Safety bit first – nicely put by Ned Denison:
“It is still the coldest time of the year in the sea. For anyone swimming in just togs: there is no such thing as a safety stop in cold water. You need to keep moving. If your swimming partner is a bit slower…then swim loops around them or zig-zag behind them. Keep your stroke rate highish to keep your heart pumping warm blood around your body. Stopping for two minutes is just a bad idea. You get cold and if you are going to get any cramps – that will be the time.
2. There are two places that you want to be:
- swimming in the water, or
- “all the way out” – on land.
Over the years the injuries have typically happened in the middle. The slipway at Sandycove is concrete and if you are exiting when a wave hits….not good. The Myrtleville beach at knee depth is where you can get knocked over and hurt your knees.
Take a minute to look at the conditions before you get changed. Plan your entry between any wave sets and go steadily. Same coming out…look up and back when 25 meters from the end and plan and execute a steady exit.”
Waves were biggish on Saturday with the Easterly wind, but everyone got in and out safely. Some people completely ignored Ned’s rules though and not only stopped moving but did it while not “all the way out”.
Safety-flaunter Anne Sheehy. Not a bit of a poser. Oh no, not a bit.
Fancy new togs seem to be the order of the day. Jim thought his were de latest fashion, but had to give way to Trevor for pure dead fancy, like.
Jim runs away and refuses to pose with Trevor as his togs are too fancy.
Daniel turned up and insisted on hugging the mnás while singing drunken ballads with his eyes closed – like Finbarr Furey. “I wish I was…….lah, lah di lah di lah……join in, everybody……”
OK, OK, that’s just mean – so here’s the last word to Daniel in the picture of the weekend. One man and his wave(s). Nice work, Siobhan!
Myrtleville Swimmers 