On Monday it was the shortest day of the year in Australia…the winter solstice. For me it’s reason to celebrate because while we are still getting colder, at least the days will slowly start to get longer!! Monday was 4 hours and 46 minutes shorter than the summer solstice.
In Canberra, the morning of the winter solstice is also a time for a big bunch of people to get naked and go for a (sub-freezing) early morning dip, all in the name of charity. This year they raised funds for Lifeline – a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done, or seen done, for charity?
June 23, 2021 at 9:03 pm
Oh my gosh!! Even polar dips in Canada have clothes on! 🙈
June 24, 2021 at 8:52 am
Haha, I know right! Mind you, it was so cold there was probably not a lot to see 😉
June 24, 2021 at 12:33 am
Nothing compares to this… Hmm…
June 24, 2021 at 8:54 am
Lol, it’s pretty crazy. They’ve only been doing it for about 4 years, but every year (except last year’s covid year when they were only allowed 2 people!) the participant numbers are growing. There were about 250 people this year.
June 24, 2021 at 7:05 am
I always thought it was fun when my boys’ teachers would shave their heads or color their hair for fundraising. Lifeline sounds like a great cause, but I’d rather send money than jump in freezing water!
My days are now getting shorter 🙁 And it’s beastly hot today!
June 24, 2021 at 8:55 am
Lifeline run Australia’s biggest second hand book sales, so I always donate our books to them (I’m about to send them about 500 books in excellent condition – books the Barbarians are now too old for).
June 24, 2021 at 8:41 am
I’ve heard of those polar bear dips on, like, New Year’s Day or such. I think they’re crazy, but whatever. They must get something out of it.
June 24, 2021 at 8:55 am
I think I understand it better when they get sponsored to raise money for charity. The ones who just do it for the sake of it…crazy.
June 24, 2021 at 9:08 am
Hahaha!!!
June 25, 2021 at 1:35 am
We just had the opposite lunacy here, summer solstice, and the tourists are at least that bad; they are coming even though we are being dosed with Red Tide (karenia brevis) along our coasts. Covid fatigue at its worst.
June 25, 2021 at 7:49 pm
I hope they aren’t going into the water!
I’m sorry to hear about the building collapse. I hope there wasn’t anyone you know involved.
June 27, 2021 at 11:52 am
I don’t know yet if it had anyone I know in it. I do have friends in the area and some of the calls I have made haven’t been answered. It could be anything and I hope it isn’t that. I, too, have hope.
July 1, 2021 at 10:13 am
Gosh, BF. I hope you’ve now made contact with everyone you know from the area. It’s an awful, awful situation.