Blue promotional graphic for Dips to Distance Open Sea Swim Coaching featuring a swimmer icon and the event name.
A certification badge for quality water, featuring a blue and white circular design with the words 'Certified' and 'Water Quality' around the perimeter, a blue triangle with a wavy line inside, and the red stylized text 'sta' in the center.

Dips to Distance is all about helping you move from that first nervous dip in the sea to swimming with confidence, purpose, and enjoyment. Through one-to-one coaching and group sessions, I provide a safe, supportive space where you can build skills at your own pace, learn to read the water, and steadily stretch your distance. Whether you’re new to sea swimming or ready to go further, I’ll guide you every step of the way so you feel stronger, safer, and more at home in the open water.

Meet the Coach

Bronagh Carey

BC coach

I am an experienced open water coach with a passion for safe, confident, and goal driven swimming. I bring proven long distance credentials, I completed the English Channel (17:44:50, Channel Swimming Association, 2015), a 25.6 km three-person relay from Dun Laoghaire to Newcastle (6:29:55, ILDSA, 2025), and won the 2025 Dun Laoghaire Harbour race.  

I hold STA Level 2 open water coaching certification, Swim Ireland Level 2 teaching qualification, and an Irish Water Safety lifeguard certificate. I teach swimmers of all ages and abilities, from building water confidence and stroke fundamentals to experienced endurance swimmers preparing for channel crossings, long-distance races, and open water challenges. Coaching focuses on technique, breathing, sighting, cold water adaptation, safety awareness, and tailored training plans that build resilience and performance while keeping safety front and centre.

If your goal is to gain confidence in open water, improve race performance, or prepare for a solo or relay crossing, I’ll craft a structured, safe, and motivating programme to get you there. I’m passionate about creating a supportive space where swimmers can grow, from their first dip in the sea to pushing themselves towards longer, more challenging distances.

A person swimming in open water with a large cargo ship in the background.
Certification badge for water quality, featuring a blue triangle symbol with a wave and the red STA logo, surrounded by the words "Certified Water" and "Open Water Certification."
Swimmer floating in the ocean near rocky cliffs under a clear blue sky.
A woman swimming in an ocean or sea, wearing goggles and a blue swim cap, smiling at the camera, near rocks with a distant view of land or mountains.

I’m offering one‑to‑one private open water coaching in flexible blocks to suit your goals.

Options

  • 6 week blocks of one on one coaching: structured progression with weekly sessions, tailored plans, and ongoing feedback this is ideal for steady improvement, training for a race, or building confidence after “dipping” in the sea.

  • 4 or 6 week blocks of group sessions: focused, intensive coaching to address technique, safety, race tactics, or a confidence boost in the water.

Where

  • Sandycove/Forty Foot

  • Seapoint

  • Killiney

  • Bray

  • Greystones

What I bring

  • Experienced swim teacher, qualified open water coach, and lifeguard, safety is central to every session.

  • Practical progression model: sessions adapt to your starting point, whether you’re new to sea swimming, returning after a break, or preparing for a race.

  • Firsthand long distance open water experience: I completed a solo English Channel crossing in 2012

Session focus (examples)

  • Safety and risk awareness: sighting, currents, entry/exit technique

  • Confidence building: breath control, acclimatisation, cold‑water strategies, and mental skills for calm swimming.

  • Technique and endurance: stroke efficiency, sighting, drafting, turns around buoys, and distance planning.

  • Race preparation: race strategy, starts, navigation, race pacing, and open water drills to simulate conditions.

How sessions work

  • We’ll start with a short chat about your goals, experience, and any concerns.

  • Each session includes warm‑up, targeted drills, coached open water sets, and a debrief with actionable feedback.

  • For 6 week clients I’ll provide a clear progression plan

Who it’s for

  • First‑time sea swimmers wanting a safe, supportive introduction.

  • Swimmers moving from occasional dips to regular open water training.

  • Athletes preparing forlonger sea races who want focused one‑to‑one guidance

What to bring

  • Brightly coloured swim hat

  • Goggles

  • Swimming togs

  • Wetsuit

  • Swimming tow float

  • Beach footwear

  • Towel/Poncho

  • Warm clothes to change into

Getting started

If you have any queries or concerns before starting your confidence building journey feel free to contact me on swim@dipstodistance.com or WhatsApp 0852237468.

Beach with people sunbathing and swimming under a blue sky with clouds, with a hilly coastline in the background.
A person smiling and wearing a dark jacket and a blue beanie with the Alaska Airlines logo, with a body of water and a swimmer in a pink swimsuit and pink swim cap in the background.
People swimming in the ocean near rocky shore with a cloudy blue sky and ships on the horizon.
Ice-covered metal railing with the word "RATYEN" on top, overlooking a body of water under a blue sky with a small cloud.
A peaceful beach at sunset with the sun low on the horizon, reflecting on the calm water, and a pebble-covered shoreline in the foreground.
A rocky seaside landscape with a small pool of water in the foreground, a blue metal railing, and a view of the ocean with distant buildings on the horizon under a partly cloudy sky.