Thanks a million for taking the time to look us up on the "Interweb".
We presume you are here because you are interested in The 40 Foot Walruses Sea-Swimming Club and/or the world famous "Nessie Challenge"!
Our e-mail address is nessiechallenge@gmail.com
So if you wish to sponsor us, get involved or you have a query please don't hesitate to belt us over a mail. We promise we wont sell your details on to penis enlargement spammers.
If you wish to pit yourself against Nessie get your name on the list for '09! Unfortunately the Nessie Challenge '08 is fully subscribed and looming large on the horizon. But once there aren't a discouraging number of fatalities (3 plus) this year we will certainly be stepping up to the challenge again in '09!!! Pre-Training starts in January so its a super New Years Resolution.
For further info on the causes we are fundraising for please scroll down to the Blog Entitled "Info on Charities". It is the blog before the blog before this one.
A Little Bit About Us (excerpt from Sunday Tribune May 12th):
EIGHTEEN Dun Laoghaire dare-devils are preparing to swim the cold and murky waters of Loch Ness this summer - and even tales of old Nessie cannot put them off.
Organisers Alan Coleman and Simon Torpay, both 28, have heard stories of sonar sightings of the legendary beast, and have even had warnings from renowned stunt swimmer “Alcatraz Joe” - but they will not be deterred from the 12 July event looking to raise more than €10,000 for charity.
“Last year Simon and myself did an 11km swim from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, ” Coleman told the Sunday Tribune.
“It was the first time this route had been done, and was quite tough. This time we wanted something that was a bit more inclusive, something more people would be interested in doing, ” he said.
Calling themselves the 40 Foot Walruses Sea Swimming Club, they are the first group from Ireland - including three mums - to attempt the swim.
The 18 brave souls will be swimming in water of 10 Degrees Celcius for around an hour.
“It has been done before but it’s not something that’s done regularly, ” said Coleman.
Initially, there was a group of 30 swimmers, but after speaking to Joe Oakes who swam Loch Ness three years ago - and who was the first man to swim the supposedly impossible Alcatraz to San Francisco stretch - they decided to impose a minimum standard.
“I got in touch with Joe after I bought his book which gave advice and tips on swims like this, ” said Coleman.
“When I told him our level, and that we had some beginners, he bascially said that the middle of Loch Ness is no place for beginners.
“It’s very choppy, ” explained Coleman. “And because it’s fresh water there is no buoyancy.”
A high peat content means visibility in the 800ft deep lake is very bad too.
“Joe said you can’t see your hand in front of you, and he also said it was the coldest water he had ever swam in.”
Currently, the 18-strong swimming club can be spotted on Sunday mornings, in their speedos, at the 40 Foot swimming spot in Dun Laoghaire.
“We are training together once a week at the 40 Foot, but we are all doing extra training - about 2km a week, in our spare time as well. It’s a big commitment, it does interfere with your social life, ” laughed Coleman, who says he is looking forward to a hot drink afterwards.
“We will have hot scotch, haggis and a bagpipe player playing ‘Scotland The Brave’ waiting for us at the far side.”
And the big question - is he afraid that Nessie will make an appearance on the day?
“The more I read about it the more I believe there could be something to it.
“But there are 18 of us, so I will surround myself with other swimmers who are covered in goose fat -Nessie likes to eat geese apparently, ” he laughed.
Thanks again for taking the time to look us up.
Happy Paddling,
Alfonso
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