Swimming in Blackrock, Salthill

Zippy00

Just wondering if anyone could advise me on the following.

I am currently teaching myself to swim and although progress is slow it is happening. I seemed to have overcome my fear of deep water and my stroke is improving a bit....

Would like to start swimming in Blackrock, Salthill, but just wondered if it's a good idea for someone at my level.... At this point I wouldn't be able to swim very far without stopping but I can tread water, have a little break, and then continue again.

Would be good to hear from people who want to share their experiences about when they first started swimming in Blackrock, Salthill, Galway.

Hopefully I'm in the correct forum!

Thanks

Seaneh

I'd wait untill you can do at least 200m in a pool without a break before attempting open water swimming.

Fuinseog

Zippy00 wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone could advise me on the following.

I am currently teaching myself to swim and although progress is slow it is happening. I seemed to have overcome my fear of deep water and my stroke is improving a bit....

Would like to start swimming in Blackrock, Salthill, but just wondered if it's a good idea for someone at my level.... At this point I wouldn't be able to swim very far without stopping but I can tread water, have a little break, and then continue again.

Would be good to hear from people who want to share their experiences about when they first started swimming in Blackrock, Salthill, Galway.

Hopefully I'm in the correct forum!

Thanks

stay in your depth. if I do not know the water I swim at waste depth and make sure I can touch the ground. ladies beach might offer more protection from the waves. a hat keeps out the cold.

Zippy00

Cheers. Appreciate that.

buzz11

Blackrock is a great place to start swimming, there are two sets of steps very close together and you can swim from one to the other, then as your confidence grows you can widen the circle a bit longer, in no time at all you'll be heading for the raft!

There's also plenty of easy swimmers there too who you can ask advice from, its a friendly place.

The sea is much more refreshing than a pool and there may only be a few more days of good weather to enjoy it......go for it!

Zippy00

Thank you.

Was kind of thinking along those lines..... from one area to another and then out to that raft thingy.

I have a wetsuit too so I'm hoping to be in the sea till mid october-ish!!!

intellectual dosser

You probably know this yourself, but I feel like saying that you should stay away when the weather is good. Some awful gombeens hang around there when the sun is shining. Ruins it for everyone.

Fuinseog

intellectual dosser wrote: »

You probably know this yourself, but I feel like saying that you should stay away when the weather is good. Some awful gombeens hang around there when the sun is shining. Ruins it for everyone.

true, but they are not there in the morning and an early morning dip at around eight before work is a great way to start the day.

there is a regular following of swimmers at Blackrock, whether it be the

08:00, 11:00 or 1:00 group. you can avail of a key for the shed when the weather is mank.

martin6651

With the weather changing and the schools open again there wont be as many people swimming except the regulars of which there are plenty. There is always some one there through out the day from 7:00 to about 8:00pm. The raft will be taken out in the near future I would think before the end of the month. There is a group of us daily swimmers there between 4:00 and 6:00pm.

solid oak

the raft is still out, its about 40 meters from the tower so not to far, you will not be out of your depth at low tide either, great place to swim

galway lady

Zippy00 wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone could advise me on the following.

I am currently teaching myself to swim and although progress is slow it is happening. I seemed to have overcome my fear of deep water and my stroke is improving a bit....

Would like to start swimming in Blackrock, Salthill, but just wondered if it's a good idea for someone at my level.... At this point I wouldn't be able to swim very far without stopping but I can tread water, have a little break, and then continue again.

Would be good to hear from people who want to share their experiences about when they first started swimming in Blackrock, Salthill, Galway.

Hopefully I'm in the correct forum!

Thanks

It takes roughly 6 hours for the tide to go out and another 6 to come in , so if you aim for 3 hours either side, you should be comfortable in the depth. A good guide is about half way up the concrete steps at Blackrock. Good luck to you, once you get bitten by the bug it's hard to stop. Hope to see you there, I'm one of the early morning swimmers.

Fuinseog

do wear flip flops going down to the water especially if swimming early morning a there can be broken glass and the moss can be slippy.

Birroc

Make sure you swim with a wetsuit - the extra bouyancy will make you feel at ease and you will be warmer.
You hardly need to tread water with a good wetsuit.

ErnieBert

This will surely set the scene

chuky_r_law

its a great place to swim and now is the best time of year to go there. water is at its warmest.

im not a great swimmer myself so am quite cautious. i also find that cold water can leave me a bit breathless and even wheazy. once when i was down there i got quite out of breath and panic set in. it was like anasthma attack, something which i hadn't had in well over 20 years. id say i was about one foot out of my depth, which isnt much, but when you cant catch your breath is quite scarey. luckily i was able to scramble over and get my toe to the sand. was able to relax then until i was able to breathe alright.

but being out of your depth, even just a little, and not being able to breathe right, was absolutely terrifying

now i always stay in my depth until my body is warm enough (which in september takes about 10 seconds!). once im warm my breathing is nice and slow and even, and this makes me confident enough to go for a proper swim.

and no better place than blackrock.

tower is good fun too!

Zippy00

Brilliant stuff Erniebert.

Cheerz for that.

inisboffin

ErnieBert wrote: »

This will surely set the scene

Intrepid reportage from Mr Browne there!:D