At least two heavy duty lifeguard huts - repurposed 20ft steel shipping containers normally seen on the backs of trucks - have been carried away by high tides in north Dublin following Storm Ellen.
Fingal today issued an advisory note to say that lifeguards will not be on duty across several north coastal spots due to stormy weather - which is just as well as one of their stations was picked up by the king tide and dumped on another suburban beach 15km away.
A two-tonne lifeguard hut at Malahide mysteriously vanished overnight - until an eagle-eyed beachgoer noticed something unusual across the channel at a secluded spot at the end of Donabate beach.
A closer look revealed that the mystery object on the isolated stretch of sand was Malahide's lifeguard station - a heavy steel shipping container that weighs in excess of two tonnes.
Sharon Long took a photo of the rogue hut, and added with good humour: "Is this the new bathing spot for Donabate beachgoers overlooking Malahide Marina?
"Can you believe that lifeguard hut was uplifted from Malahide beach and taken with the tide.
"You've got to admire now well it parked itself."
And another lifeguard station at Donabate is no longer in use after the king tide took it out to sea and dumped it on its side while lifeguards and beachgoers looked on helplessly.
Olive Gilsenan took the jaw-dropping video, above, which shows the two tonne hut being turned onto its side effortlessly by the surging tides.
Earlier we told how a 40ft shipping container was shifted a full FIFTY metres along Bull Island during Storm Ellen.
Gale force winds and tidal surges picked up the four tonne container before leaving it down to rest some 160ft down Dollymount beach, with the sheer power of the storm shifting the heavy steel can as if it was weighless.
A spokesman for Fingal told Dublin Live that earlier attempts to recover the Malahide hut and return it to its rightful home were unsuccessful. Another attempt will be made tomorrow.
They said: "Storm force winds and strong tidal surges caused the uprooting of Malahide Lifeguard Hut on Thursday night.
"Efforts to return the hut to dry land today failed and a further attempt will be made tomorrow to move it from the channel.”
The busy local authority sent out two advisory notes earlier today, first to warn that "due to severe storm events and high tides there will be no lifeguards at Malahide, Donabate , Portrane beaches. until further notice".
Then, shortly after issuing that notice, council bosses rushed out a second one. It reads: "Please note that due to severe storm events and high tides there will be no lifeguards at Rush North beach until further notice."
As the crow flies, the Malahide hut only moved around 200m, but to transport the heavy station back to Malahide by road is a good 15km trek, made worse by traffic in Donabate being notoriously bad due to ongoing roadworks and construction along Turvey Avenue.
Separately, a video circulating on social media shows severe damage done to the recently refurbished Clontarf baths, with deck chairs strewn around the swimming pool area like flotsam and jetsam.
For the latest news and breaking news visit dublinlive.ie/news.
Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow us on Twitter @DublinLive - the official Dublin Live Twitter account - real news in real time.
We're also on Facebook/dublinlive - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the capital.
