Displaying items by tag: Big Weigh In

2nd August 2021

3.5 Tonnes of Waste Removed from Irish Waterways & Coasts In Volunteer ‘Big Weigh In’

Nearly three-and-a-half tonnes of rubbish was removed from Ireland’s coastal areas and inland waterways this weekend as part of a nationwide ‘Big Weigh In’.

Organised by Flossie and the Beach Cleaners, the first-for-Ireland clean-up saw more than 400 people take part across 26 counties on Saturday (31 July).

Intrepid clean-coasts advocate Flossie Donnelly was herself part of the litter-picking initiative at Sandycove on the day, in an effort to gauge “the weight of pollution on the island of Ireland”.

Drum Roll ?!!! The total weight that was taken off our waterways in 26 counties yesterday for our ‘Big Weigh In’ was… 3456kgs?! Thank you SO much to every group, family and solo cleaner that got out there and made a difference. We are a small charity but we are mighty ? pic.twitter.com/DIubsOac9U
— flossieandthebeachcleaners (@flossiebeachcl1) August 1, 2021

In just a two-hour window between 3pm and 5pm on Saturday, volunteers across Ireland removed a whopping 3,456kg of rubbish — the weight of an average orca.

Flossie’s mother Harriet told Independent.ie that among the waste collected from waterways this weekend were carelessly discarded disposable face masks, which do not break apart in water.

Published in Coastal Notes

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.