In an unprecedented achievement, swimmer Helen Betley from Buntingford in the UK swam Butterfly across Galway Bay last Saturday in a time of 4 hours 38 minutes.
Helen’s swim started on the rocky shoreline at Auginish on the Clare coast and ended at the steps of the diving tower in Blackrock in Salthill to a rapturous applause by those present.
While the majority of swimmers swim freestyle, it is unheard of for anyone to swim butterfly in the sea, let alone take on the 13Km marathon swim across Galway Bay and local swimming experts believe this to be the first ever butterfly swim across Galway Bay.
Helen’s every stroke and feed was observed by Fergal Madden, who himself is no stranger to open water marathon swimming and by Stephanie Hopson, marathon swimmer from the USA.
George Curley, pilot of Bear Dubh accompanied by his crew, James McCormack had the task of plotting a straight line and guiding Helen to her finishing point at the diving tower in Blackrock in Salthill.
Conditions on the day varied from calm seas to a Force 4 wind two hours out from her finishing point as well as a complement of jellyfish along the way, but water temperature on the day was a refreshing 16?C.
Helen was consistent in her butterfly stroke keeping a stroke rate of 22-26 strokes per minute right across the bay and never complained once throughout her swim.
“I’ve been really excited about doing this swim because it is so ionic,” she said.
“It has been on my bucket list for a few years, and although the conditions weren’t great, plus the copious amount of compass jellyfish, I really enjoyed the swim,” she added.
