Mount Maunganui swim: Women jump in ocean for ‘winter solstice dip’

Mid-winter swim in Mount Maunganui: Pictured L-R: Judith Hensen, Angela Thomas, Rockie Branch, Miranda Clark, Misty Kimura, Karin Egan, Chloe Wickman and Suki Xiao. Photo / Alex Cairns

Jumping into the ocean in the middle of winter is about “being comfortable with getting uncomfortable”.

Miranda Clark along with Judith Hensen, Angela Thomas, Rockie Branch, Miranda Clark, Misty Kimura, Karin Egan, Chloe Wickman, and Suki Xiao did a “winter solstice dip” in Mount Maunganui’s Pilot Bay today.

Clark, who is the founder of Heart and Sole which inspires women to be active, said she and her friend, Wickman, first did a winter swim a couple of years ago.

Wickman is the owner of the clothing company Zeenya, whose tagline is “embracing life through colour,” Clark said.

Mid-winter swim in Mount Maunganui's Pilot Bay. Photo / Alex Cairns

“We try and do it every year and so we just got a few of our tribe together and jumped in the water really.

“It’s being aware of our ocean but just learning to love life and have fun, really.”

Clark, who does a “bit” of ocean swimming, said the water was “so much colder than I thought it would be”.

“It’s just inspiring women to be proud of who they are and we kind of talk about being comfortable with getting uncomfortable.”