Thousands of people are expected to take to the sea for Christmas morning charity swims, with coastal temperatures hovering around nine to ten degrees Celsius.
A full moon during Christmas week will result in higher tides that could make some areas of the coastline “more precarious”, Water Safety Ireland’s deputy chief executive Roger Sweeney said.
RNLI Water Safety Lead Linda Gene Byrne said it would urge people “when they decide to take to the water, to make time to ensure they are doing it safely and with the correct knowledge and equipment”.
“That time taken could save a life or another person’s life. If you need to call for help, everything that you have done to keep afloat could make all the difference,”she said.
In Galway, Cope Galway’s homeless charity is the main fundraiser for the Christmas swim at Blackrock tower, while Galway Simon held a “dip at dawn” on the day of the solstice last week.
Cope Galway’s event is a “hybrid”, in that participant can contribute by swimming wherever they are from December 20th to December 26th, while there will be a Christmas Day event at Blackrock Tower, in Salthill, on Christmas morning.
Registration costs €20 and includes a swim t-shirt.
“Casa Loughrea” is the main beneficiary for an event at Loughrea lake, east Galway. The Loughrea Icebreakers Christmas Day Swim takes place at 11.30am at the Long Point Loughrea, and swimmers will be served hot beverages to warm up.
The charity provides a social outlet for people with disabilities in east Galway in association with Loughrea Lions Club.
In Dublin, the busiest spot is expected to be the Forty Foot, while Seapoint in Blackrock, the Vico baths, Skerries, Portmarnock, Balscadden Beach and Clontarf are also expected to be busy.
As Afloat reported previously, The Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland, and the RNLI are urging people to stay safe if they are out swimming this Christmas period.
“The increase in popularity of festive dips and open water swimming will see a lot of people taking to the water over the next few weeks. Many people will also avail of the opportunity to participate in coastal walks and hikes,”they have said in a joint statement.
For those taking part in winter dips and swims the advice is:
- Never swim alone.
- Ensure that somebody ashore is monitoring your activity.
- Acclimatise slowly.
- Stay within your depth.
- Always be seen.
- Organisers of Christmas Day or New Year swims are advised to have suitably trained personnel in attendance and to appoint a Safety Officer.
- The safety advice for other water-based activities includes:
- Always have a means for calling for help and make sure you can access it when you are out on the water.
- Tell someone where you are going and what time you expect to return.
- Wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid.
- Always check the weather forecast and sea conditions before you set off.
- If you’re exploring somewhere new, seek knowledge from experienced practitioners in the area.
