Why sisters strip down and brave the cold for Dark Mofo’s Nude Solstice Swim

Tasmanian sisters who have made Dark Mofo’s Nude Solstice Swim a family tradition have spoken about why they brave the icy water each year. Why they take the plunge >

Dark Mofo 2023. Preview to the Nude Solstice Swim. Sisters Erin Luttrell of Launceston and Claire Ryan of Hobart who will take part in the swim together for the 4th year in a row. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

For the past four years, it’s been tradition for sisters Erin Luttrell and Claire Ryan to strip down to their birthday suit and take the plunge into the freezing Long Beach water at Sandy Bay.

Ms Ryan who attended her first Dark Mofo in 2015 said the tradition started when the pair both lived in Hobart at the same time.

“I’ve always been really into Dark Mofo and I’ve gone to lots of events … but this seemed like something a bit fun and a bit of a bonding experience,” she said.

“It’s a real high, you get a massive kind of rush from it. It’s all the smoke and the drums and everyone’s giggling and you get a real rush.

“The first year I think we were a bit nervous and we kind of waited until people near us were also stripping so everyone’s just focusing on trying to strip down as modestly as possible and not get their clothes wet, not get anything too sandy.”

Nude Solstice swim as part of Dark Mofo 2021 at Long Beach Sandy Bay. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Since loving their first Nude Solstice Swim, the pair have collected their Dark Mofo swimming caps to mark the occasion ever since.

Ms Luttrell said they brave the cold because of the fun and freeing feeling they get after.

“The worst part is your feet get freezing cold standing on the sand waiting to go in,” she said.

“We usually swim out to a pontoon marker and then swim back in and we just have to brave the cold for the 10 minutes that it takes.

“You lose your breath a bit and kind of have to catch yourself because it just so cold, but that’s the thrill of it too – the shock of the cold.”

Dark Mofo’s Nude Solstice Swim is completely sold out. The invigorating winter swim will be at Long Beach on Thursday from 7.30am.