Baltimore Wet Weekend

Swim start at 15:26 today

The Forecast looks good for Saturday.

Briefing for the Annual Sherkin to Baltimore Swim, Saturday 28th of September 2024.

First of all, we would like to thank everyone who has registered for the Annual Sherkin to Baltimore Swim and come to Baltimore to join us this weekend. We hope you have a wonderful Wet Weekend in Baltimore and enjoy the event, and all the area has to offer.

Please note the following:

This event is not a race. If you wish to race, then please take your own time as the organisers cannot be relied upon to record your time with any great accuracy.

Registration will be open from 10.30 to 14:00 on Saturday the 28th of September at the Baltimore Sailing Club, which is located on the main pier in Baltimore. All swimmers will be given a race number which will be marked on their hand and also given a plastic bag for their clothes (this also needs to be marked with your race number). When you change on Sherkin, the bag is to be placed in the boat at the pier. This will be sent back to the finish at Baltimore Slipway. Swimmers will also be given a swim hat at registration. Please note we have a limited number of Swim hats; priority will be given to those who registered online.

Please do not swim without registering first at the Sailing Club.
The normal scheduled ferries will be running to Sherkin in the morning and starting from 13:45 the ferry will start moving swimmers across to Sherkin. We plan to get everyone across to the island for 15:00. All swimmers must bring warm clothing (hoodie/fleece etc) for the ferry journey as there will be a short wait at Sherkin before the swim commences. The bags provided are to send your clothes back to Baltimore before the swim starts. Please make sure to number your bag at registration.

Please put your bag on the last ferry which will return to Baltimore pier, prior to the swim start.

There will be a quick safety briefing on Sherkin pier, please pay attention to all safety personnel and kayakers during the swim.
You will then be counted into the water at Sherkin pier. Please do not start to swim until the signal to start has been given. We will not start the swim until the swim route is clear of Ferry/Boat traffic, so please wait for the signal. The planned swim start time is 15:30.

If you don’t want be part of the rush at the start of the swim, please wait a few minutes for the faster swimmers to leave.

The swim route will be marked by swim buoys this year please keep to the right of the buoys (buoy on your left shoulder). The kayakers will form a straight line to the finish, please follow their instructions.
If you need assistance, please raise your hand to get the attention of a kayaker or boat. A kayaker will come to your assistance as soon as possible and a boat will take you out if required.

It is your responsibility to be able to swim in open water conditions, if you have not completed the distance (2k swim) earlier this summer or have any doubts about your fitness to swim, please do not swim. Any swimmer we have to rescue reduces the safety cover for every other swimmer.

The swim will finish on Baltimore slipway where the volunteers will count you out of the water and mark your number off the swim list. Please be patient with all volunteers.

Do not forget to thank all the kayakers, Sailing Club staff, boat staff and other volunteers.

We are not running an official night swim at Lough Hye on the Friday night this year, but I am sure many of you will know of the fabulous Bioluminescence that is visible in the water in Lough Hyne after dark at this time of the year.

THANK YOU for supporting this important Fund-Raising event for The Wild Atlantic Pool. We are very grateful for the funds raised each year and your continued support. The money raised by this event and others is helping to keep this valuable local pool and fitness centre open.

Thank You for your continued support on Behalf of all the Wild Atlantic Pool Committee and Staff.

For anyone staying in Baltimore for the evening after the swim there will be fun to be had in Jacobs Bar.

We are eventually getting registration for the Sherkin to Baltimore 2024 Swim open, which will be held on Saturday the 28th of September at 15:30. After the unfortunate cancelling of last years event, lots of prayers will be said to keep the fog away this year :-)

As always the swim will be in aid of the Baltimore Wild Atlantic Pool, which provides swim lessons and coaching for swimmers of all ages and abilities and it is only through this and other fundraisers that we run that the facility can be kept open. Please come along and support the pool any way you can.

https://www.active.com/baltimore-cork/water-sports/swimming/baltimore-wet-weekend-2k-sherkin-island-swim-2024

Unfortunately we are looking at a bank of fog in baltimore harbour again today. There will be no swim today. We are calling it early to hopefully save people the trip down here.

Due to heavy fog rolling in to lough Ine we have taken the unfortunate decision to cancel the night swim. We hope to see you all tomorrow for the sherkin swim in Baltimore.

Briefing Details for this weekend.

First of all we would like to thank everyone who has registered for the Annual, Sherkin to Baltimore Swim and/or the Lough Hyne Night swim. We hope you have a wonderful weekend in Baltimore and enjoy the events and all the area has to offer.

Please note the Following:

1) Annual Sherkin to Baltimore Swim Saturday 09th of September 2023

Please note this is not a race. If you wish to race then please take your own time as the organisers cannot be relied upon to record them with great accuracy.

Registration is from 09.30 to 13:00 on Saturday the 09th of September at the Baltimore Sailing Club. All swimmers will be given a race number to be marked on their hand a bag for their clothes on Sherkin and a swim hat. Please do not swim without registering at the sailing club.

The first ferry will leave Baltimore pier at 13:00. The ferry will make 2 to 3 trips to Sherkin to bring all swimmers across. All swimmers must bring warm clothing (hoodie/fleece etc) for the ferry journey as there will be a short wait at Sherkin before the swim commences. Bags will be provided to send your clothes back to Baltimore before the swim starts. Please number your bag at registration.

Please put your bag on the last ferry which will return to Baltimore pier, prior to the swim start.

There will be a quick safety briefing on Sherkin pier, please pay attention to all safety personnel and kayakers during the swim.
You will then be counted into the water at Sherkin pier. Please do not start to swim until the signal to start has been given. We will not start the swim until the swim route is clear of Ferry/Boat traffic, so please wait for the signal.

If you don’t want be part of the rush at the start of the swim please wait a few minutes for the faster swimmers to leave.

The swim route will be marked by two swim buoys this year please keep to the right of the buoys (buoy on your left shoulder).

If you need assistance please raise your hand to get the attention of a kayaker or boat. A kayaker will come to your assistance as soon as possible and a boat will take you out if required.

It is your responsibility to be able to swim in open water conditions, if you have not completed the distance earlier this summer or have any doubts about your fitness to swim, please do not swim. As it reduces the safety cover for every other swimmer.

The swim will finish on Baltimore slipway where the volunteers will count you out of the water and mark your number off the swim list. Please be patient with all volunteers.

Do not forget to thank all the kayakers, Sailing Club staff, boat staff and other volunteers.

For those are registered for the Night Swim:

2) Lough Hyne Night Swim- Friday 08th September at 21:00

Carpooling from SIBIN BAR/Baltimore/Skibbereen is essential as parking is limited and kayakers need space to offload their craft. Lidl Carpark in Skibbereen has been used as a base for carpooling previous years. Please post on the Wet Weekend page to organise spins.
https://www.facebook.com/baltimorewetweekend

Registration for the night swim will be be from 19:30 to 21:00 at the main pier in Lough Hyne. All swimmers for the night swim will be given a number at registration. Once you get your number please get changed and be ready for the swim start at 21:00.

All swimmers will be given a ‘glow stick’ at registration, which should be attached to the goggles strap at the back of the head and all swimmers should use a tow float if available to be visible in the water during the swim. The glow sticks will help all swimmers to be visible to the kayakers and safety volunteers. Those who usually wear a wetsuit MUST wear it on the night as it is a slow swim and there may be a cool breeze.

The swim will round two buoys in an anticlockwise course direction with all swimmers to pass the buoy on your left shoulder. Please allow time for the volunteers to count you into and out of the water. Take care on entering and exiting the water as there are many sharp rocks and look out for/after all other swimmers.

Kayakers will form a cordon outside the swim route and we do not want any swimmers outside this line of kayakers.

Please make sure your number is checked off on exiting the water.

The planned route is approx. 500 metre, however swimmers may, if they wish, leave the water after the second Buoy as shown on the attached map. All swimmers must report back to the start point and ensure their number is checked off. Any swimmer exiting early will have to walk by road back to the start.

The swim will commence at 2100hrs and participants should be ready to swim at least 10 minutes before 2100hrs

Please do not forget to thanks our kayakers and other volunteers for their generous support.

BRING WARM CLOTHES YOU CAN EASILY PUT ON AFTER YOUR SWIM AND A WOOLLY HAT IF YOU HAVE ONE.

THANK YOU for supporting this important Fund Raising event for The Wild Atlantic Pool We are very grateful for the funds raised each year and your continued support. The money raised by this event and others is helping to keep this pool open.
Thank You on Behalf of all the Pool Committee and Staff.

This years Sherkin to Baltimore swim registration:

Baltimore Wet Weekend 2023 - 2K Sherkin Island Swim The Baltimore wet weekend in aid of the Wild Atlantic Pool in Baltimore a community run facility for all, will be a weekend of swimming in the Beautiful Village of Baltimore and surrounding areas. The weekend will start with a night swimon the Friday Night the 8th of September in Lought Hyne whicvh....

Anyone find a Blue swim bag in Lough Hyne? Missing after swim on Sunday (day after Sherkin -Baltimore).

Super day for swimming here in baltimore - Sherkin Baltimore 2022

Still time to sign up for the 2022 Sherkin to Baltimore swim, all proceeds going to the Community run Wild Atlantic Pool.

Baltimore Wet Weekend 2022 - Sherkin Island Swim - (Not Lousy Rocks Swim) We are reverting to our normal swim the Sherkin to Baltimore Swim. Originally we decided to run the lousy rocks swim again this year to simplify boats and prevent crowds gathering, but everyone we talk to prefers the swim from Sherkin. So Ferries will bring people to Sherkin Island starting at 15:00...

Still time to sign up for the Sherkin Island to Baltimore swim on Saturday the 24th of September.

Baltimore Wet Weekend 2022 - Sherkin Island Swim - (Not Lousy Rocks Swim) We are reverting to our normal swim the Sherkin to Baltimore Swim. Originally we decided to run the lousy rocks swim again this year to simplify boats and prevent crowds gathering, but everyone we talk to prefers the swim from Sherkin. So Ferries will bring people to Sherkin Island starting at 15:00...

Good news for everyone who enjoyed the annual Sherkin to Baltimore swim, we are reverting to our normal swim, the Sherkin to Baltimore 2.0k Swim this year, instead of the advertised Lousy Rocks Swim. This year we originally we decided to run the Lousy rocks swim which is simpler to run from a point of view of boats and large crowds, which in light of Covid -19 we thought was important at the time.

But everyone we talk to prefers the swim from Sherkin. So we have changed our plans.

Ferries will start to bring swimmers to Sherkin Island from 15:00 on Saturday the 24 of September with the swim start time as previously proposed for the Lousy Rocks Swim at 16:30. Briefing for the swim will be on Sherkin Pier in advance of the start. Registration will still be at the sailing club from 12:30, with first boats leaving at 15:00, until all swimmers are transferred. Please bring suitable clothing for waiting on the pier, which will be returned by ferry prior to the swim.

All registrations for the Lousy Rocks Swim are now transferred to the Sherkin Island Swim.

A special thank you to all the Kayakers who give up their time to come and help out at our swim(s) every year. Especially The West Cork Kayakers Club who are always out in force no matter what the weather brings us. THANK YOU all for making these swims happen and keeping everyone safe.

Photos Garry Minihane

Photo Garry Minihane
A small bit choppy on the way back

Photo Garry Minihane
The Legend "Redmond"

Photos by Garry Minihane