Swimming

Carlingford Lough is a glacial fjord or sea inlet that forms part of the border between Northern Ireland to the north and the Republic of Ireland to the south. On its northern shore is County Down and on its southern shore is County Louth. Carlingford Lough offers a great swimming experience for anybody who loves to get into the water.

Increase your range

Sea swimming isn’t necessarily all about long distances, but it’s easier to cover the ground when you’re in the sea as you don’t have to turn around after every few metres and there isn’t (usually) anything to bump into. It’s worth building up your distances in the pool over the winter if you intend to swim a long way in the sea, and you can improve your general fitness with a bit of running and rowing, or other aerobic and endurance work.

Acclimatise

In Ireland and the United Kingdom you’ll need to wear some kind of wetsuit for most of the year. Start off in April/May using a wetsuit and swimming hat, and as the summer progresses you can maybe move on to a short wetsuit, then a swimming costume. Reverse the process as autumn approaches.

Be positive

Whether you’re swimming a few hundred yards or several miles, have a positive attitude and be realistic about what you want to do. Getting into a rhythm can make time appear to drift by – I’ve known an hour seem like five minutes on some of my really long swims. A long sea swim can be almost therapeutic, mentally as well as physically rewarding.

Eat up

It doesn’t matter if you’re not super-lean. A bit of body fat can be a distinct advantage in cold waters, in fact, as it provides some insulation.

Feel good

Regular swimming will build muscle strength and improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance, and can be used as an excellent form of cross-training. Mastering the elements while sea swimming can build confidence and self-esteem, and it’s recognised as being an ideal way to assist recovery from other sporting injuries (injuries from swimming are very rare).

Watch the cold

Hypothermia can be a risk. Listen to your body and if you start to feel cold, get out of the water. You also need to be wary of sunburn and use a high-factor waterproof sunscreen on areas such as neck, shoulders and the backs of your legs. Dehydration is another consideration, particularly in sunny and/or warm conditions – you may be in the water, but you still need to drink regularly. For longer swims you may need to apply Vaseline to areas of possible chafing, especially if you’re wearing a wetsuit. Even without a wetsuit, you should apply Vaseline around the edges of your swimming costume, under your arms, at the bottom of your swimming cap, etc.

Getting started

Most people graduate to sea swimming from the pool, so it’s important to be aware of the differences between the controlled environment of a pool and the natural environment of the sea. The lack of guidelines or lane ropes to keep you on course, and the fact that weather and swimming conditions can change in minutes, can take time to adjust to.

The Downside

Fear of the unknown

Even small fish can give you a start when they appear out of nowhere, and jellyfish are horrible things to swim into.

It’s an uncontrolled environment

Hypothermia is an obvious risk, as are changing sea conditions and the effect of wind, rips and currents.

The cold

Sea swimming is almost always colder than pool swimming and this will slow you down, so don’t overestimate the distance and time you can manage. Carlingford offers pier jumping and the Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford offers great Facilities which Include:

• 18 Metre Swimming Pool
• Kids Pool
• Sauna
• Jacuzzi
• Steam Room
• Gym
• Aerobics Studio

1. Boosts your immune system

For your body, a sharp and forceful amendment in temperature constitutes an attack – as anyone who’s ever fallen overboard in British waters can concur. And, while “attacking” your own body might not sound sort of a smart factor, there’s no hurt to keep it on its toes. In fact, quite the alternative.

Scientists from the Czech Republic immersed witting subjects in cold water for one hour, thrice per week and monitored their physiology. They found vital will increase in white corpuscle counts different|and several other} other factors concerning the system. This was attributed to the cold water being a gentle agent that activates the system and offers it some follow.

2. For an all-natural high

Winter swimmers speak lots concerning the ‘high’ they get from cold water – a sense of successfulness that’s so encompassing that it becomes quite addictive (who doesn’t need to feel actually smart, a minimum of once a day?) The cause? Endorphins.

Endorphins ar the body’s natural pain killers and, within the case of a chilly dip, it uses them to require the sting off from your skin. So, to induce high on your own offer, all you would like to try to to is jump in an exceedingly watercourse.

And if you’re thinking that that sounds perilously near the pleasure/pain barrier then you’re most likely right. the 2 alternative primary causes for peptide unharness ar pain and climax.

The cold also will stimulate your parasympathetic system, that is accountable for rest and repair, and this will trigger the discharge of Dopastat and 5-hydroxytryptamine. These neurotransmitters ar a significant a part of keeping U.S.A. happy and low levels of them ar joined with depression. Couple this impact with the peptide rush as you’re taking the plunge and it ought to bring a heat glow and a good smile after you reappear.

3. Gets your blood pumping

Being hot brings blood to surface. Being cold sends it to your organs. each extremes work your heart sort of a pump. That’s why the complete sit within the vapor bath, appear the snow, sit within the vapour bath factor makes folks glow. however why is magnified blood flow smart for you?

Well, it helps flush your circulation for starters, pushing blood through all of your capillaries, veins and arteries. it’ll exfoliate your skin and flush impurities from it, so serving to your complexion (firm-bodied girls of all ages around pool sides say it stops cellulite). proof conjointly demonstrates that your body adapts to the cold with continual exposure and this might improve your circulation, significantly to your extremities – no unhealthy factor within the winter months.

You could get these edges by switch between the recent and cold faucets in your shower (or the vapour bath, snow, vapour bath thing) however that doesn’t sound nearly as fun as fast dip in your native lake followed by wrapping up heat afterwards.

Come to Carlingford, Enjoy a swim

So get into the Sea.