A really beautiful night for the Monday swim.  The sea was at 13.2c and patches of much warmer water over towards Fennell’s Bay.  Summer really showed up and so did our safety support.

P61 LE Samuel Beckett riding shotgun for us tonight.

Gordon Adair was in with his waterproof camera, getting a few shots over at the Dutchman.

Looks positively Mediterranean – a beautiful sunny evening.

Lots of returning triathletes at this stage and swimmers debating whether it’s time to dump the wetsuit and go for togs.  If that’s your plan, the water is certainly starting to co-operate.

The triathletes are all abandoning the pool at this stage and getting back in the sea.

Pat Lowry sucks it in and shows off his muscles! Joanne, 2nd from right, opted for the suit one last time – should have chanced togs – it was toasty.

Get your entries in for the Myrtleville – Church Bay swim, please.  Swim Safe.

Hard to see the link between all of those?  Not in Myrtleville.

Denis Condon is a committed advocate of saving water.  In preparation for metering, he filled his jerry can last January and devised a system to re-use.  As you can see from the picture below, he douses himself after the swim and catches all of the water in his foot bath.  He then refills the can and has had the same 10L for five months.  Fair dues, Denis.  An example to us all 🙂

Denis – never wastes a drop.

Other environmental activists around Myrtleville are the dancing duo of Bernie & Eddie.  They shun car heaters and central heating and warm up solely by synchronised dance.

Myrtleville Dance Troupe at weekly rehearsals – go, Eddie, go, go, go….

Siobhan posed for this herself, so I’m sure she won’t mind me saying her new hair colour is only beautiful.  She, however, was not saying that and nor was Claire Frost!

Pretty in Pink (but washing it out in the sea ASAP) – Siobhan with Claire Frost.

Finally, one sensible picture.  Rian Herlihy continues her preparations for swimming the Straits of Gibraltar in June and was out in some lumpy water on Monday evening.

Carol with Rian Herlihy preparing to race to that ship in the distance. About 10 minutes for them.

Swimming Friday morning at 06.15 and Saturday at 08.15.  Swim Safe!

People wait for months to get into a swim session with Cork’s best swim coach, Eilis Burns.  The waiting list is long.  However, not everyone has to wait.  If you’re a celeb – the doors open.  A mere six weeks after its launch, The Hat has jumped the queues and been chosen by the Super Coach to grace her domain in the Source.

Star Coach. Star Togs. Star Hat.

Apparently there were some vocal objectors among various Desperados from the West when she unveiled her Hat, but there’s only one sheriff in Silver Springs and her law rules.

Serious Swimmer. Serious Hat. There’s only one sheriff in this town, Desperados.

Early notice, June 3rd, 7.30pm: Eilis will be bringing a group of new open water swimmers to Myrtleville on Tuesday, June 3rd at 7.30pm.  Any of the regular Myrtleville swimmers who can be around that evening to give any help would be appreciated.  We just need swimmers used to the sea to join the group for the swim and watch out for anyone who needs some support.  Please come down if you can.  Remember what your own first swim was like and help out 🙂

Nothing focuses the mind like one.  In swimming terms, it’s having to do the first leg of that triathlon in June – the one you signed up for when June seemed a loooong way off.  Plenty of time to get some open water swimming done – right?  Now it’s a few weeks away 🙂

That’s a long-winded way of saying there’s lots of triathletes turning up now to get some practice in.  If you’re looking to get a race in warmer water temperatures,  Finbarr Hedderman is organising a perfectly-timed 1,500m swim on May 23 in Ballincollig: the Paddle in the Park – get your entries in now.

For those coming to the sea – and there were a lot over the weekend – it’s a pity the temp isn’t co-operating, dropping back to under 10c again. The sunshine made it beautiful on Saturday, though. For swimmers down early, this greeted us.

Myrtleville dawn – May 17, 2014

Siobhan inexcusably missed the morning session for photos – what’s the point in having a photographer-in-residence if she misses a swim every six months or so? To be fair, she was down for the afternoon sessions, when all the childminders in Crosshaven lost their business to the beach.

Swimming and crisps – childhood heaven.

Busy beach & shipping lanes.

Swimming as normal next week – Monday 6pm, Tuesday & Friday 06.15, Saturday at 08.15.  Swim Safe.

Visiting Dublin, The Hat stopped off in the other / real / original / less rural Sandycove.

Cold water at about 9c in Dublin’s Sandycove.  Just like home this week.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Agent B heard tell of a poor guy stuck in a never-ending Island Loop last Sunday and went West to help him out.  He was ambushed and forced to wear non-conforming headwear – under threat of never seeing Myrtleville again if he didn’t do so.

It’s unclear which desperados were responsible – they stayed out of the picture. “Mad Moz” may or may not have been involved – but the ones they call “Mister” and “The Bull” are suspected of complicity in this heinous crime…

Agent B displaying less famous hats – under duress – in a little-known scenic location.

No point in pretending the water wasn’t cold last night – there were patches that came direct from the polar ice cap.  A good forecast for the week ahead should see it heading back up again from the 9c or less it’s at now, into double figures again.  We deserve that!  A good crowd of twenty five or so over the evening, including the main large group – who got the Siobhan treatment.

Main group of photo models – or swimmers – respond to Siobhan’s instructions to Line Up.

Some people who were in early couldn’t contain their glee at being done and seeing the others off.

Laughing Lynch – On ye go now, sure it’s lovely and warm in there……

Pat Lowry has been swimming in Myrtleville regularly but always missed the pictures, so Bernard promised him a slot….

Pat the Paramedic finally gets on the site.

Of course, he has a hat 🙂

Pat’s Hat. Sorry, couldn’t resist that one. Showing my age.

For the small group who followed up last night with the 06.15 swim this morning, here’s what we got: worth getting up for.

Myrtleville at 06.15 May 13, 2014

Friday at 06.15 and Saturday at 08.15.  See you then!  Swim Safe.