Displaying items by tag: Santa Scuba Dive

14th December 2019

Santa Scuba Dive Takes The Plunge For Lifeboats In Sandycove This Weekend

Santas taking the plunge at Sandycove for last year’s Santa Scuba Dive

Tomorrow at noon (Sunday 15 December) Scuba divers dressed in Santa suits will be ready to dive into the sea water off Sandycove for the annual Santa Scuba Dive.

This unique Christmas event has raised over €12,000 for the RNLI since it was started in 2014 by Karen Kenny of the Dublin University Sub Aqua Club.

Divers will enter the water at 1pm, and spectators will also see the local D-class lifeboat and Howth Coast Guard RIB and a flyby from the Dublin-based coastguard helicopter, weather and operations permitting.

For more see the event page on Facebook and the fundraising page on JustGiving.

Published in Diving

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Sandycove Beach Ho-Ho-Hosting Santa Scuba Dive This Weekend To Raise Funds For Lifeboat Charity

This Saturday morning (22 December) 100 Scuba divers dressed in Santa suits will brave the elements and dive into the sea water off Sandycove Beach to raise money for the RNLI.

The annual Santa Scuba Dive has raised over €8,000 since 2014 when it was started by Karen Kenny of the Dublin University Sub-Aqua Club.

The unique Christmas event begins at 11am this Saturday 22 December at Sandycove Beach in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin — and spectators will also see the local D-class lifeboat, Howth Coast Guard RIB and a flyby from the Dublin-based coastguard helicopter, weather and operations permitting.

For more see the event page on Facebook and the fundraising page on JustGiving.

Published in Diving

Tagged under

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.