Karen Coakley

Sea-swimming is all the rage after a year of Covid lockdowns and learning to ‘love local’- but Karen Coakley never thought she would be such a convert.

She has lived by the Atlantic Ocean all her life, first in West Cork, and now in Kenmare, but a childhood tragedy dramatically changed her relationship with the sea.

“Growing up in Bantry, I always swam as a child. We had a caravan and spent every summer in Barleycove but, when I was 13, my first cousin drowned in Bantry Bay,” said Karen (47).

“He was 15, and like a brother to me, so I had an awful relationship with the water for most of my adult life. I hated it.”

Even on family holidays abroad with husband Vincent and their four sons, Karen refused to get into swimming pools, never mind the sea.

Taking up coastal rowing in her mid-30s helped conquer her fear, but things changed in a major way last winter.

Karen was particularly impressed by how sea swimming had helped one of a group of local enthusiasts get through the grieving process.

So, she decided to take the plunge.

“My first swim was on October 26 last. Of course, I screamed and shouted at first.  But once I was in, I thought ‘this is fabulous.’

“It releases endorphins to such an extent that two hours later I got this sudden ping. It was like you had given me 20 happy pills.

“The following day, I wanted to feel the cold again. There is also the sound of the water, the feeling of floating, and I am now so aware of tides, sunrise, sunset and the moon.

“Physically, mentally and emotionally, I have never felt better.”

Enforced changes to her work – Karen usually runs food tours in Kenmare – and some recent health scares ensures her new healthy passion is particularly timely.

“Even though I started running and rowing in my late 30s, my 40s were still tough years because I had three years during which I could not exercise at all.

“Three and-a-half years ago my hairdresser found a stage one melanoma on my neck. Then I had to have a heart operation.

“I was getting breathless and discovered extra tissue had grown in my heart causing it to beat doubly. I had early onset heart failure.

“Everything is fine now, but I was only really getting back into exercise when we first went into lockdown.”

Karen’s location definitely helped - the picturesque pier at Templenoe, near Parknasilla, was within her 5K loop before a loosening of restrictions allowed inter-county travel.

She has come to exercise late in life, and describes herself as “the girl who was always left on the side-line. Team sport was not for me.”

Karen was a 30 a-day smoker until 10 years ago when she took up running. Since then, she has completed a marathon and twice competed in the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships.

For safety reasons, she never swims alone, but even during the tightest restrictions Karen has been able to take part with friend and fellow rookie, Marianne Wiley.

“Once you get used to the cold you actually crave it. We have talked about why it is so exhilarating, and we think it is because it gives you the feeling there is nothing you cannot face.

“You have to take so much control of your feelings when you enter the water. To stay calm, you have to control the cold with your breathing.  Low and slow with the breathing is best.”

The arrival of January snow only motivated them further. “We could not wait to get in to the sea, because once the temperature goes below five degrees that is officially an ‘ice swim.’”

When sea-swim blogger Dee Newell, aka ‘Dee From the Sea’ organised a fundraiser for the Irish Cancer Society, Karen took part, completing 20 swims in December.

Her new year resolution, to get in a-dip-a-day, has not been broken.

“You do not feel cold when you initially get out of the water, so the important thing is to raise the body temperature quickly.

“I swim in togs and a bobble hat and recently got neoprene (synthetic rubber) gloves and socks.”

“I got a dry-robe (which draws water away from the skin) for my birthday but use it beforehand.

“It means I can head outside in my togs and am warm going in to the water.  I prefer a changing towel afterwards, when my woolly hiking socks come into their own.”

Lockdown, it turns out, has brought some blessings, and Karen regards sea swimming as the greatest.

“I figure I probably will not be rowing or running when I am 85, but I really think I will still be going down the steps into the water. Sea swimming is something you can do forever.”