Nine brave swimmers have taken to the Tay as Ye Amphibious Ancients Bathing Association held its first swim of the season.
Choppy waters and a high wind meant conditions were far from ideal on Sunday, but first man home Mark Sales (41) completed the Tayport harbour to Broughty Ferry harbour swim in 41 minutes nine seconds.
Mark said, “It wasn’t too bad. It was quite choppy at the other side but got smoother in the middle.
“We started training in the harbour in April and it was really cold then.”
Wendy Reid was the first of the five women taking part back into harbour with a time of 41:51.
She said, “It was absolutely baltic.
“May’s a bit early in the season. I’m the oldest one taking part too.”
The Phibbies are now looking into the possibility of completing a North Sea relay swim from Arbroath back to the Ferry, but there are hazardous stretches of water involved.
President Joyce McIntosh said, “We’re hoping to do it on August 14 but the gas sands would be the stickiest part of that…
“It’s 15 miles tide-assisted. It would be a relay, so we’re trying to get the team up ready for that.”
Joyce also thanked the community service team, which has repainted the Phibbies’ clubhouse after it was targeted by vandals last month.
She said, “They’ve done a sterling job.
“We’ve had our CCTV up for a week now. Bill Rogers, who used to swim in the ’80s, does CCTV and he said if we bought the materials he’d install it all, so we got it for a song.”