Facing the 500 people waiting on the sand of ses Salines to dive into the sea, Rosa Hamersma with megaphone in hand and knee-deep in the water, started the countdown. “Five, four, three, two, one…” and a roar from the crowd before hundreds of people who took the midday plunge yesterday for the first swim the year, on January 1st which feels very much like it could be a day in April.
At noon the festive atmosphere of the charity initiative organized by the Hamersma family, owner of Vino & Co, was already felt an hour before. Since they started 12 years ago, this event has established itself as a tradition for many people on the island and even attracts visitors who come to spend Christmas.
Anxiously awaited return of the first swim of the year
“In July people already started asking us if we were going to do it this year, how we were going to organize it…”, explained Rosa at about 11:30am while she finished preparing the table with the wine and food that people were bringing.
Some plates had several towers of 150 pancakes that Jeroen Hamersma the father of the family, had cooked just this morning. There was also a tortilla de patata, cheese boards and a huge bowl with liters of pea soup, a traditional Dutch food from where the Hamersma family hails and ideal for warming up after a cold swim. In bowls of ice, dozens of bottles of wine were waiting to be opened. “We have brought 250 bottles and every year all of them are consumed. It’s all for sharing, which is what it’s all about, a day to congratulate ourselves and to thank Ibiza for everything it gives us”
In addition, the initiative has its charity side. “This year we have made 500 T-shirts which are sold for five euros and all proceeds will go to the NGO Proyecto Juntos. Two years ago we were able to finance medical trips for two families and last year with the proceeds we were able to buy a lift chair for a quadriplegic child,” explained Rosa
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