Sadly but understandably, the Frances Thornton Memorial Galway Bay swim has been cancelled for 2020 due to Covid-19.

This year I'll swim it as a solo swim in memory of my darling Michelle, Irene Teap and Ruth Morrissey.
I'll do it in dedication to Vicky Phelan, Lorraine Walshe and all the victims of the Cervical Check Scandal while raising funds for Cancer Care West.
 
My boat captain (Brian) and crew (Niall) said they were willing and able to escort me for a third time across the bay if I was willing. My coach, Debi, will be willing me on from the maternity ward (best of luck Debi). So we all agreed we should do it again and continue our support for Cancer Care West.

Lots of you know our family story, but for those who don't, Cancer Care West supported me and my two girls at our lowest point and our darkest hour. They were there to guide us through the most difficult time of our lives as we came to the reality that Michelle's cancer was incurable and then helped us deal with her loss and start to put the pieces of our lives back together.

I am seeking donations for Cancer Care West, but only if you feel you can. Please do not feel under pressure. 

Some details that some of you might find interesting:

Pool training was cut short by C-19, but only by a few weeks.
Then it was time to hit the water, thankfully Rinville bay was within the 5km restrictions,
so as soon as we could go 5km from home I headed off for my inaugural 2020 open water swim.
600m and I was wrecked, my breathing, stroke, balance, strength were a disaster.
Next swim was 1km, then 1500m, then 2km. A good few of those. Then the warm weather came and it was like a blessing, 3km swims became the norm, followed by a few 4km ones and then a 6km one. Weather turned awful again and we were back to 2km and the odd 4km (Tramore, you can keep your freezing cold water!!!)
The real test came on saturday, the sun was shining the water was flat calm, time to put in the big swim to see if I have the stamina for the big one next Sat, 9km and 3:01:24 later I climbed the steps. I did 3x3km in Blackrock, stopping after each loop to rehydrate and feed (sugary water essentially).
A strange thing occurred in the water, normally there is a wave or a swell or chop in the water, but on saturday the only waves, and you feel them when they crossed your path, came from the wake of other swimmers coming towards you or those that had passed coming in the opposite directions. That's how calm the water was.
On one of my 3km swims in Rinville, we could see plenty of blue coloured jelly fish, mostly 2-3m below the surface, then I noticed I had a thick spiders web on my left had around my fingers. Ah 5h1tE, that wasn't a web, it was the tail end of one of those blue jellies. All I could do was keep going, hoping the saltwater would remedy it. Thanks to my swim buddy Cliona for the hydro-cortisone cream and zirtek!! The next the red rash was there but strangely no stinging or tingling. Did I mention thanks to Cliona. On that day we also saw two of the big nasty, ugly, horrible Lions Maine jellies in Rinville. Thankfully there deep enough not to cause us trouble, but their tenticles can be very long, but even still we had no issue. They were gone the following week.

So one more light swim between now and next sat, as much rest as I can get and no beer :-(
I'll try to get Niall to do the FB live thing again and hopefully you can get a glimpse of the action on the day.

Credit for the photos of Blackrock and in-water go to Grainne Kelly
Thanks for reading,
Cathal.