Lots of hardy swimmers turned up for the New Year’s Day swim at Strangford Harbour
Today, new year’s day 2026, saw a large contingent of eager beavers take to the water in the harbour at Strangford for a swim from the ferry landing jetty across the harbour to the main quay.
Conditions were seasonally cold but at least for the many spectators cheering on their family members and friends the weather was just about alright.
It is certainly a real cure for a hangover if you were out celebrating the Hogmanay is style. But it was great to see people of all ages taking part and enjoying the craic.
And it’s a small world! Damien Cahir now lives in New Zealand but when he was a teenager he used to work during the summer holidays in the early eighties in a chip shop I used to run in Ardglass – his summer job then was to peel the potatoes and chip them. It is summer in the antipodes at the moment, but at least he will have a memory of his son completing the harbour swim safely… and there were no sharks about !
View 30 images from the Swim on Down News Facebook
Sea swimming has become very popular. The RNLI were present at the swim today, and there were two rescue skiffs rowed by the Strangford Coastal Rowing Club, so so all safety precautions were observed.
If you are considering taking up sea swimming, check out the RNLI website first for safety guidance and keep an eye on the tides and the weather forecast.
Check out the Facebook reel from the swim HERE
