#openseaswim – So close yet so far... that's the verdict from open sea swimmer Glenn Treacy who was attempting to swim across Dublin Bay from Dun Laoghaire to Howth for charity at the weekend. Here Glenn thanks people for being so generous (almost €3000 has been raised since Friday) and explains why the plug was pulled.
After 2 hours and 40 minutes with only 750m to go my crew made the (correct!) decision to pull me from the water after I failed to promptly answer my friend Art's question "Glenn, What day of the week is it?".
I can now recognise now that I was suffering from hypothermia. My pilots, Tim Gunning and Gavin, then took me at speed to Ringsend Yacht club to thaw out in the showers. I knew something was wrong when I couldn't tell whether the showers were hot or cold.
The swim was much more difficult than I expected. At half way the tide was flowing towards the shore, dragging me, while the offshore sea breeze was pushing the boat out to sea and the water became very rough and really restricted my visibility. I always knew the cold was going to be a factor and at halfway I could no longer feel my hands and the initial brain freeze never lifted.
Many people asked for the envelopes to be returned so at present Stephen Moffitt has the envelope on the 4th floor, on the 3rd it is with Donna and Trish and with Aishling Ruane on the 2nd floor. I have just checked the funds raised and they stand at €2916 which is a great result.
Special thanks for Tim Gunning and Gavin for their expert piloting and making their boat available for this challenge. Without a boat there wouldn't have been a swim. To Art Fitzpatrick, Max Treacy and Sheona Foley for being my responsible and focused crew. Thanks to Art for making the call to take me out. To Ian Murphy for being my "Eli Gold", setting up my twitter account and introducing a luddite like myself to power of social media. To Andrew McClatchie, Ian Murphy, Fergus and Alison Letters for coming down to see me off – Alison even got in for a swim to test the water for me. Fergus develops a special mention for appearing at the start, the planned end and the emergency end to support me – the true professional boy scout. To Barry and Yvonne Gilmartin who have been the inspiration for my support of the CCRT and for being my bag carriers. The funds raised will allow others to have the professional care that Yvonne has benefited from. To Ken O'Shea for his encouragement on twitter.
To all those who texted and emailed me to ask me not to beat myself up on Saturday afternoon. I was still too cold to beat myself out of a wet paper bag – I didn't off my three pairs of trousers, thermal vest, t-shirts, sweat shirts and my Iasc Hoddie until 7pm. To Foxy, for all her encouragement and who is already planning my training for the 2014 assault. To Patrick Burke and Frank Cassidy for illuminating the complexities of tidal flow in Dublin Bay for me. To Paul Wynn, for his encouragement and advice on how to tackle the swim. I should also mention Stephen Shaw and the AOS movement for helping me develop more effective swimming stroke.
But finally the biggest thanks goes to all those who donated to this worthy charity and thanks in advance to all those who are considering making a donation.
Glenn
P.S. Mr Lions Mane jellyfish did make a number of appearances but thankfully we didn't meet in an intimate fashion.
