Owen O’Keeffe, the Fermoy Fish, organised a great evening in the Grand Hotel Fermoy for Ned Denison’s annual celebration of marathon swimming in Cork and a combined event for the first time with the Irish Long Distance Swimmers Association (ILDSA) awards. Several Myrtleville regulars got honourable mention and Tom McCarthy was presented with an award for his Channel Relay swim this Summer. Thanks to Donal Buckley for the picture.
Ned Denison & Tom McCarthy – ILDSA Awards 2012
Tom McCarthy at Varne Ridge
Tom McCarthy is a Myrtleville regular and a great help to all the swimmers there and throughout Cork. He is always happy to share his unique, vast knowledge of the sea and often volunteers to provide expert safety cover for events. Last July, Tom was a late addition to a relay team swimming the English Channel and as would be expected by all who know him, he performed brilliantly. One member of the team, Sue Oldham (the oldest woman to swim the English Channel solo) wrote a lovely account of Tom’s involvement in the team and we’re delighted to post it here:
Sue Oldham: “As a background and due to ill health two of our original four man relay team had to pull out – Tony Parbery who had swum in the 2006 oldest relay team and did his solo swim in 2008 and Les Stewart at 76 and also a member of the 2006 relay team. We had been very fortunate that when Tony withdrew Roger Allsopp the oldest person to solo swim the channel agreed to join Kathy Phillips from Perth and myself. When Les withdrew Tom agreed to join us.
Barracuda Aquaholics team of Kathy, Roger, Sue & Tom on the beach at Dover prior to 2012 relay swim
From the very first Tom became a firm friend, delighted to join our Aquaholics relay team and experience his first challenge at the English Channel. Kathy and I regarded ourselves very fortunate that our relay team consisted of Roger Allsopp and Tom and immediately the four of us joined forces, training together in Dover Harbour. Swimming the English Channel is regarded as the Everest of open water swimming and this was Kathy and Tom’s first experience although neither Roger nor I regarded this crossing as something to be undertaken lightly.
At our first training session in Dover Harbour our coach Pauline Pratt was immediately delighted by Tom’s breaststroke, recognising it as near perfect (more so when she discovered he had not had any professional coaching).
We met down at Dover Harbour in the early hours of July 22nd on a cold and windy morning and once all gear and supplies were loaded onto Anastasia, our pilot, Eddie Spelling, took us around to Samphire Hoe for our start. Pauline nominated the order of the relay as Roger to start, followed by Kathy, Tom and myself. In that order we would swim in a one hour rotation until we reached the shores of France. Tom of course immediately established himself as the experienced sailor he is and when it was his turn to jump into the cold, dark ocean he was quite at home. Some of us suffered mild cases of hypothermia (although not Tom) but eventually as the hours slid by the sun came up displaying a glorious sunrise, we gradually warmed up and the sea calmed down. After ten hours or more and with the coast of France in sight, the sea lost its glassiness, with the light breeze picking up enough to ensure we would all have to swim another round, making it four each (although as last swimmer mine was only a fraction of the hour) we gradually and slowly swam our way onto the French coast.
Tom was a wonderful team member, he enjoyed each and everyone of his turns, swimming strongly every time and finding the cold water quite exhilarating. As Tom’s last hour-long swim didn’t quite make the French coast I had the privilege of taking us in with Tom continuing to swim in behind me finishing on 23rd July in an official time of 15 hours 3 minutes.
Tom McCarthy during one of his relay legs
What can I say, Tom is a great chap, a good friend and team mate who was always ready to give a helping hand. I dont know if we will make the records as the oldest four man relay team to swim the Channel with an average of 64, but with a team comprising of two world record holders, Kathy who swam well and with great determination despite suffering badly from the cold and Tom McCarthy as our secret weapon who impressed us all with his strong and steady breaststroke. I would love to see him trying for a solo crossing, he has the ability and tenacity to achieve it and should he ever consider another relay crossing I would quickly put my hand up to be on his team.
As always, be it a relay or a solo swim, accolades must go to the skipper Eddie Spelling and his crew, our coach Pauline Pratt, the tireless support of assistant Tony Parbery and to our observers. ” Sue Oldham, 14 Oct, 2012.
Barracuda Aquaholics Relay team route 23 July, 2012
My first time swimming in Myrtleville was last April. Bernard Lynch swam very slowly with me as I struggled out to the rock (nearly) and back. Getting out, I fell gracefully in the hole made by the spring on the beach. I now warn every new swimmer to watch the spring hole. I’ll come back to that.
Shortly after I started swimming with him, Bernard said he had an idea that it should be possible to swim from Sandycove to Myrtleville or the reverse. About 24k (maybe 23.5 in a very straight line!) around lots of headlands in real open water. It would be a real challenge. Over the Summer I was improving, so I reckoned I’d give it a shot and go with Bernard. In my wetsuit. Not in togs – my swimming hasn’t come on that much.
Bernard did all of the organising and I just tagged along. Two RIBs, five fantastic crew (Tom McCarthy, Frank Lynch, Billy Kelleher, Aidan Foley and Dominic Baxter) and a planned Sept. 15 start. This then moved to Sept. 19 as the weather wasn’t right. August would be the plan for next time – the water was getting colder for the last few weeks. Under the master guidance of Tom McCarthy, the route was chosen as Sandycove to Myrtleville rather than the other way, with Westerly winds forecast. Tom not only viewed the route by water, he walked it to try to judge tides. Fantastic support.
We started at 1.15, with one hour to low tide in Sandycove. It’s the first time I was ever in Sandycove. I’ve never done one of the famous laps!
The water was flat calm for a few minutes behind the island, then into the chop of wind against tide as we began to cross the mouth of Kinsale harbour.
First feed was after an hour and Tom said we had 3.5km done, which was good, as we expected to get some benefit from the tide after another couple of hours. It was rougher than I expected. The wind was on our toes and the swell made it hard to stay on line. If I’d known that was one of the easier parts of the swim, I’d have been considering my options! I had 30 minutes of cramping in my knees and calves but this didn’t go full blown and went away from then for the rest of the swim.
Bernard Lynch crossing Kinsale Harbour
We went inside the Sovereigns towards Blinknure point, just past Oysterhaven, then across Newfoundland Bay towards Barry’s Head and on to Nohaval Cove at around three hours. We got separated for a bit, but then swam side by side for an hour or more. Feeding every 30 minutes, Bernard was feeling the cold after three hours and wisely went for Nohaval to finish in 3 hours 30 minutes. Frank, Dominic and Aidan took the RIB in with Bernard and I continued with Tom and Billy, towards Reanies Point next.
The next hour was with full tide but the swell had come up and there were lots of waves going from my toes over my head. This meant I didn’t get as much of a benefit as I had hoped, but still covered 4km. At feed eight, four hours and thirty minutes in, Tom told me if I kept going I’d finish in another two hours and twenty minutes. I spent the next thirty minutes trying to figure out how he could be so precise. Then I gave up and just kept swimming. I had a couple of Gu gels with the feeds (thanks, Carol Cashell) and also tried a choc roll. That was a mistake. Hard to open, bitty in my mouth and stayed stuck on my teeth. Didn’t happen on dry land! Still, the feeds worked well.
Feeds
I was going from headland to headland, across the bays, Newfoundland, Reanies / Nohoval, Man of War, Rocky Bay, Roberts Cove. Each time I got close to a headland I was reminded of Ned Denison’s advice to Bernard that you couldn’t be sure what you’d come up against at each one, with unpredictable currents, swirls and eddies. Not surprisingly, Ned was right. I spent my time pushing to reach each headland then dreading it as I did. The worst was Rocky Bay. I seemed to spend a long time admiring the stones at the end of the point and feeling like I was going nowhere as the waves rolled up my body and over my head. Fortunately, I could regularly see Tom doing his crossword so I knew things couldn’t be that bad. If he wasn’t worried, I wouldn’t be. Billy’s hand signals to move out or in were a great contact to have also.
Nautical Chart – Old Head of Kinsale to Power Head
Around Roberts Cove and Cork Head, I could see Roches Point and the houses at Myrtleville. This sounds great, but the bloody things didn’t seem to get any closer for a long time. However, as Billy said, the sun came out to brighten things up (as it began to set!) and it was definitely calmer for the last hour. My last line was on the water tower over Fennell’s Bay, but it started to get dark and was grey on the skyline so I watched the RIB lights and finally could see Bunnys’ lights go on. I stopped for a last feed then headed for the beach. Each feed from five hours on, my shoulders hurt a lot getting going again. Four hours was my longest swim before this one, so not a surprise.
I reached the beach in 6:55, two hours and twenty five minutes after Tom told me two twenty was left. His knowledge of the sea is incredible. To my surprise there was a small group waiting so I got a round of applause and promptly fell over in the spring hole. Very gracefully, of course. Brought me right back to April and Day One.
So that’s it: the Myrtleville Challenge. 24k, open water. Bernard is going next August. If you can supply a RIB and crew, take the Challenge with him. I don’t know if I’ll have improved enough to try it in togs, but it’s something to work for.
Damian O’Neill
After lots of swims in Myrtleville (with and without her dolphin, Myrte) and Crosshaven to Camden (not to mention Sandycove, Garryvoe, Inniscarra etc.), Carmel is gone to Dover and waiting for her window to swim the English Channel. Best of luck from everyone. Nobody could have worked harder to get ready for this. Here’s a pic with the oldest year-round Myrtleville swimmer, Tom Bermingham:
Tom Bermingham & Carmel Collins 18 July, 2012
4 hr swim – 23 August
Thanks to Alan Craughwell for the pic at the end of Crosshaven – Fountainstown – Myrtleville & two triangles around the Dutchman. 13k – 4 hours. A bit rough at times. Great swim.
Myrtleville regular, Carol Cashell, showed how it’s done with a fantastic third place overall finish in the 25th International Tran Self-Transcendence Marathon Swim in Lake Zurich 2012.
She was 2nd lady home in a time of 7 hrs 39 for the 26km swim. A truly amazing performance. She might even be signing autographs at her Ballycotton Island swim on August 31, so get your entries in! See the link for the swim above.
Well done Carol, inspirational!
It is with great sadness the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation confirms the death of an Irish swimmer whilst attempting a solo crossing of the English Channel early this morning, July 22.
Páraic Casey from Cork, Ireland began his swim at 9.13am on Saturday morning and was just 1km from the coast of France at around 1:30 this morning when he took ill. Attempts were made by crew to resuscitate him before a French rescue helicopter arrived with medics who tried further resuscitation. Mr Casey was a member of the Sandycove Swimming Club in Cork, Ireland.
He is survived by his wife Riana who has issued the following statement:
“Páraic was an amazing, healthy, tough, loving husband, friend, brother, uncle, son, nephew and cousin who’s recent passion for swimming brought him to great places. I would like to thank everyone for their love and support. We ask that our privacy is respected during this difficult time.”
CSPF Chairman
Michael Oram
All media enquiries to Frances Thornton
+44 (0) 7716505667
frances@francesthornton.com.au
St Patrick’s Marymount Hospice in Cork, for whom he was fundraising, in Páraic’s words, ”is a very worthy cause and I would very much appreciate your support in helping me to raise funds for this charity”.
Here is the link to Paraic’s account if you would like to donate.
Páraic was also raising money for St Vincent de Paul. The link he created to their site seems to be down but general link is here:
Our sincere condolences to his wife, Riana, their families and friends. Páraic was a wonderful man.
6am in Myrtleville. Carmel Collins – with seven weeks to her Channel swim – takes a break after the ship got tired and stopped.
Leaving no stone unturned in his preparations for his Channel Relay next week, Tom McCarthy was swimming at night with Bernard Lynch. Some poor unsuspecting young couple on the beach had their plans interrupted when Tom materialised from the dark and insisted they take this picture for posterity. I hope the two young ones are still together and the trauma didn’t break them up…
Night swimming on Myrtleville Beach
Myrtleville Swimmers 