And so it was
as it was planned
We made our way
To Dolymount Strand
Niall by Dart
Myself by car
The Shore road in Howth
Where we set the bar
A text on the way
Saying ‘weather a bit crap’
Ah sure what odds
It’s in the Gods’ lap
Into our suits
We got dressed up
Looking across to the island
Scheduling the tide’s cusp
Lock the car
On our bikes
Bank holiday Sunday
Is getting the likes
My bike is a ratchet
An iron grating heap
No effort for Niall though
On the road to the beach
We get to the island
Lock up at a post
Banter the lifeguard
He knows the waters the most
The final prep
Goggles, hats, tow floats
Wade into water
It’s warm, but doesn’t roast
A minute or two
To acclimatise
Then off we paddle
With Howth in our eyes
I expected Niall
To leave me behind
But he raced yesterday
So the pace was kind
We swam for fifteen
We covered ground
The warm up was gentle
Nature abound
The bull beach is shallow
As we were out past the wash
The biker lifeguard
Kindly kept a watch
I never lost breath
Though took a mouthful or two
Sea swimming is an art
If you know what to do
We stopped every five
It wasn’t a race
That kept me happy
And a smile on my face
Niall felt the strain
Of the previous day’s effort
But stoic as ever
Kept on in sea desert
We had got to a point
Where the headland was there
Over a distance
With it’s grassy hair
We decamped to the beach
Rations of chocolate
Without any sun
You could feel desolate
When Niall was warmed up
We prepped up again
A kilometre across the bay
And we will find our Zen
I was feeling lively
Put power in my stroke
Not sure about the currents
Or if we’ll be broke
Then I turned to see
Niall standing up
A Dublin Bay sandbank
Had found us by luck
Then less than ten
It was back to the shore
The Sun even glimpsed
Through a cloudy sky door
Coming onshore
Then taxi to land
We stood on the rocks
I shook Niall’s hand