Sunrise swims help young ‘oddballs’ make friends away from social media

What began as two friends going for an early-morning ocean swim has exploded into a rite-of-passage for hundreds of young people craving human connection away from social media.

Every Wednesday morning, hundreds of people gather on the shore of an otherwise deserted Perth beach just before the sun peaks above the horizon.

The bleary-eyed group huddles together chatting excitedly before they sprint across the sand in unison and plunge into the icy cold water.