Open Water Wednesday. I will serve as the host and will ask you both questions. You both can answer and feed off each other.

I want to ask you the following questions:

1. What is the state of swimming in Ireland right now?
2. How are people handling this lockdown?
3. When may pools and coastlines reopen? Just hazard a guess
4. What can swimmers do now to prepare for the future?
5. When pools and coastlines reopen, it probably won’t be like it was. Can you forecast future changes in the sport?
6. With more time on your hands, how can people help our sport grow and prosper? What are some concrete things swimmers can do for others and for their sport?

he financial health of teams and their membership
Physical and mental preparedness of coaches, swimmers and parents
Can we actually be growing interest in our sport during this time?
Preparing for the unexpected: Creating a variety of scenarios that can be planned for (related to facility availability, practice sizes, competition, finances, seasonal planning & mor

I think this message cannot be stressed and repeated enough. Just reading things online, swimmers seem to be almost entirely focused on themselves and what are they doing for themselves.

I want to change the mindset – or at least add to it – and start talking about how we can help others and the sport in general.

Most swimmers may dismiss our perspectives, but a few will listen and take heart in this message.

Sandycove Island, Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland

Swims: 2 Ice Miles; Channels (English, Bocaina, Catalina, Gibraltar, Ile du Levant to Hyéres, Jersey to France, Formentera to Ibiza, Messina [4 way], Robben, Rottnest & Santa Barbara); Around the Islands (Jersey, Valentia, Manhattan, Robben, Anacapa, Cork City and Cobh); Lakes (Zurich, Memphremagog, IJsselmeer, Windermere, Champlain, Apache, Saguaro, Canyon and Roosevelt) across False and Galway Bays, Boston Light, Kalamata, Batella de Rande, Cape Point, Devil’s Island, Dharmatar to Gateway to India, Aquarium and Cold Half