Dance Troupe – Here come the girls.

It was only a matter of time.  With Eddie missing for months and Jumpin’ J skipping rehearsals for jaunts to Ballinspittle and Spain (equally lovely destinations, of course) there was clearly a gap to be exploited.  As Denis says, leave it to the mnás.

With careful planning and protestations that they just happened to be buying new togs, Carol and Breda got ready with the moves.  On Monday night – Voila, The Seaweed Shuffle.  Serious candidates for the new Myrtleville troupe – costumes and all.

I believe it was inspired also by Aisling Barry’s new wave (get it?) Harlem Shuffle solo at the weekend.  I think Marie was supposed to make it a duo but got caught by a warm one.

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As Mr. Finbarr says – it’s all happening in Myrtleville.

The recovery window

As previously posted, an evening seminar on nutrition was discussed for the swimmers in Myrtleville.  Certainly, nutrition does seem to be high on the Myrtlevillian agenda.  Rather than a big long seminar, I thought we might just focus on one thing – the golden nutrition period of 45 minutes post-swim, AKA the muscle recovery window.

As the saying goes – here’s the science bit: this is the time when muscles are restored, repaired and regenerated.  All of the processes that help repair damaged muscle tissue, build new muscle and replenish muscle energy are activated immediately after exercise.  It is almost as if a switch was turned on.  However, this switch has a timer.  After 45 minutes it automatically turns off.  We call this 45 minute interval the “muscle recovery window.”  To take full advantage, all you have to is consume the right combination of nutrients within 45 minutes after a workout.

That all sounds fair enough, doesn’t it?  I don’t think there’s a problem with getting our elite swimmers to consume nutrients in the 45 minute window, so let’s just focus on six words there – “consume the right combination of nutrients”.

Where in those six words does it say “cake”, “sticky buns”, “custard slices”, “sausages” etc etc etc?  Hmmmmm?

 

Back to the drawing board for the nutrition plan – or the frying pan and oven, maybe.

Warm, fluffy waves.

I personally didn’t get into swimming because I wanted to do loads of laps or distances in the sea.  It’s ended up that way a bit, but I do try to remember the reason I started sea swimming was I was really, really fat: feckin’ huge I absolutely loved splashing in waves at a beach whenever I got the chance. Hours, I’d be in there.  Saturday morning was a reminder of that.  Not much swimming, but a great start to the day.

Lots of people went in and watched out for each other.   Of course, it didn’t look too enticing at first.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Anne hides her real feelings about the state of the sea (or not) while Breda goes into another of her karmic trances (It IS sunny and calm. It IS sunny and calm).

James Slowey was first in and dispensing advice on his way out.  “I wouldn’t go in there if I was you”, was the advice.  The beard was weighing him down.

You did need to have a bit of focus to get in – gaps in the waves were in short supply.

It was like a bath when you got in, though.  Like a bath.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Warm, fluffy waves to snuggle into in Myrtleville. Toasty, like.

Swim tonight at 6.00.  Forecast is still a little Easterly but much lighter than the weekend, so hopefully some swimming will be possible.  We can’t go playing all the time!

Swimming times – all year.

Myrtleville is a busy place for swimmers.  Some days – even weekdays – there are shifts of swimmers going in all day.  For newcomers, this post is an attempt to put some structure on when there are swims they can join.

We will not be publishing swim times weekly or monthly on this site.  This is the information for year-round swimming. See below for where you can see more regularly updated swim times.

1. Don’t swim alone but if you’ve got another swimmer or swimmers with you and are aware of the tides and weather, just pick your own time: enjoy and be careful.

2. Set Times:

There are two set swim times for the Summer and one for Winter.  If in doubt about when people will be swimming, these are the best bet, weather permitting:

Monday at 6.00 PM (From March to October) and Saturday at 8.15 AM (all year).

We’re a friendly bunch – come down and say hello, work out who you’ll swim with and get in!

3. Other Times:

To find out when other swims are going ahead during the week, you need to do one – or a few – of the following:

  • Join the WhatsApp group which a lot of swimmers use.  Get WhatsApp on your phone, then text your details to Aisling Barry and she’ll set you up – her number is zero eight six eight seven eight one seven two six.
  • Connect on Facebook with the Crosser Swimmers – Edging Insanity Group.  If that doesn’t work connect on FaceBook with Siobhan Russell –  Siobhan updates on swim times most days!
  • Follow @MyrtlevilleS on Twitter.
  • Email myrtlevilleswimmers@gmail.com – but don’t expect instant replies.

Your best plan is to get down on Monday or Saturday and ask around for who’s swimming when.  For instance, Denis Condon and a varying crew swim almost every day at 10.00am.  There are regularly 06.30 swims and so on….

 4. If you’re new to sea swimming, read this.

5. If you’re new to Myrtleville swimming (and even if you’re not!), read this.

Once more, with feeling: DON’T SWIM ALONE.  You’ve got lots of ways to find someone to swim with listed above.  Please use them.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Swim at your own risk.

More returnees.

Yes, the stampede back to the sea continues.  Not suprising when we’re up into double figures in the water and it’s as calm as this –

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

April 17, 2015 – calm and 10c in the water.

Maria O’Regan has been missing for a bit and needed sibling support.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Claire, Maria and Bernie O’Regan after a long absence!

Yes, it’s great to see old friends back around Myrtleville.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Just out from Fennell’s Bay?

Swim at 08.15 tomorrow – if you dare.

Carrigdhoun feature.

I don’t know if this is going to be a monthly report and I hope Siobhan Russell is getting some cash for it!  Great spread of pictures.  Well done, Siobhan 🙂

Be sure to buy it to support the local paper.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Carrighdoun – 15 April, 2015.

Doesn’t Finbarr look so happy since he became a Myrtlevillian?  And Breda – she’ll be getting phone calls from all the swim outlets to be their togs model for the new suit. Tom and Pat were on the beach on their own for years – they look like happy bunnies now with the company. We’ll be swamped with new swimmers.  “The place to be.”, F. Hedderman (Quote edited to delete expletives).

Swimmers returning to the sea.

There’s a steady stream of returnees at each session now.  There were a few down on Saturday and more last night.   Just as an aside, Sean Foley is 100% committed to coming down for his first sea swim next Saturday.  He promises.  No pressure.  He did promise, though.  He wouldn’t lie.  Or back out.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Myrtleville Monday – April 13, 2015

Rory Galvin was back for his first swim – note innovative use of finger to denote said first swim.  He’s sorted for the next nineteen, but not sure what he’ll do then.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Diane Neaves reckoned her first dip of the year was a double-thumbs-up effort.  Can’t beat enthusiasm 🙂

Diane Neaves

Bernard and Carol were also encouraging a newcomer who needed a bit of guidance. He used to swim in some other place but there’s nobody left there now, he said.  He was a bit fed up when they left him alone last night too – bloody speedsters.

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Ms. Cashell, Mr. Lynch and Mr. Finbarr.

The sea stayed in double figures at about 10.2c.  Good conditions to get back in.  Although, with an Easterly forecast, it will probably go back down again, so swim quickly to stay warm.  No Selfies.  Gordon.

We’re a porn site! Who’d have thought it?

I think we all knew there might be some potential for confusion if the pictures of “lots of flesh and some people in rubber suits” were to be touted on the web, but it was amazing to discover in the Examiner on Saturday that we are, in fact, Property Porn.

David McWilliams says that “property pornographers peddle lifestyle fetishes to the middle classes”.  So, not just a porn site, we’re a fetish site too!  Incredible.  Apparently, promoting the aspirational lifestyle of the Myrtleville Swimmer adds value to properties. You think I’m making this up?

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Selling the aspirational lifestye of the Myrtleville Swimmer.

Text a bit small?  Here’s the most important part.

Just in case you missed our bit.

Just in case you missed our bit.

Lifestyles of the idle rich – that’s us.  They must have Denis Cregan-Condon in mind. I wonder what our cut from the sale will be?  Enough for a night out in Bunny’s and The Pine Lodge, surely 🙂

New product release from Harcon PLC

Spare a thought in this great weather (other than the morning fog) for the seemingly large number of our fellow swimmers suffering from head colds and chest infections.  The current species of virus goes on for a couple of weeks and laughs in the face of all antibiotics and other remedies…….until now!

With the shower market cornered, Harcon Plc are expanding their product range and have proudly announced the all-new  “One night cough syrup”.

Only available direct from Harcon’s mobile delivery vehicle (parked at the top of Myrtleville slip at 10.30am most days), it’s the solution to what ails you. Not currently available in pharmacies, but discussions with Ed the Chemist are planned.

Never miss another swim! Just one dose and you too can look this good the next day.

Prime examples of the health benefits of the One Night Syrup.

Prime examples of the health benefits of the One Night Syrup.

Great to see our national reputation as a centre of pharmacological excellence being enhanced further.