OW Swimming meet-ups 2014

Kurt Godel

Who's tasted the brine already? I lasted 90 seconds last weekend:rolleyes:, it was a bit too much too soon (as I was solo). I might try and get in somewhere around Dublin this Saturday afternoon, if there's company. Anyone game?

A good site for tides is - http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/

good thread on safety here - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056951157

real-time sea temperatures here-
http://www.seatemperature.org/europe/ireland/

cold water swimming articles here
http://loneswimmer.com/cold-water-swimming-articles-index/

mossym

another one for you, quite useful
http://waterlevel.ie/

smcgui

8.9 degrees... still a little chilly for me!:eek:

RacoonQueen

*Might* try Killiney over Easter. We've had a 'warm' winter so may be a bit warmer earlier this year?

mirrormatrix

Gonna try for Seapoint tomorrow morning. Tides look good for an early morning one:

https://www.sailing.ie/en-gb/racing/tides.aspx

NingNangNong

I've been swimming at blackrock (galway) for the last two weeks.... its really not as cold as you think:p

up to 2k in wetsuit, up to 700/800m in togs, though I'll admit it is a bit extreme in togs:eek:

Oryx

If anyone want a dip at Rosslare over the coming weeks give me a shout.

pgibbo

Was talking to a clubmate on Monday. He did 2k in Salthill last week in a wetsuit. Water is lovly by all accounts :eek: He also went for a 500m swim in togs on Sunday after the Connemarathon. Left it at 500 on Sunday in case he cramped after the marathon :pac:

BTH

pgibbo wrote: »

Was talking to a clubmate on Monday. He did 2k in Salthill last week in a wetsuit. Water is lovly by all accounts :eek: He also went for a 500m swim in togs on Sunday after the Connemarathon. Left it at 500 on Sunday in case he cramped after the marathon :pac:

NingNangNong wrote: »

I've been swimming at blackrock (galway) for the last two weeks.... its really not as cold as you think:p

up to 2k in wetsuit, up to 700/800m in togs, though I'll admit it is a bit extreme in togs:eek:

Proof if proof needed that they're just all soft over in the east

martin6651

Swim all year in togs only in Blackrock. Have been doing 1.2k for the last 2 months. Did my first 2k last Saturday conditions were ideal so I went for it.

rodneyr1981

martin6651 wrote: »

Swim all year in togs only in Blackrock. Have been doing 1.2k for the last 2 months. Did my first 2k last Saturday conditions were ideal so I went for it.

Would there be much temp difference between lake and sea? Planning my first dip this weekend. Was thing Loughrea lake

interested

BTH wrote: »

Proof if proof needed that they're just all soft over in the east

3 words for you ... North Atlantic Drift


but you're probably right

pgibbo

rodneyr1981 wrote: »

Would there be much temp difference between lake and sea? Planning my first dip this weekend. Was thing Loughrea lake

I was wondering the same thing. A friend is looking to start swimming in Loughrea soon also and he was wondering what the temp would be like.

DonalB

Swimming is open on the Copper Coast year round. Water temps usually hit 10C by the end of April. You guys regularly post my blog, so I figure I owe a few of you a swim!

rainbow kirby

On the off chance that anyone's in London - Hampstead Heath ponds, Stoke Newington west reservoir etc... gimme a shout.

Water is around 11c at the moment, not too bad

martin6651

Fresh water is usually colder than salt water

DonalB

Fresh water is usually colder than salt water

I don't understand that assertion and I always like to be extremely careful and as accurate as possible when discussing cold water swimming, so people don't make an already dangerous pursuit more so.

Fresh water freezes at a higher temperature than salt water, because well, salt.

However fresh water at the same temperature as salt, feels colder. But salt water at 3.3 deg. C is the same temperature as salt water at 3.3 C.

That said, in Ireland during winter, fresh water rivers and lakes will get colder that the sea because there aren't currents transporting heat and the volume is so much smaller that heat is lost more quickly. Similarly during the summer, fresh water is warmer for the same volume reason and because heat from the sum can warm lakes and rivers quickly. In both volume and area terms though, obviously salt water is greater.

Ireland has currently, I think, 15 official Ice Milers ( 1 mile, no wetsuit, 5.0 deg C or less), out of ~100 worldwide. As far as I know, all but one of us did our Ice Mile swims in fresh water lakes because the coastal sea of the west, south and east coast rarely gets below about 5.5 C, more usually 6C.

SlowMe

I find that recent rainfall has a significant impact on how cold it feels to swim in lakes, much more so than the sea. I don't really know what the actual temps are when swimming though. Without straying too far off topic can what do people use to reliably measure water temp??

martin6651

My reasoning for my statement is when we have a lot of rain the flood gates are opened on Lough Corrib and the fresh water remains on the surface of the sea. This then tends to to bring the temp. down on the surface and having swam in both the Corrib and the sea I have felt the temp. difference.

loudeac

Broke my duck yesterday in Bray, cold at first but managed 1km a bit of a shock from the pool with the wave's etc . Hope to get in again tomorrow

nolinejudge

Been in a few times in seapoint this year. Still not consistent enough to get used to it.

lizanne83

Want to start getting in soon also. First (main) race is OW, albeit lake, 25th May.
Could get a group together for a Killiney Swim Easter Monday? Wetsuits only of course.... what do ye think

bopperr

this is crazy talk. Anyone on the east coast going open water swimming this month is a bit nuts.

You would be better off practicing sighting in the pool surely.

mirrormatrix

Nows the perfect time to get back in the water. You've only got 1 month now before tri season starts bopperr!

rainbow kirby

Not crazy over here anyway particularly with a relatively mild spring, OW races and tris starting on the May bank holiday weekend!

Kurt Godel

I was in for 15 mins today at Courttown- very painful at first, but you get used to it pretty quickly. It felt great to be swimming in the open again!

rodneyr1981

pgibbo wrote: »

I was wondering the same thing. A friend is looking to start swimming in Loughrea soon also and he was wondering what the temp would be like.

First outing of season in Loughrea lake. Wasn't bad at all. Feet cold at first but once moving it was nice. Not a ripple on it

rainbow kirby

Dip in the sea yesterday evening at Llandudno - we're away for a few days for Easter. Great to get a quick dip in at this time of year! Water was around 10c, fine in a wetsuit, a bit too cold for togs for me!

68 lost souls

Back on the sea tomorow. Wild Atlantic northwest. Just gotta see if it's swimming it surfing. Knee doesn't feel up to the surf though so I think I know which one it will be.

RacoonQueen

Got about 20 - 25 minutes in the sea today. It was lovely. Really wasn't all that cold. Feet could feel the cold when we stopped to tread water but it was fine really. Would happily get in again tomorrow (read that as, would LOVE to get back in tomorrow)

Forget how much I love swimming OW until I'm actually out there.

lizanne83

Likewise, got out in Killiney. Was fab! Only the feet a bit cold otherwise perfect. Long brick Saturday & today so the cold salty water was the perfect recovery for the legs :-)

coppinger

Did 15mins yesterday at the bull wall, first time using the 310xt in the swimming cap, seemed to work well - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/484561406
Face got very cold though, anyone any advice with regards to vaseline or the like to keep my face warm??

and still ricky villa

Just back from my first ever open water wetsuit dip in Killiney (or anywhere for that matter). Surprised at how well my feet and hands coped. Would be stretching the bounds a bit to say I was swimming though. Sea a little rough so stuck to close to shore. Sea temp an alleged 9.4C but loved it

and still ricky villa

Anyone doing any early am (on the way to work) swims along the east coast (Arklow to Seapoint)? I'm new to sea swimming so could use the safety of someone else being around. You carry on with what you're doing and cast the odd eye over to see if I'm still afloat Lunch-time in Dublin (Seapoint to Killiney) is good too.

rainbow kirby

Did 500m at Stoke Newington last weekend at the end of their required open water induction, water 13c. Bit of a shock to the system but was ok after acclimatising a bit! Completely forgot just how much it takes out of you to try and keep warm, ended up hitting the golden arches hard for breakfast on the way home...

sconhome

Just an update on water quality for anyone swimming in Galway especially.

Two Galway beaches are among just three coastal bathing areas nationally that have failed to meet EU standards in relation to water quality.

Ballyloughane Beach, Renmore and Clifden Beach join Dugort, Achill, Co. Mayo and the inland Lilliput Beach at Lough Ennell, Co. Westmeath as the four bathing areas rated ‘poor’ in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ‘The Quality of Bathing Water in Ireland – An Overview for the Year 2013’ report, launched today.

Assessors monitored bathing water at 135 popular sites throughout the 2013 bathing season for two microbiological parameters, E.Coli and Intestinal Enterococci. Just three per cent achieved a ‘poor’ rating, with the remaining 97 per cent achieving ‘sufficient’ or ‘good’ status.

from here http://galwayindependent.com/20140501/news/poor-rating-for-galway-beaches-S37160.html

mossym

would appear the midwest contingent are finally hitting the OW over the long weekend. MCOS will be able to swim fast enough to stay warm based on his latest report, the rest of us, well it's been a pleasure folks.

68 lost souls

Anyone swim in and around Malahide? I moved to Swords recently and I don't know the northside at all. Went for a walk in Malahide during the week and thought I found a good spot to swim, dunno what way the currents are though. Along sea road and the Haven, I highlighted it in red on this map.

The Lost Sheep

Havent been in yet which means its latest year in 5/6 that ive been in OW. Will do couple hundred mtr in Lough Derg this weekend though..

joey100

Anyone swim in and around Malahide? I moved to Swords recently and I don't know the northside at all. Went for a walk in Malahide during the week and thought I found a good spot to swim, dunno what way the currents are though. Along sea road and the Haven, I highlighted it in red on this map.

That's Malahide estuary, wouldn't be considered the cleanest place in the world. I know the sailing club use it and windsurfers but never seen people actually swim in it. Would be fairly open too so any type of wind would make it difficult. Not too far from Malahide on the Portmarnock road is High rock, usually a good few people swimming here.

pgibbo

AKW wrote: »

Just an update on water quality for anyone swimming in Galway especially.



from here http://galwayindependent.com/20140501/news/poor-rating-for-galway-beaches-S37160.html

Ballyloughane has always been regarded as dirty. Has a notorious name around Galway

BTH

pgibbo wrote: »

Ballyloughane has always been regarded as dirty. Has a notorious name around Galway

Forget Renmore, you still on for salthill on Monday. You joining us AKW/CW? I've told Bambatta to bring his wetsuit down for the weekend so you don't want to leave him disappointed

sconhome

Swim?!! Are you cracked? My training is a swim free zone this year for a reason.

BTH

And you going a half ironman in three weeks? HTFU. In fact, with your recent lack of training you won't even need a wetsuit.

mossym

BTH wrote: »

And you going a half ironman in three weeks? HTFU. In fact, with your recent lack of training you won't even need a wetsuit.

he has a backup plan

BTH

Which one does he intend on being. I wouldn't like to try carrying him.

mossym

he aint no hoff.

BTH

mossym wrote: »

he aint no hoff.

Either way, I hope his tri suit is less revealing

sconhome

BTH wrote: »

And you going a half ironman in three weeks? HTFU. In fact, with your recent lack of training you won't even need a wetsuit.

I'd report this only we'd be going around in circles.

I'm ready for the Gauntlet. No amount of swimming will make a blind big of difference to me. In fact, I'm hoping it will be non-wetsuit just so I gain the advantage

Doeshedare

joey100 wrote: »

That's Malahide estuary, wouldn't be considered the cleanest place in the world. I know the sailing club use it and windsurfers but never seen people actually swim in it. Would be fairly open too so any type of wind would make it difficult. Not too far from Malahide on the Portmarnock road is High rock, usually a good few people swimming here.

+1 for High Rock and for manky estuary (used to be anyway). I've been swimming at High Rock every Sunday all year round at midday with a group of mainly Eastern Bay swim clubbers (including a couple of ice miler's). They are very friendly (I am not in the club) and are of all abilities and none - though they nearly all swim in togs only. I think by now I have earned the right to wear my wetsuit 'for training purposes' at least until it gets cold again.
If the sea is rough (easterly wind) then we go to low rock and Low Rock is used by lots of people at weekends.

Low Rock is just outside Malahide on the coast road to Portmarnock. High Rock is about 800mtrs further on - you can see a walkway to a ladder into the sea from the road.

If you swim at High Rock with the tide going out, swim towards Low Rock and back with the tide. If it is coming in swim towards Portmarnock (the Martello tower is allegedly about 750mtrs away so a good ~1500mtr swim there and back). Having said that some days it doesnt seem to behave as predicted but as you'll be swimming parrallel to shore there are spots to bail out at.

Velvet Strand further on in Portmarnock is good too with a bit of shelter at the Martello end, I saw the Dubs team having a post match dip there on Monday evening, though I am not sure anyone actually 'got down'.

Bull Wall in Clontarf is always popular, up to 3 hrs either side of high tide I think.

Balscadden in Howth is lovely though quieter and can get a bit fouled with jellies and randy seals in Summer.

Enjoy

catweazle

pgibbo wrote: »

Ballyloughane has always been regarded as dirty. Has a notorious name around Galway

One of the go to riding places in the car for the East side of the city - we were blessed to have Silverstrand out our way :cool:

BTH wrote: »

Forget Renmore, you still on for salthill on Monday. You joining us AKW/CW? I've told Bambatta to bring his wetsuit down for the weekend so you don't want to leave him disappointed

What time are you going out at, I might attempt a token effort out to the first buoy and back if I am around