THE HAGUE, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch started the New Year on Sunday by plunging into the cold water of the North Sea for a traditional dive that dates back to 1960.
As many as 50,000 people had a good time by making a quick dip into the sea at various locations along the Dutch coast, according to local media reports quoting the organizers of the traditional event.
At the beach of Scheveningen in the Hague, some 10,000 people wearing swim suits dived into the water at around noon after a warm-up along with lively music and songs.
Similar events were also held in Dutch cities including De Bilt, Bloemendaal, Zandvoort and Leeuwarden.
The Dutch swimmers were luckier this year as the New Year, with a temperature of about 7 degrees Celsius in the North Sea water, was reportedly the warmest ever measured in the Netherlands.
The Dutch tradition started in 1960 in Zandvoort, a coastal city in the province of North Holland, before gradually growing into a popular nationwide event for the Dutch people to greet the New Year. ■