Forty Foot in Dublin Bay, Ireland

I love to mix a race with a vacation.  When I ran a half-marathon in Arizona for my 40th birthday, we stayed for few days longer & visited the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Navajo National Monument, Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend.  Running & swimming are such great ways to experience a new environment.

So when Kevin & I were planning our long-planned vacation to Ireland, I tried to find out if there were any open water swim races and/or groups I could join for a quick dip. I learned about the Dunmurry Dippers, a group that swims everyday at the Colin River in Northern Ireland, & the Walrus Winter Swimming Group, who jump into the Dublin Bay at Forty Foot.

Logistically we could not meet up with the Dippers, so we set our sights on the Walruses. After picking up our rental car, which Kevin did an amazing job driving on the left side of the road, we headed to Forty Foot at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove.  If you don't have a car, Forty Foot is a short train ride from Dublin city center & a 20-minute walk to Dun Laoghaire.  During the 40-minute drive from Dublin (which is normally 25-minutes but was a bit longer for us since President Biden was in town), and near the beach town of Dun Laoghaire, I was equal parts nervous about our car on the "wrong side" of the wrong & swimming in 48 degree water. 

We lucked out with parking, which there were only a few spots, & took a tour of the James Joyce Tower & Museum.  Joyce stayed at the Martello tower as a guest of the poet Oliver St. John Gogarty, & the water there is described by the character Buck Mulligan as “the snotgreen sea.”  After the interesting & free tour, it was time to test the water.  I was amazed how many swimmers, wearing their dry robes, were entering the water by jumping or walking down a stone staircase into the sea.  Everyone was super friendly & I felt so welcome by them to take part in this unique experience that has drawn people from far and wide to Forty Foot.  While people have been swimming at the Forty Foot for hundreds of years, it wasn't until the 1970s that woman were allowed to swim there.  

Although I had brought a swim cap & goggles with me, the idea of putting my head underwater was giving me stage fright!  It was sunny day, in the high 50s, so I didn't feel cold when I standing in my bathing suit.  So with encouragement from Kevin, I carefully held onto the railing & walked down the stone stairs following John, a swimmer in his 70s who says he dips in, "everyday for my health."  With the water reaching my knees, I pushed off into the sea & into the breaststroke.  Immediately, the chilly water took my breath away & I could not believe the people swimming effortlessly around like it was a summer day down the Jersey shore.  After a few quick breaststrokes, & the worry that I may freeze & sink, my brief Forty Foot experience was complete as I swiftly headed back to land.

Wrapped in a toasty warm towel, Kev congratulated me & showed me the video...eight seconds!  Yep, what felt like at least a minute in the water was actually just eight seconds.  After chatting with my new Irish swim buddies, I was proud to stay I tried & they invited me back for a dip someday.  Maybe on Christmas Day, which is a tradition for throngs of hardy Dubliners. 

We spent the rest of the day enjoying the sunny Irish day, hiking in the Glendalough Valley in the Wicklow Mountains National Park.  It was favorite day during our trip & we might be headed back there in September for the Glendalough National Park Swim.  Maybe it'll be a wee bit warmer.