was much village fighting and drunkenness which only ended after an outbreak of cholera in 1847. After this epidemic the communities grew and turned to religion. The tradition of the temperance walks started at this time. 





So there you go.  We are all religious nutters.  Or just nutters.

The wind is still blowing.  Tomorrow is promised to be calmer.  

2 comments:

crafty cat corner said...

I thought people were mad swimming in the sea down here in Brighton but to do it in Scotland is insane, I think I would have an instant heart attack if I were to try it.
My son lives in Ayr and has battoned down the hatches, removed the green house door as it seems there is less damage this way and holed up inside. lol
Briony
x

vic said...

The walks sound like fun, the swimming not so much!

We have a polar bear swim in a large lake (actually the city reservoir) on New Year's Day. It's certainly cold enough here in southern Indiana on Jan. 1st to give one pause, but they always have a pretty large group who are willing to give it at least a short jump in and out. Can't see it myself!