Stormy Galway

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aido179 wrote: »

Keen, Im not the biggest fan of johncleary but jesus drop it! Your fighting the tide...he is quite right.


now to be on topic: Did anybody see the carnage in the docks? its a relatively sheltered area but there were a number of boats (badly tied tbh) wreaking havoc!
Also I freaking love the wind like that. So much energy!

When I passed the aran islands boat was taking some beating, the docks during this kind of weather is crazy

the keen edge

aido179 wrote: »

Keen, Im not the biggest fan of johncleary but jesus drop it! Your fighting the tide...he is quite right.

Well I don't have any issue myself with john. I only take issue with his posts in this thread and I look forward to his response.
This is a discussion forum after all, and posts should be critiqued.

I'll drop my opinion when I'am convinced otherwise.
If you have an opinion, back it up.

JohnCleary

keen - A few people here know me IRL and know I volunteer with various emergency services and other organisations around the city/county/country; it is not a concern of mine to prove to some stranger on the internet as to the validity of my statement.

Yes, we could have very well been called, and probably would have been (We've often been called due to a report of a 'distressed swimmer', most of the time it was someone on the shore who knew no better and a person was just having a swim... still, better safe than sorry). However, I stand by my earlier judgement; in a hypothetical situation above, where the person would have been maybe 35 (max 50?) metres from the shore, a lifeguard would have the person retrieved to the shore in no some.

I am quite familar with the tidal system in Galway. On a spring, you can have up to a 1kt pull/push in the centre of the bay, this is reduced close to the shore. In the above situation, even if tide was outgoing, provided that the person could at least thread the water, I would predict that he'd be blown towards the beach. A SW wind (which you say above) will bring you to the edge of the beach opposite 'Ocean Towers' apartments, albeit very slowly.

I've been swimming at Blackrock for about 15 years now so yes, familar with the construction of the tower. The 2 voids at the foundation allow water pass either way, and considering the force was coming from the SW, would again contribute to pushing an object towards the beach.

JohnCleary

aido179 wrote: »

now to be on topic: Did anybody see the carnage in the docks? its a relatively sheltered area but there were a number of boats (badly tied tbh) wreaking havoc!
Also I freaking love the wind like that. So much energy!

Wasn't near the Docks, but would loved to have been.

Do you mean the boats on the floating pontoons inside the gates, or the boats in the lay-by? (Where the Aran Islands boat berths)

inisboffin

The Aran sailing missed 6+ runs in the storm. Quite a lot for them!

Back to Mister high dive... A friends cousin was passing something VERY similar (not in Galway) a number of years ago. He was an ok swimmer but no lifeguard. He had no phone so went to help the eejit who was in trouble. A wave knocked his head on a rock, knocked him out and he drowned, while Mr daredivil got out with bloody knees. Currents, whatever aside, this can happen. And whether or not someone was right to jump in or not, people DO. in that situation the initial messer is substantially culpable IMO.

I stand by what I said too.

JohnCleary

inisboffin wrote: »

The Aran sailing missed 6+ runs in the storm. Quite a lot for them!

Christ above! Mind you, it's veryyyy tight for that boat to get in to the Docks lay-by, I can appreciate why it stayed where it was. A good oul saying we learned from a young age "It's better to be on shore wishing you were on the water, rather than being on the water wishing you were on the land"

Back to Mister high dive... A friends cousin was passing something VERY similar (not in Galway) a number of years ago. He was an ok swimmer but no lifeguard. He had no phone so went to help the eejit who was in trouble. A wave knocked his head on a rock, knocked him out and he drowned, while Mr daredivil got out with bloody knees. Currents, whatever aside, this can happen. And whether or not someone was right to jump in or not, people DO. in that situation the initial messer is substantially culpable IMO.

I'm quite a competent swimmer (Did many lifesaving courses in the past but admit i'm not of the same standard as I used to be). NEVER put your own life at risk.

The first thing we learned from a medical point of view (same stands for rescue) is SCENE SAFETY. Is the scene safe for you to enter? If not, DON'T ENTER. In the case you mentioned above where a person entered the water to help, it clearly wasn't for that particular person, therefore probably shouldn't have. RIP.

inisboffin

Just to clarify, I meant the Aran to Ros a Mhil sailings. Missed a few runs! My poor mate who lives there had a bitta cabin fever

happyoutscan

My guess/opinion would be that the guy diving off the board was comfortable doing what he was doing. That's a fair height to dive from in those conditions so I reckon he knew what he was doing. At least I hope so.

inisboffin

That man did not have the swagger of confident man up there IMO!
And plenty of confidence is inspired bu the great god Buckie:rolleyes:;)

the keen edge

happyoutscan wrote: »

My guess/opinion would be that the guy diving off the board was comfortable doing what he was doing. That's a fair height to dive from in those conditions so I reckon he knew what he was doing. At least I hope so.

I don't know about that.

If the guy in the video is the same fella that I have seen down around Blackrock before I'd be doubtful of his ability to cope with these conditions.

The man I'am think of was shrieking like a girl due to the water temperature last October, which was a relatively warm ~10 degrees Celsius.

happyoutscan

inisboffin wrote: »

That man did not have the swagger of confident man up there IMO!
And plenty of confidence is inspired bu the great god Buckie:rolleyes:;)

All I'm saying is I would assume anyone diving from that height (head first/not feet first) would have some idea and comfort with water. I agree with you regarding alcohol confidence but is there any proof for that here?;)

inisboffin

happyoutscan wrote: »

All I'm saying is I would assume anyone diving from that height (head first/not feet first) would have some idea and comfort with water. I agree with you regarding alcohol confidence but is there any proof for that here?;)

The assume part is where truth and logic often part ways.
By the way he was walking up there, it didn't read to me like he was very comfortable! Testing the waters may be a groan inducing but apt description!

Oh, and sorry, but no proof of buckie your honou, but he could have had a flask in his shorts! :P

happyoutscan

inisboffin wrote: »

Oh, and sorry, but no proof of buckie your honou, but he could have had a flask in his shorts! :P

That wasn't a flask!:D

aido179

JohnCleary wrote: »

Wasn't near the Docks, but would loved to have been.

Do you mean the boats on the floating pontoons inside the gates, or the boats in the lay-by? (Where the Aran Islands boat berths)

Floating pontoons. I hear there was one write off and some damage done to other boats as it drifted.

JohnCleary

aido179 wrote: »

Floating pontoons. I hear there was one write off and some damage done to other boats as it drifted.

Aw sh1te Hate to be a Rubbernecker, but don't suppose you have any idea which boat broke its moorings? Or a name?

vulcan57

aido179 wrote: »

Keen, Im not the biggest fan of johncleary but jesus drop it! Your fighting the tide...he is quite right.

No he's not right I'm afraid. Winds, tides and what have you are irrelevant when some passer by that sees that irresponsible idiot flapping around in that weather and calls 999 and asks for the coast guard. Immediately they would call on the nearest lifeboat, that being Galway and they would launch, and yes, the lifeboat crews lives would be put in jeopardy.

Steyr

vulcan57 wrote: »

No he's not right I'm afraid. Winds, tides and what have you are irrelevant when some passer by that sees that irresponsible idiot flapping around in that weather and calls 999 and asks for the coast guard. Immediately they would call on the nearest lifeboat, that being Galway and they would launch, and yes, the lifeboat crews lives would be put in jeopardy.

The above is true, Vulcan is extremely familiar with the RNLI

JohnCleary

Vulcan are you crew? Do I know you?!

vulcan57

Am I crew? I have been both here and in the UK at different times over the last 35 years.

Do you know me? Possibly, but I don't know a John Cleary, but thats why we use user names.