Under a fairy-floss sky at sunrise, a group of people gather on the shore at Nightcliff Beach…
Words by Alley Pascoe | Photos by Mel Brautigam
People have always gathered along Darwin’s shoreline. For generations, Larrakia people have fished at the Nightcliff Fish Trap on low tide.
In the ‘70s, a few mates started sitting on the rocks at East Point each Saturday and inadvertently formed the Darwin Rocksitters. Today, a group of around 40 people arewading into the shallows at Nightcliff Beach. They meet here every Wednesday morning at 6:30am during the dry for a sunrise swim. They are the Darwin Dippers.
“In a way, we’re the continuation of the Rocksitters,” says Tyler, one of the current organisers of the community, who came to Darwin from Southern California in 2020. “They were the original dippers; they just didn’t get in the water. But it started with someone really liking sitting on the rocks, and others joining them.”
The Darwin Dippers started in the dry of 2021 when Mae, a nurse new to town, went for a swim at Lake Alexander with 30 others. She was inspired to organise the event by the Salty Sips in Adelaide, a group who gather every Wednesday morning at Henley Beach for a splash in the ocean followed by a well-deserved coffee. There’s also the Cold Nips in Sydney and the Gold Coast, and Sea Gals in Perth.
It’s a simple premise – meet at the beach, jump in the water, make new friends, celebrate with caffeine – with obvious mental and physical health benefits.
Since Mae and her friend Laurie began running the Dippers three years ago, word has spread, and the group has grown. It’s moved from the lake to the ocean at Nightcliff Beach where locals swim during the dry. Mae and Laurie have since left town, but the group lives on. The current organisers include Ingrid, Tayla and Tyler, who’s wearing a pair of speedos emblazoned with the slogan ‘First we sip, then we dip.’
Below: First time dippers
It’s 6:35am and everyone has stripped off to their swimmers on the sand. We’re waiting for the first brave soul to step into the water. As soon as someone does, we all follow. There are a couple of gasps, a few laughs and some small talk. Any nerves are washed away by the water.
“The morning’s start out pretty quiet, but the chats get louder and louder pretty quickly. It’s such a welcoming, happy and fun group,” says Tyler, over a cup of coffee at the Foreshore Café following our dip.
“It’s a great way to meet likeminded people. We come from all walks of life, but the thing we all have in common is everyone is keen.”
There’s an easiness amongst the Dippers. A warmth. Which helps when the cold water hits the sensitive point above your waist. Oof!
It’s certainly an energising way to start the day; the joy of being in the ocean, the thrill of trying something new, the delight (and slight terror) of meeting new people. “It can be intimidating walking into a group of people for the first time, but my advice is just to say hi to someone you don’t know as soon as you arrive. Everyone is – or has been – in the same boat. And we’re all happy to talk,” says Ingrid, originally from Perth, who came for her first Dip on her own last year and encourages anyone looking to make new friends in this transient town to do the same. “Just do it!”
Below: Regular dippers – it’s such a friendly crew who welcome newbies every week.
Dare to Dip Tips for first-timers
- Follow @darwindippers on Instagram for all info and updates. During the dry season, most weeks the group meets at Nightcliff Beach and they head to the Waterfront lagoon in the wet season depending on the weather (and the odd croc sighting)
- Come as you are. No need to do your hair or put make-up on, just wear your swimmers and bring a towel.
- Go as deep as you like. The hint is in the name: this is a dip not a dive. Most people go about waist deep into the water, some go under and others have a little float. Choose your own adventure.
- Stay tuned for Darwin Dippers merch. The team are hoping to bring out a tee-shirt and towel in the near future.
Follow Darwin Dippers on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/darwindippers/
