An unexpected Swim

Well, I suppose it had to happen sooner or later.

Myself and a friend fished Claremount in Howth this week, and having waded through a shallow channel to reach the main beach, we started fishing. A few flounder later, as it was getting dark, we decided we had better head for home.

Unfortunately, we had misjudged the tide and found ourselves completely surrounded by water. The shallow channel was now a 6 foot deep, 50 yard wide river of fast flowing water which was flooding the beach further down from us.

Our initial amusement turned to absolute panic when I tried to wade across in my chest waders. I got about 10 yards before it was up to my chest.

We had two choices - go for it ourselves, or ring the coastguard! As I didnt fancy being airlifted 50 yards, I thought we'd go for it.

I had to say it was a laugh seeing my friend strip off (he was only wearing thigh waders) down to his y fronts, and swim through a freezing river of water. A laugh until it was my turn that is! Wading, in chest waders, with 2 rods and a tripod in one hand, a bag on my back, and a digital camera in my other hand was no fun! Especially when the water reached my mouth and I had to swim for 10 yards.

Pity I had forgotten my mobile was in my chest pocket, it's dead as a doornail.

Anyway I shouldn't complain, I suppose I'm lucky to be alive. There were a few hairy moments when the water was threatening to whisk me away, especially when my waders where full to the waist with water. I actually ended up about 150 yards down the beach from where I entered. And all my gear is intact, even the reels after I had stripped them down and given them a clean.

So bar the phone (and a fishing partner who swears he will never set foot on a beach again) I lost nothing.

But for anyone fishing on beaches with dodgy currents, please don't ignore the warning signs! Especially on Claremount! I had always thought I put safety first, so it just goes to show that even careful anglers get caught out sometimes.

Steve,

Im glad to hear you had a fortunate escape. A salutary lesson to us all on water safety while angling.
I did a 'Recce' myself on Claremount before Christmas and saw the safety notices. I decided that day not to have a go as my family were with me and the beach seemed busy with walkers.
Can you indicate to me where is best not to fish on that beach.
Would it be safer to stay put near the low dunes on the left and fish out on a flood rather than risking going out further?

Gillaroo

PS - what size were the flounder and how and on what did you catch them.

HI

Will update the dublin mark list with a warning in red, shoudl have done this ages ago, can't believe I did not do it already. That beach is lethal and has accounted for several lives over the years.... must do the same for other marks like the Inagh estuary in Lahinch in clare. If anyone wants to add dangers for listed marks, please throw them in here and I will add them to the listings as soon as possible. Thanks.

A close escape.

To add to your list of dodgy venues, its a mark your familiar with Kieran. The mouth of the Moy esturary at Enniscrone beach. As the tide fills at low water the sand can get incredibly soft and you can get stuck. I got a bit of a scare a few years back, when the sand behind me which I had no problem walking over a hour previously had started to turn to mush. If I had left it much later, it would be kiss my ass time. Strange thing is that it doesn't happen all the time, possible tide or related to the river water. I remember a Tractor getting stuck there as a child and watching it disappear over a period of a week.

[Tim]

Fished Inagh river at Lahinch and got back safely - not going back as the fish have all gone elsewhere.....

Last edited by Tim on Tue Apr 06, 2004 9:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.