Dozens of families braved the chilly conditions to spend Christmas Day at WA’s iconic Cottesloe Beach

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Dozens of families braved the chilly conditions to spend Christmas Day at WA’s iconic Cottesloe Beach

If you are going to start your Christmas day at the beach, there is no better location than WA’s iconic Cottesloe Beach.

The western suburbs coastal spot was teeming with beachgoers enjoying a festive dip and tipple — despite the unusually cool conditions.

One such family were the Carpenters who dusted off the Christmas jumpers they bought for their European holiday last year just to keep warm.

Dad Tim said the family start their Christmas at Cott every year, but this was the first where they had to rug up.

“We got these last year, because we were in Switzerland for Christmas,” he explained. “That was our first white Christmas. We thought we would never wear them again. Now we’ve got the coldest Christmas for 30 years.”

Camera IconJames and Will Mackinnon. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West ***********

Brothers James and Will Mackinnin were among the first locals to take the plunge in the rough seas as part of their family tradition.

Both said they believed the colder weather had probably deterred others from taking a dip explaining Cott was normally much busier at that time of the morning.

Going for a festive dip was not the only Christmas tradition being honoured this morning with Pepper, Storm and Mahon completing their annual neighbourly triathlon.

The first leg starts off at their homes with participants cycling down the coast before abandoning their bikes to run down to the kid’s playground, climb the wall, descend down the slide, and then run back to the beach to swim around the pylon then back on shore to celebrate with a glass of bubbles or orange juice.

Couple Jenni Morris and Daemon Clark explained they always spend Christmas morning at Cott which includes an annual swim.

Camera IconThe Storm family with friends and neighbours completed their traditional triathlon this morning. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West ***********

And this year was no exception even if the mercury was as low in Perth as 14.9C in the morning. Even by lunchtime the city had only reached a high of 22C.

“We are going to wait for our friends to get here,” Ms Morris said. “Then I am hosting lunch at my place. And we will probably end up back at the beach this afternoon.”

For parents Tahlia Walsh and Willem Leftink this was the first year their one-year-old Hemi could enjoy their beach Christmas tradition. Last year, he was just five days old.

Camera IconTahlia Walsh and Willem Lieftnik with baby Hemi Lieftnik, 1. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West ***********

While for other families it was a first Christmas trip to the beach ever.

Matthew Scallancotter has been living in Perth for a while but his younger brother Isaac, mum Catherine and dad David were visiting from his hometown in Cork , Ireland.

So, even if the temperatures were a far cry from the heatwave experienced in Perth at the weekend Mr Scallancotter said he didn’t mind — reminding his family it was just 7C in Ireland.

Friends Cee Ruttann, Tan May and Tania Hidaldu having been hitting the beach at Christmas for the last three years and plan to spend their rest of their day chlling.

Camera IconThe Scallancotte family from Ireland – Matthew, Isaac, Catherine and David. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West ***********

Little Sunny van Huis was all smiles as he played with his airplane with his dad explaining his family were regulars at Cottesloe and planned to spend the rest of the day at the farm with the rest of their family.

Rita Pizzini and her family spend Christmas at the beach every year, but this year was extra special with the rest of her Italian family joining them.

“After we will have a big lunch at my parent’s place and that is where we will probably stay for the rest of the day,” she said.

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