Escape from Ireland swim

kingQuez

Does anyone know anything much about the escape from Ireland swim?
- is it timed?
- what counts as an experienced and competent openwater swimmer... are there any crazy currents or do they just want to be sure you're ok for the distance?

http://howthaquathon.com/escape-from-ireland-swim/index.php

tunney

Rather overpriced, no?

hunnymonster

insurance is becoming an issue with OW swims. Swim Ireland used to insure events across the board but since the start of August they only insure events where all members are members of Swim Ireland (Which you can only do through a club and there are no one-day memberships). Maybe this is what is making up the price.

The escape from Spike swim is a similar length and was €17.50 this year. For that there was the boat out to the island, a small goodie bag (water bottle, sports jelly beans, swim hat etc) and tea and bikkies when you landed on Cobh. The bulk of the €17.50 went to the charity (the Lions Club) as they insured the event.

hunnymonster

kingQuez wrote: »

- what counts as an experienced and competent openwater swimmer... are there any crazy currents or do they just want to be sure you're ok for the distance?

I imagine they're checking you're ok with the distance and also that you're used to open water as opposed to pool swimming. There are no crazy currents that I am aware of but of course it is tidal so there is going to be some "drift"

tinydave

yeah its a bit isn't it, add another 5 yo yos for a t-shirt, doesn't say much about race/swim, is it timed, prices after swim refreshments??
but id say it would be a nice swim if there are no Jelly's :eek:

kingQuez

Probably is a bit on the expensive end, but I'd just hit the site after reading some of the details for a channel swim (specifically the costs involved :eek:).

Are there any alternative sea swims of 2-3k this late where you'll get away with a wetsuit?

tinydave

Just signed up for this and I'm deffo wearing a wetsuit

rokossovsky

hunnymonster wrote: »

I imagine they're checking you're ok with the distance and also that you're used to open water as opposed to pool swimming. There are no crazy currents that I am aware of but of course it is tidal so there is going to be some "drift"

It doesnt sound like any people answering this thread know this swim or its reputation. Take it from an experienced open water swimmer - this is a savage swim one of the hardest I have ever done (over 15yrs) in anything but a flat calm. Even when its flat calm the current in the centre of the channel will whip you off towards the nose of Howth despite your best efforts. The swim is also legendary for its Lions Mane jelliers. I saw a dead one on Claremont beach last week measuring 3 feet across - no joke. Bring vinegar you will need it. Its also very cold but hey you triathlete softies do it in wet suits so no problem there. The organisers are not joking when they say competent swimmers only. Competent swimmers should do it in no more than 45 minutes...for the rest of yis...well theres always the ferry back from the Isle of Man.
See yis at the finish

kingQuez

Not quite what I wanted to hear

interested

just my 2c worth ...

This swim was one I missed a life time ago when I was swimming but always had a good reputation ... for being a tough swim. It was traditionally part of the open water swims (and possibly still is for all I know) and so places were limited each year to the size of the boat they could cajole or hire for the one way trip for the swimmers.

With a wetsuit, proper pacing and an eye for navigation it should be manageable for most people who've managed a 1500 swim in a triathlon this season ... or for those with a sense of adventure and an ability to keep going Having a bottle of vinegar in the back of your car wouldnt be any harm if you are very very very unlucky enough to hit a jellyfish ... but it can happen at alot of events these days so ... kind of a case of getting on with it guys.

Ill see the morning of ... but since I never got to do this swim years ago ... I'd planned to go without a suit on sunday .... but Im likely to bottle that idea just before I get on the boat for the island.

griffin100

I feel a bit better after reading Interested comments as Rokossovsky scared the bejaysus outta me, but I have one question for rokossovsky and the more experinced swimmers here - what do they think constitutes a 'competent' open water swimmer? 40-45 mins for a 2km swim is about what I'd normally expect but am I looking at a longer swim on Sunday due to the difficutly of the swim? Either way I'm really looking forward to this one, despite the fact I've done little swimming since ironman.

kingQuez

I dread running into a jellyfish. Guess its time to HTFU. If the lad doing the north channel swim can do that, im sure I can survive this :pac:

Thanks for the info interested + rokossovsky, guess its better to get the info now than be unprepared for it on the day.

interested

griffin100 wrote: »

what do they think constitutes a 'competent' open water swimmer

A rule of thumb Ive always heard was that a competent open water swimmer is anyone than has done 3 open water swims (1k to 1.5k) during the open water season. These are typically done without a wetsuit ... although Ive heard they allow wetsuit clad swimmers swim these days ... so IMHO would be more difficult.

I think if you've done one or two oly distance triathlons in open water this summer you should be fine. Weather forecast for Sunday morning is pretty good (at the moment) with wind from the south - so in theory the conditions should be good.

My advice for what its worth - try to keep calm, keep going (in the right direction) and try to enjoy it - it'll be over before you know it - and hey, its always good to scare yourself a bit

rokossovsky

I didnt intend putting anyone off doing the swim with my earlier post. This is a great opportunity to do this memorable swim. People travel the world to do Hellespont, Alcatraz etc and we have one of the worlds best on our doorstep. The Island also leaves those two races in the halpenny place. So fair play to the organisers for reviving this swim. If you have done 3 or so open sea swims you will be fine on this one . I had been concerned looking at results of a number of Aquathons in Howth and it looked like a typical distance swum was only 750 m. The wet suit gibe was a deliberate wind-up - and fair play to you triathletes no one took the bait. As Interested posted, the wind is for Sunday is from the SE and we will be in slack part of the tide. I got further info on the tide/currents. We will be against a slack flow for the first part of the race but this will ease down as we near Claremont. Jelliers are much less a problem wearing a wet suit. A localised sting can be managed . I never wear a wet suit but its allowed in this race so why not wear one? Afterall its about the swimming not being able to withstand stings and cold. And it is safer too. Its going to be great craic

tinydave

I feel a little better know after the above posts
Roll on Sunday, and stay clear of the jellies :eek:

rokossovsky

Since Im wearing a wet suit for the first time, I just wondered do you put lube on your shoulders. I found a Blueseventy wet suit very restricting in a trial swim and Im fifty fifty on wearing one for this swim as a result. To prevent getting wet and cold on the boat out, we always used to wear a bin bag with holes cut out for the arms and head. You look like a dork but at least your dry

interested

rokossovsky wrote: »

Since Im wearing a wet suit for the first time, I just wondered do you put lube on your shoulders. I found a Blueseventy wet suit very restricting in a trial swim and Im fifty fifty on wearing one for this swim as a result. To prevent getting wet and cold on the boat out, we always used to wear a bin bag with holes cut out for the arms and head. You look like a dork but at least your dry

this is a fairly common complaint from swimmers/former swimmers or those not used to wearing wetsuits ... esp. if borrowing a wetsuit for the day. Its all about the fit. Bodyglide around the neck should stop any problems chaffing in that area ... otherwise you shouldnt really need it.

Far be it from me to stop you sporting a black bag on the boat but from the little Ive read on the swim website they'll provide some plastic bags for people to throw their shoes, t-shirts etc into that'll be brought back to the mainland.

rokossovsky

do you usually use lube on your shoulders when using a wet suit? I tried out a BlueSeventy wet suit and found it very restricting on a pool swim. I ended up swimming like a surfer swims. As a result Im fifty fifty on whether to wear one or not. Anybody got any tips on using one?
One thing we used to wear to prevent getting cold and wet on the way out on the boats was a bin bag with holes cut out for arms and head.

griffin100

do you usually use lube on your shoulders when using a wet suit? I tried out a BlueSeventy wet suit and found it very restricting on a pool swim. I ended up swimming like a surfer swims. As a result Im fifty fifty on whether to wear one or not. Anybody got any tips on using one?
One thing we used to wear to prevent getting cold and wet on the way out on the boats was a bin bag with holes cut out for arms and head.

I always lube up the backs of my knees and inside of my elbows when I'm wearing a wetsuit as these areas can chafe. Most importantly lube up the back of your neck as if the suit is rubbing when you turn your head to breath you will soon wear off a layer of two of skin in a longish race. I always use kj jelly for all my lubing needs

rokossovsky

Nice one. I had the neck torn off me recently in the 5K Tommy Dorgan Swim very sore for days...gotta get that lube this time

metal dog

rokossovsky wrote: »

do you usually use lube on your shoulders when using a wet suit? I tried out a BlueSeventy wet suit and found it very restricting on a pool swim. I ended up swimming like a surfer swims. As a result Im fifty fifty on whether to wear one or not. Anybody got any tips on using one?

Lots of experienced ow swimmers find swimming with a tri wetsuit a little disorienting at first, i think because the buoyancy repositions you in the water and your legs are higher than they would be normally. Once you get used to it there is a substantial speed benefit though.

The suit will affect the freedom of your stroke but you can minimise this by making sure it is fully pulled up by couching down on your haunches and then pulling the suit from the stomach area upwards to give you more room around the shoulders. There is usually plenty of extra 'give' in the lower part of the suit which can be better utilised on the upper body. You can also help to get a better fit by bending your arm towards your chest, relaxing it and then pulling up the neoprene - this also helps to ease the suit onto your upper body.

But hey, do the race in old skool speedos and a lather of goose fat - it will intimidate everyone

Zuppy

rokossovsky wrote: »

It doesnt sound like any people answering this thread know this swim or its reputation. Take it from an experienced open water swimmer - this is a savage swim one of the hardest I have ever done (over 15yrs) in anything but a flat calm. Even when its flat calm the current in the centre of the channel will whip you off towards the nose of Howth despite your best efforts. The swim is also legendary for its Lions Mane jelliers. I saw a dead one on Claremont beach last week measuring 3 feet across - no joke. Bring vinegar you will need it. Its also very cold but hey you triathlete softies do it in wet suits so no problem there. The organisers are not joking when they say competent swimmers only. Competent swimmers should do it in no more than 45 minutes...for the rest of yis...well theres always the ferry back from the Isle of Man.
See yis at the finish

Just curious, as I have swum around Howth, what makes it Savage?

There are current everywhere, some stronger than others but the Organisers seem to have picked the slack tide which should negate any rip in the area in question. There should be no huge currents anyway. A savage swim is something like the North Channel or the Innisboffin swim on a rough day.

I reckon if your capable of the distance and you have been in the open water a few times and the added benefit of a wetsuit, this swim should be anything other than savage, more like a very achievable, great day out.

Enjoy the swim.

trihead

race start time changed to 9am. [ from island]
reg 7 -8 in scouts hall.

see their website for full details

trihead:)

kingQuez

Nothing too epic about thismornings swim. I was expecting to have to swim through a bloom of lions-mane jellyfish, battle against a riptide and crawl out a broken man several hours later. The reality was a bit of an anticlimax, I didnt even get to use my vinegar

spoonface

kingQuez wrote: »

Nothing too epic about thismornings swim. I was expecting to have to swim through a bloom of lions-mane jellyfish, battle against a riptide and crawl out a broken man several hours later. The reality was a bit of an anticlimax, I didnt even get to use my vinegar

Agreed! All of the pleasure and none of the pain. I saw one jelly but that was it. Some rolling seas midway but nothing to be scared of. Loved it all.

tinydave

kingQuez wrote: »

Nothing too epic about thismornings swim. I was expecting to have to swim through a bloom of lions-mane jellyfish, battle against a riptide and crawl out a broken man several hours later. The reality was a bit of an anticlimax, I didnt even get to use my vinegar

agreed KingQuez

It was a nice swim, not very hard I'd say, bit of confussion about the course at the start was a bit of a pain, either swim around the bouys or dont, dont have both options in a race
Soup and rolls were lovely aswell at the end

Excuseless

Provisional results now up at

http://www.howthaquathon.com/escape-from-ireland-swim/index.php

tinydave

35th for me

rokossovsky

kingQuez wrote: »

Nothing too epic about thismornings swim. I was expecting to have to swim through a bloom of lions-mane jellyfish, battle against a riptide and crawl out a broken man several hours later. The reality was a bit of an anticlimax, I didnt even get to use my vinegar

yeah it was a piece of cake. Easiest Island ever for me anyway. Flat as a pancake no currents. Very little competition too! Unless it was for the best turned out Lycra man cum carbon bike. Pishaw! Shame it was an anticlimax for you man. Better go back to Inishboffin eh? Wet suit swimming is so gay.

For their first time the organizers did a good job. Finish was a bit dodgy. And whats all that sprinting from the water mularky? Where d'ye finish?

tinydave

rokossovsky wrote: »

whats all that sprinting from the water mularky? Where d'ye finish?

if you have of sprinted quicker out of the water you might have got 3rd :P

rokossovsky

tinydave wrote: »

if you have of sprinted quicker out of the water you might have got 3rd :P

Cover blown LOL. Well done tiny top third is a good swim.Paul will be proud of ye, dont think i would have caught him. you should do some of the leinster open water races next season big lad like you once you get used to the cold and avoid the jelliers youd do well. they are good craic to

hunnymonster

Rokosovsky, stop insulting the triathletes. next jibe will result in a ban.

interested

enjoyable swim yesterday - friendly atmosphere. Different for both the triathletes and open water guys since pretty much all were in wetsuits - apart from a notable few - and its unusual to be ferried by boat to the start location of a swim.

Organisers did their very best to guide people across based on traditional tides in the area but with the wind blowing in the opposite direction made the enjoyment last a little longer With it being the first year of this event this was a minor detail and since its open water swimming theres definitely no complaints from me since the instructions were clear and the buoys were just a guide.

Im sure the guys will take all the constructive comments on board for an event next year. My suggestion would be that the location of the finish should have been clearly stated at the briefing. Although things like 'where the aquathlon swim finished' and 'at the slip' were mentioned .. for people who hadnt done the aquathlon or didnt know that beach something like '600 metres left of the life guard hut' that we could see from the island might have given more context. Again, a minor thing easily remedied at a similar event next year.

tinydave

rokossovsky wrote: »

Cover blown LOL. Well done tiny top third is a good swim.Paul will be proud of ye, dont think i would have caught him. you should do some of the leinster open water races next season big lad like you once you get used to the cold and avoid the jelliers youd do well. they are good craic to

I had a bit of a crap swim to be honest :rolleyes:, what did you think of the way they were telling people to swim, This way or that way, you can choose?:rolleyes: surely one way was well longer .. i wouldn't mind doing a few race like that but ive a terrible fear of Jellies (stung to bits as a kid ) so id would probably wear a wetsuit to every one and that would be frowned apon :P

Excuseless

Fair points re the guiding buoys and briefing re things to spot on the beach and finish location which was hard to spot in the swell - will be taken on board next year for the briefing and course marking for sure.

As was mentioned yesterday, we are hoping to have this swim as part of a triathlon next year which will probably give the open water swimmers the chance to do it again on a relay team if they don't fancy the pedalling and plodding bits .

Photos from the event are now up at http://www.actionphotography.ie/events-EFI092010.html

griffin100

Nice way to spend a Sunday morning. I really enjoyed this. I got a bit lost though, I can see feck all without my glassess and after about 100m in I didn't see another swimmer or boat until close to the finish. I went so far off course that I nearly came back with a Bray accent . A tide flowing right to left, a swimmer with a tendancy to drift to the left and an inability to see more than a few hundred metres clearly without my glasses left me almost directly in front of the harbour entrance. My last 200m or so were parallell to the shore until I came to the exit point. Took me 40 mins overall. This would make a great swim for a triathlon.

onimpulse

I really enjoyed this event & I agree it would make a great leg of a triathlon - glad you have the headache of trying to figure out the cycle route though

In fairness - I wouldn't worry about the directions we were given re the buoys - we all knew the swim was from the Island to Howth - the buoys were a guide. One thing I'd have to echo is Interested's point about more guidance on exactly where the finish was... I pretty much ended up on the beach where the lifeguard hut is before realising I was way off course - given my time I'd say I added easily 600m to the swim but there you go... I still enjoyed it and I'd still do it again!

The hot soup went down very well - Thanks!:D

rokossovsky

tinydave wrote: »

I had a bit of a crap swim to be honest :rolleyes:, what did you think of the way they were telling people to swim, This way or that way, you can choose?:rolleyes: surely one way was well longer .. i wouldn't mind doing a few race like that but ive a terrible fear of Jellies (stung to bits as a kid ) so id would probably wear a wetsuit to every one and that would be frowned apon :P

Yeah I know what you mean about the buoys thing. On long swims like that we are usually told that the buoys are for guidance only. Thats what she should have said. Ok if you stray across the harbour mouth you'll be fished out. But it added a bit of confusion. I went for the only thing i could see and that was the warehouse roof. I remembered her saying someting about a blue sign and when I got nearer I aimed for that. It could have been easily a KishFish sign.
On the swim suits
You can get full length swim suits now neck to toes and wrists that are made of ordinary swim suit fabric no floatation so they are allowed under Open Water rules. I was the first guy to wear one of these here back in 01. Got slagged no end for years cos of it. I got it after a brutal lions mane sting. 24 hours of agony so I didnt care what they said. So many got hospitalised with bad stings that A lot of the lads are wearing them now . Even the hard chawss wear them. I can understand you having bad memories of a sting like that but as Interested said above , you are actually unlucky if you come across one. Yesterday was the first Island I done without jellies. Saw some down deep and I nearly shat meself
Try one of the swims next year. Believe me you get used to the temperature after a few swims and with one of those suits the edge is deffinitely taken off it. You would learn a lot tactically. We could learn a lot from you guys too. Organisation for one, not cheating for two. And the mass start is a buzz.
However the handicap system means that every swimmer in the race has a chance. The faster guys go nearest to the back of the handicap so the result will depend on conditions and the distance.

rokossovsky

Liffey Swim is on this Saturday at 2 pm Mens, 2 45 Ladies. Starts at Guinness finish at Custom House. Come have a look and do it next year.

rokossovsky

interested wrote: »

enjoyable swim yesterday - friendly atmosphere. Different for both the triathletes and open water guys since pretty much all were in wetsuits - apart from a notable few - and its unusual to be ferried by boat to the start location of a swim.

Organisers did their very best to guide people across based on traditional tides in the area but with the wind blowing in the opposite direction made the enjoyment last a little longer With it being the first year of this event this was a minor detail and since its open water swimming theres definitely no complaints from me since the instructions were clear and the buoys were just a guide.

Im sure the guys will take all the constructive comments on board for an event next year. My suggestion would be that the location of the finish should have been clearly stated at the briefing. Although things like 'where the aquathlon swim finished' and 'at the slip' were mentioned .. for people who hadnt done the aquathlon or didnt know that beach something like '600 metres left of the life guard hut' that we could see from the island might have given more context. Again, a minor thing easily remedied at a similar event next year.

Agreed. I thought the organizers did a very good job for their first Island. The transfer was smoothly run and everyone got out on time. The presentation was as slow as at the Leinster events but hey the soup was nice?

mad m

rokossovsky wrote: »

Liffey Swim is on this Saturday at 2 pm Mens, 2 45 Ladies. Starts at Guinness finish at Custom House. Come have a look and do it next year.

Mens is on 1:30 and womens are 2:15

rokossovsky

mad m wrote: »

Mens is on 1:30 and womens are 2:15

Thanks for that, nearly missed the start:D

Excuseless

This race on again this Sunday morning for anyone up to / for it

Full details at Event Website

On-line entries close at noon on Saturday - no entry on the day as have to organise boat transfers to island.
Entry includes swim bag, water bottle and tee for Howth Challenge Series plus soup etc after.

Weather forecast looking ok at this stage too - certainly a bit easier than for the triathlon in July

Excuseless

Well done all on this morning's swim in rather smooth conditions relatively speaking

Results now available HERE