Nevertheless more than 100 hardy souls took to the sea to see in 2017.
The event’s normally held at St Catherine’s, but strong winds, together with a big swell, threatened to smash swimmers against the slipway and breakwater as they would have attemptted to clamber back out.
Safety considerations forced organisors to move the swim to a more sheltered bay to the south – half way between St Catherine’s and the lifeboat slip.
The sea may have been slightly smoother but the change of bay meant swimmers had to stumble over the stony beach before they could take their dip.
It also meant a longer walk back to St Catherine’s Yacht Club where hot drinks, soup, and mince pies were being served to revive frozen fingers and chilled limbs.