Last January Saturday swim

Posted on January 27, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Great to have seven swimmers at dawn in January. A big change from last year.

8.6c on the watches for the sea temp and it was very mild on land, so not bad at all for a Winter swim. We got to the Dutchman quickly, with a bit of a haul coming back into a rising Westerly wind.

Siobhan was following up her Friday swim and brought the camera, of course.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland

Myrtleville dawn – 25 January, 2014

A less common shot of Siobhan in front of the camera. Apparently the prescription goggles are great for cutting onions too. Good to see that Bernard is shooting up these days – or is he on his tiptoes again?

Siobhan with her specially purchased cheap swimming Uggs. And two passing swimmers.

Gary & Niamh have an ongoing race apparently, but they took a morning off from it on Saturday.

Niamh O’Connor & Gary Frost – no racing today.

No matter what day or time you turn up in Myrtleville this Winter, Denis Condon is either in the water, just out or ready to go in with you. He’s hardly missed a day.

Denis Condon – swimming in Myrtleville more than anyone this Winter.

Swimming at 4.30pm today, Monday and next Thursday, Jan 30th. First swim of February next Saturday morning at 08.15. Denis will probably also be swimming on Tuesday, Wednesday and twice on Friday – but you’d have to check with him 🙂

Myrtleville Swimmers – 1905

Posted on January 26, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Presumably it was a predecessor of Siobhan’s who took these fantastic pictures of Myrtleville around 1905, complete with swimmers starting their swims.

Very interesting to see the old coastguard station so clearly in the pictures. With all the scrub and trees around it cleared in the last month, it’s very clear from the water now.

These are from a Facebook group called Old Photos of Cork City & County – well worth logging onto if you’re a Facebook user. It’s a great resource and being added to constantly.

Gary’s swim map

Posted on January 24, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

A beautiful calm sea and 8.5c temp this Thursday afternoon and a nice group of five swimmers.

Gary Frost is getting even more fancy – first movies, now GPS maps. He mapped about 1.4km yesterday – even though I thought we were a bit closer to the Dutchman when we stopped: I could see the seaweed on it!

Gary Frost’s 23 January swim map.

Siobhan was going to swim, but opted to take a few pictures instead – getting tired out from the pool and planning on a swim on Friday morning anyway.

One man and his beach.

It was low tide and handy for work so Finbarr Hedderman arrived, complete with Sandycove 1000+ hat.

Aidan Mangan and Finbarr Hedderman.

Of course, with Siobhan on-site, someone had to be told “POSE!”

When Siobhan says Pose, you pose – Gary Frost & James Slowey.

Swim tomorrow morning, Saturday, at 08.15 as usual.

Swims this week

Posted on January 20, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Lots of swimming all weekend with various groups using the beach – you’d never know it was January!

It was 8.8c in the water on Saturday morning – a surprise to see the temperature had gone back up again. The word on Friday afternoon was that it was like a Summer’s day – Denis may be getting a bit too used to the water at this stage: he’ll be telling us it’s toasty soon 🙂

There’s a group swimming at 4.30 today, Monday and 4.30 next Thursday, Jan. 23rd, if anyone wants to join us. Usual Saturday swim at 08.15.

Beware of posing for Siobhan.

Thursday swim

Posted on January 17, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Siobhan Russell was looking for some scenic calendar shots on the beach, but found some fellas getting in the way.

Beautiful shot of Myrtleville late on a January afternoon – just ignore the two guys on the bottom right.

Siobhan’s a true professional, so she just bided her time.

That’s better, they’ve gone.

Gary Frost has diligently stuck at his plan for the Winter, taking off his wetsuit at the end of each swim, to do a few minutes in togs and build up his acclimatisation. He’ll do an hour in April, no bother.

Gary Frost passes his suit to his wardrobe assistant as he continues his acclimatisation plan.

Usual swim tomorrow, Saturday, at 08.15. Water about 8.5c on Thursday – might be a little lower early tomorrow.

Pool work – has to be done.

Posted on January 16, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

While we’d all like to be in the sea for the year, Irish temperatures and daylight hours mean the pool is a necessary evil.

Some people have taken it a bit too far, though, and gone for training sessions in Douglas Pool on Wednesdays, with Ms. Cashell in command – no slacking there.

Clodagh, Joleen, Siobhan & Gary – disciples of Sensei Cashell – ‘The Mean One’.

There’s a group in the sea today, Thursday, at 4.30pm and the usual swim at 08.15 on Saturday morning. All welcome, as ever.

Home and Away

Posted on January 11, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

It was a beautiful morning in Myrtleville: temps were 7.8c in the water and -2c on land with lovely sunshine. The beach was icy, admittedly and that wasn’t the most pleasant for the feet!

Still, a great turnout of eight swimmers, even if some promised special guests couldn’t make it after a late night.

Also absent, on Gala duty in Tralee, a couple of Myrtlevillians couldn’t keep out of the sea.

Poen water , sea swimming in Cork, Ireland

Fast Eddie Irwin, the surfer Dude & Bernard Lynch at Banna Beach today.

Big waves in Kerry and I’m giving Eddie the benefit of the doubt by saying he was looking to catch some tubes in his board shorts. I couldn’t be saying he was swimming in his jox.

Water temp going back up again!

Posted on January 10, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

8.6°c on Wednesday and 8.7°c in the water on Thursday, plus it was calm enough to swim to the Dutchman. Still a good mix of swimmers sticking with Winter sea swimming and enjoying it. We also hear tell of sneaky extra training sessions in the pool in Douglas. Some people are getting fierce serious 🙂

Usual 08.15 swim tomorrow, Saturday. Forecast looks ok.

As ever, a couple of fantastic pictures from Siobhan Russell during the week.

High tide at Fennell’s Bay.

The Dutchman throws up some waves

See you in the sea!

Church Bay waves

Posted on January 6, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Siobhan Russell got these great pictures just after her swim in Church Bay this morning…..

This was after the main waves had died down. Jimmy Long in Myrtleville said the sea was taking chunks out of the cliffs there at high tide at 8.00 this morning – huge waves.

Stormy Seas

Posted on January 6, 2014 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Hopefully someone will take a picture of today’s seas (from a safe vantage point, well away from the waves!) and send it on. In the meantime, I discovered today that Sarah Twomey had tweeted me this great picture on Christmas Eve, but it didn’t reach me. Bloody phone…..

Myrtleville on Christmas Eve 2013 – Sarah Twomey’s picture.

Looks like the storm is calming from Wednesday onwards, so we might get back in towards the middle or end of the week.

8.5c in the water on Saturday morning. Two groups of five swimmers in – a big increase on the numbers who kept it going through the Winter last year.

Myrtleville Swimmers

Open Water – Sea Swimming in Cork, Ireland

Monthly Archives: January 2014