Good news today that we are to receive some funding towards the cost of the maintenance of the buoys. Following an application by Bernard Lynch and myself, we have been allocated a grant of €3,110 from Cork County Council. Further funding will be raised from the swim on June 10 to cover expected annual costs of €6,500 or so. They’re great – but they’re not cheap!!

As many will know, we have often encouraged the massive voting bloc of Myrtleville Swimmers to support floundering campaigns down West around d’Island. Our staunch backing for Ned De Yank has undoubtedly been instrumental in his successes.

This one’s a bit different. Ned wants to move here. We’ll deffo need a vote on this.

Whazzup, you say? Well….as Spring has sprung, the dawn pool swimmers are making their plans to become dawn sea swimmers. As we all know – but never, ever crow about – there’s feck all happening in swimming outside Myrtleville. Ned’s tired of ploughing a lonely furrow down West and has taken to turning up to the pool sessions wearing a Myrtleville Hat, trying to get an invite to join the Myrtlevillians in the sea this year.

This morning, he broached the topic and a quick “Hands up who wants Ned in Myrtleville” poll was taken. Apparently you never saw so many hands underwater. Ned was sent on his way with gracious salute from Lieutenant Commander (Ret’d) Shalloo. No way, you say? Intrepid reporter, L. Maher, captured the moment. Ned’s not happy.

A proper full-court vote is planned soon. Keep an eye on http://www.savenedfromsandycove.yeehaw.com in coming weeks. Vote for Ned – or not!

Still plenty of places – but I said that last year and they disappeared 🙂

Click here to enter. Thanks to everyone who is already in.

Staunch Myrtlevillian, Ned Denison, has been nominated for the WOWSA (World Open Water Swimming Association) Man of the Year 2023. 

While he might get a few votes from down West (Rob, ahhh…. Finbarr….aaahhhm – is there anyone else down there?) he’ll need the massive voting bloc that is Myrtleville Swimmers to get him the award he deserves.

Tell your friends – VOTE NED! WOWSA Awards 2023 Link for voting

For any swimmers who did something interesting in their swims this year and want to recognise those who helped them, please nominate your crew:

The Devil’s Island Trophy – is given to and held by the Crew whose swimmer completed the most interesting, epic swim during the year. The Crew names will be listed FIRST to emphasise the importance of the crew.
There is a judging panel of 5 representing all big Cork OW groups.
The judgement is very subjective, but emphasis will be on the following:
Must be a marathon swim of 10k or longer – and the longer the better.
Must Not be a major recognised swim like the English Channel etc. We are looking for unique or firsts or just an epic of a day.
A Cork swimmer travelling alone, and using Foreign Crew, in some foreign destination to swim is not a candidate for this trophy.
Ideally a unique swim. Or just an epic or first, or a good story.
Ideally the swimmer must be from/living in Cork at the time of the swim.
Ideally a solo swim – but a pod swim or a relay swim will be considered.
Ideally not a huge mass participation event. Unless each swimmer has own boat/crew.
Ideally listed on the Cork long swim list, but all locations considered.
Some or all should be Cork based crew.

You can nominate more than one set of crew if you have different swims to be included.
Presented annually – as long as there is a worthy swim.
The award will be announced later this year

YOUR crew MUST be nominated by you…by email to ned.denison@corkopenwater.com by the 15th November and must include:
Crew names…roles
Confirm, your swim as listed on the attached is accurate…and give date of swim
A Citation as to why you are nominating the crew (from a few sentences to a one-page essay). The key is HOW they helped YOU !

That joke never gets old. Never. Good news.

Update on the maintenance from Marc:

The yearly maintenance is now complete on the buoys. Thankfully we got a good day for it which helped. Replaced buoys 1 & 3. The other buoys needed replacement ropes & chain, thimbles & shackles. Buoy 2 needs to be replaced in 2024. Buoys Floating better now & repainted.

We still have 55 people on the waiting list for the swim next week. If you are entered and your plans have changed so you are not swimming, please cancel your place. You’ll have made a donation to the RNLI and also allowed someone else to contribute and participate.

We do not allow transfers and there are no entries on the day.

The best laid plans…..Buoy 1 wasn’t willing to wait for its replacement to arrive so it has made its way onto the beach in the very strong Easterlies we’re having.

Repairs are planned for May when we have better weather, so we’ll have to work with five buoys until then and hopefully won’t lose any more before the two new ones get here and all the shackles etc are checked.