Sea swimming weather and wave safety is the theme of an online talk tonight - the first in a new series hosted by Swim Ireland and the RNLI.
In response to the surge in interest in open water swimming during the pandemic, the series of talks will deal with all aspects of safety and planning to ensure swimmers can make informed decisions and within Covid-19 guidelines.
RNLI Water Safety lead Kevin Rahill will host this evening’s webinar at 7 pm.
Booking is €5 and all proceeds go to support the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crews.
Topics covered include
- Where to get your forecast
- What the terms mean
- Using the forecast to make your decision
- How weather affects waves
- Other factors affecting waves
- Types of waves and how they can affect you
- Weather, waves and your visibility
“With more people getting involved in open water swimming, we are delighted to work in partnership with Swim Ireland to help those taking part, whether new or experienced swimmers, to continue to enjoy the sport safely,” Mr Rahill says.
More people are getting involved in open water swimming
“ We are happy to share our knowledge and experience through these webinars to help everyone make informed decisions about where and when to swim and what steps one can take to ensure a fun and safe experience,” he said.
Grainne Murphy, Get Ireland Swimming national co-ordinator said described as “ unprecedented” the increase in people dipping into open waters across the island of Ireland.
“ In the summer we were able to support more than 700 swimmers by providing coached sessions and lessons as part of our Open Water Programmes,” she said.
“ It is even more important to support newcomers in the cold winter, which is why we have partnered with the RNLI to provide an ongoing series of educational webinars, that deliver key safety messages, and provide a platform for all to speak directly to experts in open water swimming and in open water safety,” she said.
“ These sessions aim to build participants’ confidence and a strong awareness of the importance of taking safety precautions when in or around open water.”
Running alongside the joint RNLI and Swim Ireland Open Water webinars will be a series of 30-minute ‘Lunch Break Chats’, providing education on ice swimming, swim route planning, and Channel swimming.
Swim Ireland’s Instagram channel is planning “live chats”, including with Irish ex-international marathon swimmer Chris Bryan, who will have a focus on improving swimmers’ knowledge of open water.
Sea Swim Webinars
- Monday, January 25th - Weather and Waves with RNLI, 7 pm l €5 l Book HERE.
- Thursday, January 28th - talk with Irish Ice Swimming Association chair Tiffany Quinn – a 30-minute question and answer session on ice swimming. Visit the event booking page to secure your place.
- Monday, February 8th - Dee’s Experience with Antarctic swimmer Dee Newell, 7 pm €5 Book HERE
- Monday, February 22nd - Tides and Currents with RNLI, 7 pm €5 Book HERE.
- Monday, March 8th - Route Planning for Open Water Swimmers, 7 pm €5 Book HERE.
