With 90 km/h gusts, this morning wasn’t looking too positive for the open water. Amazingly, because the wind was more Westerly than South West at Myrtleville, we had a 200m stretch of calm sea, perfect for swimming. Just a hundred metres further out, the waves were howling past, but the cliff beneath Bunny’s had us sheltered. So, we did laps of a long outdoor pool – with no chlorine.
Calm in the storm – Myrtleville at 06.30 – May 9, 2013
Sure, where else would you be at that hour of the day?
With strong South Westerly winds making Myrtleville a bit lumpy and foamy, we moved to Crosshaven and swam to Camden Pier and back this morning. James went for resistance training to prepare for his Lanzarote Ironman next week and stayed out in the tide on the way back – into the full flow during the third hour of the tide fall. Arms like Popeye on him when he got out 🙂
James Slowey and George Fuller in calm Crosshaven – 8 May, 2013
The sign behind them says “Triathletes are protected by law”. Not a lot of people know that, but it’s true in Crosshaven. Something to do with the Crosshaven Challenge Tri, I suppose. Same time and place tomorrow. 06.30.
It’s getting busy around Myrtleville these days. Several of the determined group preparing for the Lee Swim Red Drive Challenge were at the beach on Friday and Saturday. The water has gone back up over 10℃, so the pool to sea transition is going well. Aisling Barry sent this picture of some of the group.
Lee Swim Red Drive Challengers
Beautiful swim this morning – if a bit chilly at just 8.6°c. Water calm and very clear with fish visible around the rocks and kelp on the Dutchman, but it was still deep enough to take the inside channel. Four fast swimmers in today – and me ploughing along to make five 🙂 Great start to the day and the Summer!
Sunrise – first day of Summer, May 1, 2013
The Crosshaven girls were back in open water training yesterday, hitting the sea in numbers. A beautiful swim in calm 9.5°c water.
Crosshaven swimmers – Myrtleville 26 April, 2013
Planned swim times for Myrtleville Beach. These are the times most likely that a group will assemble. However as with everything, it’s not guaranteed. Text or email if you’re interested any day. Or tweet @Berlyn1966. Times starting Monday, April 29.
Swim at your own risk. Don’t swim alone. Always swim in groups.
Beautiful morning on Saturday and lots of shipping, with the ferry arriving from France as we were going in. Water temp of about 9.4°c. Forecast pretty good for tonight’s swim as well.
Sunshine, shipping and the Dutchman – Myrtleville, April 20, 2013
20°c is a magic figure when it’s the combined sea and air temperature. Over that and open water swimming starts to be more of a pleasure than a challenge. This afternoon we had 11°c on land and 10.3°c in the water. 21.3°c? We needed electrolytes to replace the sweat.
Seven happy swimmers today. No excuses to stay in the pool any more!
Carol, Eddie, Maeve, James & Bernard – cooling down after the swim..
It might not have been pretty. It may not even have been Myrtleville – but we’ve got our first Monday night done. Fountainstown was the back-up after meeting in Myrtleville and deciding 100m over and back in the waves wasn’t too enticing.
Just one km away, Fountainstown was relatively calm and a pleasure to swim in. Sea temp just over 9C. We were fortunate to meet Paddy from Funkytown out for a spin on a stand up kayak, to give us advice on where to swim. Good timing for us.
If it wasn’t for the lashing rain that started just as we came out, it would have been nice on land too! Hopefully we’ll stay in Myrtleville next week, but it’s great to have the alternative. Just four swimmers tonight, but Carol and Maeve will be spreading the word that it’s time to get back into the sea, I reckon. Big smiles all round.
Fountainstown – Monday night, 15 April 2013
To warm up for the Myrtleville – Church Bay Swim on Sunday, June 16, what better preparation than the Martin Duggan Memorial Swim on the evening of Friday, 14 June? This takes place over a 2 km course on the River Blackwater in Fermoy. Owen O’Keeffe, the Fermoy Fish, among others, does great work to get this event running and it’s a beautiful setting for swimming.
All information relating to entry criteria, etc., can be found on the event website. One aim of the swim has been to encourage people of all ages, but especially young people, to take part in open water swimming and learn to enjoy swimming outdoors in a way that is safe.
Any money left over after the all of the costs of running the event have been covered are donated to the Blackwater Sub-Aqua Club Search & Recovery Unit who are based in Fermoy and who provide great support for this swim.
Myrtleville Swimmers 