Is it physically possible to swim across the Irish Sea?

devvetop

From the Forty Foot to Holyhead?

You often hear about people swimming the English Channel so I was wondering is it possible to swim from across the Irish Sea? How good a swimmer would you need to be? Is it difficult? How long would it take to get from the Forty Foot to Holyhead?

BDI

Youd wanna bring an umbrella with ye. Get soaked.

Ten of Swords

Look up Ben Lecomte!

Yer Da sells Avon

BDI wrote: »

Youd wanna bring an umbrella with ye. Get soaked.

Just check the weather forecast before you set out. Be grand.

MJohnston

Yes, just not in the particular spot you mentioned:
https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/three-dublin-swimmers-successfully-complete-16665916

IAMAMORON

Try rowing it first.

I doubt it, pretty cold, if it takes the ferry 4 hours I would say your into swimming for days on end, probably not possible unless you can build some sort of a habitable swim suit, I would say almost impossible. How would you maintain energy levels etc?

dreamers75

38km vs 96km (I used howth because its closer)


Would say its extremely difficult but Im sure there is someone who would try it.

Probably this guy

https://www.givemesport.com/1503705-zach-bitter-has-broken-the-100mile-world-record-in-11-hours-and-19-minutes

policarp

devvetop wrote: »

From the Forty Foot to Holyhead?

You often hear about people swimming the English Channel so I was wondering is it possible to swim from across the Irish Sea? How good a swimmer would you need to be? Is it difficult? How long would it take to get from the Forty Foot to Holyhead?

Try it.

suicide_circus

dublin to holyhead is 80km

HeidiHeidi

suicide_circus wrote: »

the channel swim is just over 20 miles, the irish sea close on 40

Over 50. And that's in a straight line, not accounting for tides.

dreamers75

MJohnston wrote: »

Yes, just not in the particular spot you mentioned:
https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/three-dublin-swimmers-successfully-complete-16665916

Thats a relay, does it count regarding the Op?

STB.

56 Nautical miles. Thats what it is.


Many have done it, for charity, including Ronan Keating.


Too many hours in the water (24-30 depending) and too many jellyfish (fecking loads) to dodge.

adox

devvetop wrote: »

Yes I know it is physically possible, I should have asked how hard it would be in terms of conditions.

I’m no expert but I’d say it’s easy.

IAMAMORON

I doubt it is possible, certainly not non stop.

Try swimming from Bray Head to Howth and let us know how it feels.

MJohnston

dreamers75 wrote: »

Thats a relay, does it count regarding the Op?

There's a few have done it solo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Channel_(Great_Britain_and_Ireland)#Solo

I'm from Donaghadee, they used to have a mural that featured some auld lad doing the swim.

IAMAMORON

STB. wrote: »

56 Nautical miles. Thats what it is.


Many have done it, for charity, including Ronan Keating.


Too many hours in the water (24-30 depending) and too many jellyfish (fecking loads) to dodge.

When ?

STB.

IAMAMORON wrote: »

When ?

2011



https://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/ronan-keating-and-pals-complete-charity-swim-of-irish-sea-26767033.html

IAMAMORON

MJohnston wrote: »

There's a few have done it solo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Channel_(Great_Britain_and_Ireland)#Solo

I'm from Donaghadee, they used to have a mural that featured some auld lad doing the swim.

The op is not talking about the Scottish Channel.

He is asking about the Irish Sea to Holyhead.

MJohnston

IAMAMORON wrote: »

The op is not talking about the Scottish Channel.

He is asking about the Irish Sea to Holyhead.

The OP asked if it's possible to swim across the Irish Sea. Asked and answered,

Mod: no need for insults

IAMAMORON

STB. wrote: »

2011



https://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/ronan-keating-and-pals-complete-charity-swim-of-irish-sea-26767033.html

It was a relay though? They took it in turns with a boat etc?

IAMAMORON

MJohnston wrote: »

The OP asked if it's possible to swim across the Irish Sea. Asked and answered,

But the Scottish channel is not the Irish sea ?

Blanc von lobster

Didn't Sean Conway, the guy with the red beard, do it when he swam from Lands End to John O'Groats in. 2013?

STB.

IAMAMORON wrote: »

It was a relay though? They took it in turns with a boat etc?

They did it in relays.


There are solo swims over the distance were you have a boat tracking you if it gets treacherous, but you cant touch it. Get this though, the Long Distance Swimming Association dont recognise any records if you wear a wetsuit!


https://www.irishtimes.com/news/accountant-47-swims-from-ireland-to-wales-in-29-hours-1.286290

Force Carrier

Are we allowed to rest in the water a minute when we get there or do
we have to swim straight back?

rizzodun

Imagine being half way over and realising you left the immersion on...

IAMAMORON

There is or was a guy currently swimming the Irish Coast. But I think he takes breaks and sleeps.

Can you fall asleep and rest without becoming hypothermic, delirious and then potentially drowning? Probably not I think.

The question needs to be, how long can you swim for non stop without needing to rest ?

I would say non-stop from Sandycove to Holyhead is not possible.

Black Swan

If you swim like a fish.

Feisar

Quick google search

The longest distance ever swum without flippers in open sea is 225 km (139.8 miles) by Veljko Rogošić (Croatia) across the Adriatic Sea from Grado to Riccione (both Italy) from 29-31 August 2006. The attempt took him 50 hours 10 mins.

Mervyn Skidmore

It's possible, but you have to remember not to start swimming within one hour of eating something.

IAMAMORON

Eddie McGettigan did 40 miles in 29 hours, swimsuit assisted mind you. Any bastard who says that it is not a massive achievement to swim from Wexford to Wales can massively fúck right off, that is gargantuan.

However Sandycove to Holyhead people are saying is 50 + miles. You are into swimming non stop there for nearly 2 days. Is that even possible? Surely you would slow down dramatically once exhaustion set in?

ceadaoin.

A woman swam from Cuba to Miami which is a lot further than Dublin to holy head. 102 miles and took 27 hours so I'm sure it could technically be done. Obviously the water temps are a bit different though.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Nyad

IAMAMORON

I would also prefer to start in Greystones. Seemingly Dublin Bay has been taking on some extra texture over the summer...

griffin100

ceadaoin. wrote: »

A woman swam from Cuba to Miami which is a lot further than Dublin to holy head. 102 miles and took 27 hours so I'm sure it could technically be done. Obviously the water temps are a bit different though.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Nyad

She’s a well known fraud in open water swimming.

‘Channel Swim Rules’ state you can only wear togs, a latex hat and ear plugs if you want, and as much grease as you can get into your body. You also cannot touch your support boat at any time, including when feeding. Oh, and you have to have independent observers for the whole swim. Wetsuits and relays are not not considered propwr swims.

The North Channel (Northern Ireland to Scotland) is considered one of the most difficult swims in the world due to low temperatures and jellyfish. The Irish Sea might be just a touch too far under Channel Rules, no one has a verified swim as yet.!

20Wheel

ceadaoin. wrote: »

A woman swam from Cuba to Miami which is a lot further than Dublin to holy head. 102 miles and took 27 hours so I'm sure it could technically be done. Obviously the water temps are a bit different though.

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

and what if you lost direction and ended up back in Ireland.

dd973

If there's a No Deal Brexit just stand at Sandymount Strand and wait..

holliehobbie

Ah sure we can just wait for Leo et al to build a bridge over!

IAMAMORON

holliehobbie wrote: »

Ah sure we can just wait for Leo et al to build a bridge over!

A bridge from Dublin to Birkenhead would be amazing. You could commute to Liverpool in less than an hour.

elefant

IAMAMORON wrote: »

There is or was a guy currently swimming the Irish Coast. But I think he takes breaks and sleeps.

Jesus, you'd have to hope so :pac:

Salary Negotiator

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

Just check the weather forecast before you set out. Be grand.

Do it when the tide is out, stay dry that way.

thebaz

no one has ever done it solo - I'm a swimmer and know a few long distance swimmers - it is possible , but the problem is currents , making it more or less impossible - some guy tried it a few years ago , got about half way - if you got a calm day with no currents it would be possible , but that again is near impossible.

Sleepy

Heard an amazing after-dinner speech by Cork man Stephen Redmond who was the first person ever to complete the Oceans Seven back in 2012. As part of this, he did the North Channel from Northern Ireland across to Scotland and IIRC, described it as the hardest of the seven due to the length (second longest of the seven) and coldest water temperature (though no sharks like some of the others - although you might spot a basking shark I suppose).

On that basis, the extended length of Dublin to Wales and the business of the Irish Sea as a shipping route, I'm guessing that it's close to impossible to do solo (though a good team could perhaps relay it).

More about Steve Redmond and the Oceans Seven
https://db.marathonswimmers.org/oceans-seven/
https://www.thejournal.ie/steve-redmond-open-water-challenge-oceans-7-japan-cork-swimmer-endurance-521509-Jul2012/

Stevieluvsye

This hunk would do it no probs

https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/ross-edgley-great-british-swim