The sun shone and there was a warm and gentle breeze for the first GBSD at Findhorn beach, writes organiser Alan.
Twenty-five people, men and women between the ages of 20s and 70s, made the journey for the event (e.g. from Berwick, Edinburgh, Ayr, Inverness) with several making a weekend of it to spend more time in this beautiful part of the country.
The sea was around 15°C (the warmest ever for this time of year) so our dippers were keen to get in the water, with many staying in and chatting for over 20 mins. The event was very relaxed and sociable with many friends meeting in person for the first time. The group also inspired others along the beach to strip off and take to the water. Unfortunately no dolphins or seals this time.
I was inspired to set up the event because there were no GBSD events nearby! I deliberately kept this event low key to see how the venue worked out. It turned out to be ideal so watch out for the next event in 2024. The date will be announced much further ahead and there will be more publicity to ensure that it is bigger and even better.
With thanks to the Findhorn Dunes Trust for giving us permission to use this section of beach which they own. On the day, £137 was raised and this has been donated to the trust to enable them to continue to care for this fragile environment. The event was also endorsed by the Findhorn Village Conservation Company.