Saturday, December 13, 2008

Do You Dook?

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

For 125 years, people in Dundee, Scotland have been dooking (i.e., a Scottish term for jumping into the sea from harbors and rocks).

But now that the water temperature is nearly 10°C (50°F), the open water swimming season has begun in Dundee.

The Ye Amphibious Ancients Bathing Association has been promoting open water swimming since 1884 in the River Tay and around Scotland. The Ye Amphibious Ancients Bathing Association currently organizes 14 swims in the River Tay and Loch Earn.

The purpose of the Association is to foster and encourage the sport of open water swimming - and they are doing that well. As the sport continues to grow and becomes more competitive with better conditioned athletes, the Association remains founded in the enjoyment of the challenge and the satisfaction in swimming in the open water.

The first 1-mile crossing of the River Tay was done in 1889 by Association members John Shaw and Bob Macmillan; the first double-crossing was done by Bill Blair in 1905.

With 125 years of history behind it, the Ye Amphibious Ancients Bathing Association has a strong foundation to continue as one of the longest open water swimming teams in the world.

Its official events and competitions include the following swims:

*New Year's Day Dook
*Club Single Tay Championship
*Kirkton Of Balmerino Championship
*Tayport Cup Championship
*Monifieth Championship
*Club Under 12 Dash
*Open Harbour Relay Championship
*Double Tay Championship
*Woodhaven Championship
*Veterans Single Tay Championship
*Loch Earn Championship
*Crannog Isle Championship
*The Discovery Mile
*Club Senior Championship
*SASA Midland District Swims.

Copyright © 2008 by World Open Water Swimming Association

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