The shocked gasps and squeals may have been from the icy plunge - or they may have been due to the thousands of dollars being raised as a result.
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A line-up of Sapphire Coast AFL players and local identities took the freezing dip at Narooma's Bill Smyth Oval on Saturday, braving the Ice Slide to help raise money for research into motor neurone disease.
The short slide into a pool of freezing water was among a host of fundraising activities as part of the Footy 2 Fight MND campaign, which coincided with the SCAFL game between the Narooma Lions A and Merimbula Diggers.
The teams were competing for the Matt Ratcliffe and David Worden Memorial Shield, named in honour of two long-standing club members who succumbed to MND.
It was an emotional day for the Ratcliffe and Worden families, members of whom were there on the day.
The Diggers lost their game, scoring 36 points (6.0) versus the Narooma Lions' 95 points (14.11), sealing their fate on the Ice Slide.
However, in an act of camaraderie, the Narooma Lions also went down the slide.
Children from three schools contributed to the fundraiser by holding mufti days and raffles.
The 40 children at Central Tilba Public School raised $3200, helped by a massive raffle ticket sale.
Kathryn Ratcliffe, sister of Matt Ratcliffe who died from MND in 2015, organised the raffle.
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Their winning fundraising effort meant their principal, Tania Hextell, was sent down the Ice Slide.
Setting an example of good sportsmanship for the students, Darren McPartland, principal of St Peter's Anglican College in Broulee, and Louise Ibbett, assistant principal at Carroll College in Broulee, joined Ms Hextell down the slide.
Monique Craig, a member of the Footy 2 Fight MND event committee said, "it was a fabulous thing for them to do."
Combined, the three schools raised almost $6000.
Rugby league legend Michael Weyman, who has represented Australia, NSW and NSW Country, travelled from Moruya to support the cause by also going down the slide.
Others to brave the icy water were Eden-Monaro MP Kristy McBain, and Eurobodalla Shire deputy mayor Alison Worthington, along with Power FM's Brad and Hutzy.
In addition to the school children's fundraising, money was raised through a cocktail event held Saturday evening, with auctions, games, raffles and special guests.
The fundraising will continue throughout August with donation tins in local businesses, as well as another raffle ticket sale based on left-over vouchers local businesses had donated.
Ms Craig said the committee hoped to have raised around $30,000 in this year's MND fundraiser by the end of August.
"All the blood, sweat and tears that went into it were worth it," she said.