Boxing Day bathers in the USA and Japan have taken the plunge to boost the charity total of the successful Tenby event. Swim medals are now making their way to the Far East and Stateside to thank the swimmers for their efforts in extending the Tenby Boxing Day Swim across the globe. Weather conditions could hardly have been more contrasting. While Japan enjoyed warm sunshine, Virginia Beach in the USA was in the grip of a blizzard. The American swim was instigated by Tenby plunge veteran Dai Roberts when he was stationed there with the NATO forces. Dai and his family have now been posted back in Britain, where they once again took part in the Tenby swim. Colleagues and friends in Virginia Beach carried on the tradition, which began with a 'beer mile' before a parade of flags to the beach. "The wind was unbelievably cold and the water was even colder than the air," said Jim Morse, who braved the icy water with Pat Bowler, Scott Howard and Chip Collier, supported from the beach by 10 family members and two dogs. "Turnout was low, but spirits were high, and when it was over, the Pusser's rum topped off the day wonderfully!" he added. Another NATO serviceman and Virginia Beach bather, Steven Ware, who has moved on to Okinawa, Japan, staged a Boxing Day dip with his wife Dolores and children Timothy and Emily. "We promise to increase the numbers next year," said Steven.
