Hundreds of “Surfing Santas” hit the beach to catch some waves in Florida in a continuation of an annual tradition that continued despite freezing temperatures in the Sunshine State.
The surfers, many of them dressed in Christmas attire, descended upon Cocoa Beach, Florida on Saturday morning taking part in a charity event that started in 2009 but has grown each year to include more than 800 “Surfing Santas” and nearly 10,000 people gathered on the beach to watch, WOFL-TV reported.
The event raised tens of thousands of dollars for local charities in the area and benefits the Florida Surf Museum, which preserves the state’s surfing history, and a local charity named Grind For Life that helps people with cancer.
“It’s become this really cool tradition and I couldn’t be prouder,” George Trosset, the creator of the event, told the outlet.
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Surfer Corey Howell in a space man Surfing Santa suit, rides with waves with other surfing Santas for the 14th annual Surfing Santas of Cocoa Beach event Christmas Eve morning, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022
((Malcolm Denemark/Florida Today via AP))
Last year, Surfing Santas told Fox News Digital that the organization has raised $62,000 from selling T-shirts the annual event which was a record for the group.
The organization said it has raised more than $200,000 from its 11 previous Surfing Santas events for the two local nonprofits.
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Surfing Santas in Cocoa Beach Florida
(WOFL-TV)
Temperatures in Florida plunged into the 30s starting on Friday as the Christmas week bomb cyclone moved into the state and brought cold air with it.
Parts of the Florida Panhandle had wind chills that dipped into the single digits on Saturday morning, and interior parts of central Florida had temperatures plunging as low as 27 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 2.7 Celsius degrees).
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On Christmas Eve, more than 400 surfers and paddleboarders participated in the 12th annual Surfing Santas charity event in Cocoa Beach.
(NPI/Florida’s Space Coast Office of Tourism)
“It’s a frigid start to your #ChristmasEve across the area,” the National Weather Service in Tallahassee tweeted.
Associated Press contributed to this report
