The 2023 Galway Bay Swim, which has been postponed twice due to weather, is due to take place this Saturday (Sep 9).
If conditions, permit, the fundraiser for Cancer Care West will set off from Aughinish on the Clare side of Galway Bay for Blackrock Tower in Salthill.
A total of 154 swimmers were registered when the first date was set in July – including 65 solo swimmers and 25 relay teams involving 89 swimmers.
A second date in August also had to be abandoned due to Met Éireann small craft warnings.
However, some committed participants have already completed their 13km crossing of the bay, having made individual safety arrangements.
One such is Wotjek Petasz, who completed his swim last weekend with safety boat support provided by Paddy Crowe of Inis Oírr, Páraic Conneely of Tigh Ned and Cáít Fieldman.
Crowe, an experienced mariner, said they witnessed four minke whales and up to 40 dolphins feeding en route across the bay, which he described as a “fantastic sight”.
Petasz has previously completed it three times before, including in a relay team and the “virtual” event organised by Cancer Care West during Covid-19.
Named after the late Frances Thornton of Galway, the event is Cancer Care West's biggest fundraiser. Well over 1 million euro has been raised for the charity to date, and this year’s event is set to raise over 100,000 euro.
Swimmers have to undergo a time trial before being accepted, and are accompanied by RIBs from Clare to Galway by a large group of experienced volunteers, including local inshore fishermen and sailors, the RNLI and Doolin Coast Guard, Oranmore-Maree Coastal Search Unit, and Civil Defence.
Updates on the rescheduled swim date will be on the Galway Bay swim website
