All entrants to date will receive an email today, Monday, to confirm they are entered. We would ask anyone who has entered but can’t make it, to let us know.
If you haven’t entered and want to do so, do it here: RNLI Myrtleville-Church Bay Swim 2015.
With so many domestic goddesses in Myrtleville vying to outdo each other with their confections, I feel sure some must have had the pleasure of studying Domestic Science in their school days. If so, they would possibly have used this excellent book.
I never got the chance to do Domestic Science in school myself. If I had, I feel certain I would have remember the fantastic advice contained therein concerning sea or open-air bathing….
LoneSwimmer has been writing about this stuff for years, but there it all is in a nutshell from a 1976 book.
So, all future swims in Myrtleville will be at 11am each day when the vitality is up. I think Denis already sticks to that. They will be of about ten minutes duration (suits me fine) – but certainly ending when one feels chilled.
On exiting the water, one will expect the high standards of cookery already evident at the beach to be maintained. Any questions – just look up the book.
James Slowey and Trevor Malone are heading “out foreign” for two major challenges in the next few days. The very best of luck to both of them. Both have put in a lot of time in Myrtleville and elsewhere this year.
Trevor – waving goodbye!
Rarely out of the news – the paperazzi magnet himself, Mr. Slowey.
We all hope you get the rewards for your considerable efforts.
Great to meet Brendan and Michael on their round-Ireland trip. They got Myrtleville hats and a trip to the Dutchman. What more could you want? 😊
Thanks to everyone who turned up early yesterday. Here we all are posing for the next Dove ad.
Of course, you might spot one stand-out in the middle of that picture. The good news is James got a new suit for the Norseman. Seriously, though……
Anthony was pinning on a sign saying “the state of me” 😄
Thanks to Siobhan Russell, as ever, for the pictures.
On Friday morning at 06.15, two mildly eccentric gentlemen from Dublin will visit Myrtleville for a swim. They’re on a tour of Ireland to find the best swimming spots. As we have number one sorted for them, they’re making the trip to experience it for themselves. If anyone’s around for an early swim, please do come down to welcome them.
From what I can see on the web, I don’t think they’re particularly good swimmers.
For further information and an opportunity to help with crowd-funding the book and ordering a copy in advance, just click on At Swim Book.
Or, this video will give you an idea of the plan.
See you on Friday!
There are swims going on all day every day now, it seems. With Marie Watson joining the other snappers, there are pics to record nearly every swim. The two James – Slowey and Shalloo – were down the other morning and there was no camera there. They waited 25 mins but had to just go in the end. The swim doesn’t count if there’s no picture, so they’ll have to try again tomorrow.
Some swimmers held back on re-joining us in the sea until the temperatures rose. Bit of a surprise for them to come back and find it’s about as warm as last October/November. Never mind – welcome back, Alan McGuinness.
Alan McGuinness nearly back in the sea – just looking for confirmation that it’s warm….
He was smiling before the swim anyway – and Olwen Golden was beaming after hers.
Olwen Golden proving – once again – that sea swimming makes you smile.
Further proof of the guaranteed smiles – and not just for the camera – from Ray and Rosie Clancy.
So what are you waiting for? Get smiling (just a quick swim out to the Dutchman or over to Fennell’s Bay and you’ll be smiling for the day).
As well as the various swims being organised on facebook, whatsapp etc., normal 08.15 swim on Saturday morning. Smiles guaranteed.
The best of luck this afternoon to all the Lee Swim participants. Remember to wear your Myrtleville Hat under your Lee Swim hat – for luck 😊
Some of the Distance Camp swimmers arrived early to touch the Hat for luck today and in tomorrow’s six hour swim – Mike Latham and Sarah Kenyon from the UK and Sylvia Marino from San Francisco. I wonder if Sean Foley met Sylvia when he was lapping SF bay. I must ask.
Unfortunately we also seem to have had a mugging this morning. Committed wetsuiter, Brian Twomey, emerged from the water in togs after the swim. Pirates waylaid him and stole the suit at the Dutchman maybe. Brian was putting a brave face on it. Legend.
Andrea Newport was in touch to say they’d love to see any Myrtlevillians in Limerick for the Thomond Swim on Saturday, July 25 this year. It’s unfortunately clashing with the Courtmacsherry Lifeboat swim, but if Limerick suits your plans, it’s a great event.
If you’d like information or to book just click here. The route details are here.
The Thomond Swim covers a distance of 1800m and is a qualifier for the Liffey and Harbour Swims in Dublin. It is a handicapped start and is open to wetsuit and non wetsuit competitors. Swim Ireland membership is required.
Rebeca Power got an unpleasant surprise last Thursday swimming out towards the Dutchman, when she felt a feeling like a bite and ended up with these marks on her leg.
Looks like it could have been a bite and Rebeca wasn’t sure, so we called in the experts. Carol Cashell sent the picture to the Coastal & Marine Research Centre Environmental Research Institute in UCC for an opinion and here’s what Martina Gosch had to say:
“So we’ve definitely ruled out a seal. Even if it were just a pup taking a nibble out of curiosity or scratching with its nails we would expect to see far more damage and the breadth of the wound is far too small for a seal’s mouth. There are no shark species in our inshore waters that are dangerous to swimmers, so I would encourage bathers in Myrtleville not to avoid going swimming there.
Our best guess (and I stress guess) is that its caused from a nasty jellyfish sting. Prolonged exposure to their tentacles can cause this type of damage. Furthermore we are in peak jellyfish season and the odd venomous one will occasionally come in quite close to shore. There are other options too like scraping off random detritis or coming into contact with a scorpionfish. However its near impossible to tell exactly what caused this injury – but it’s not a bite.
Our advice would be to keep an eye on it over the next 24 hours. Should she experience any nausea or fever go straight to her GP as it could become infected. Also perhaps wearing a wetsuit at the moment while the jellies are around might help avoid incidents like this over the summer.”
Or, as all sea swimmers say at this time of year – bloody jellies.
Another lovely day out for swimmers in Glengarriff on Saturday. It’s getting to be an expectation of glorious weather each year at this stage! It’s a beautiful place to swim and a great place for a night out in the Summer.
Siobhan Russell did her usual fantastic job capturing the atmosphere. She was even in the water early in the day, checking it out for camera angles with Maria and Marion.
Very nice to see a splash of Myrtleville T-Shirts and hats throughout the day. Audrey and Brenda were so put out with Ruth for not wearing hers that there was a bit of a debate about whether they’d let her hang around with them 🙂
Orla Houlihan, Maeve Mulcahy, Bernard Lynch, Carol Cashell and Trevor Malone. You’re in with some speedsters there, Maeve!
Tomás came back from Copenhagen for the swim – but may have wished he hadn’t.
While others got their numbers and prepared themselves mentally and physically for the task, that guy I’ve been warning about who’s often loitering in Myrtleville had followed the crowds West and was on another recruitment drive – “Why go in there? Come in here with me…..I will tell you about “fresh” water….we have camps….join me, join me.”
Unfortunately, there are always stragglers on the periphery of the herd who can be enticed away from safety. Where, oh where, was brother Pat to protect poor Eoin?
Those who escaped the North Kork clutches moved on to the pier, to get ready to swim. Siobhan got in front of the lens with one of her heroes, Mr. Redmond.
Mr. Elliot set the high sartorial standards for the kayakers.
Agnieszka, James and Gary – getting ready for the 5km. Smiles everywhere.
Well, smiles almost everywhere. Siobhan captured a lovely shot of Angela Harris as she spotted what her dad was wearing. Even Orla was shocked. 
Love the hat, Mr. Harris. Ciaran O’Connor also eyes it up. They’re in Centra, Crosshaven, Ciaran!
Anne Sheehy modelled the T-Shirt and Hat combo – as well as the eye of the tiger: focused on the swim at this stage.
And finally to some actual swimming! There were great personal achievements for loads of Myrtlevillians right through the field with first-time 3k, 5k and 7k swimmers. Well done to everyone who swam and to Ossi and Imelda for organisation.
Trevor Malone swam a little 4km in Myrtleville on Saturday morning with Eddie Irwin and Jim Shalloo, then travelled down with Bernard Lynch on Saturday evening and was the fastest around the 7km. He was so fast (1hr 34 mins) that a kayaker told him he’d miscounted and to head off on his third lap. Trevor’s reply was to the point, shall we say. He did a great job considering that Angela – still a bit peeved about Dad’s hat – actually pointed him on to rocks and steered her kayak in front of him. Ah, Angela.
All the same, I reckon Brenda and Marie would have taken Trevor if they didn’t keep stopping for pictures. Proper Gaddin’ About, ladies 🙂
Entries for our own swim on July 4th started to come in on Saturday evening from swimmers on a high and using the Garnish outing as their qualifier! If you’re not entered, do it now – RNLI Myrtleville-Church Bay 2015 Entry form.
Myrtleville Swimmers 