Testing the world's toughest boats in the teeth of Storm Christine
Down in Cork Harbour there's a boat-building company called Safehaven Marine.
They make tough boats for sea rescue and naval services around the world, built to withstand the very worst conditions that the sea can throw at them.
So when Storm Christine rolled up to Roches' point yesterday morning, roiling the water into some of the heaviest swells ever seen in that part of the world, it was the perfect opportunity to get out there and test their vessels.
These pictures are INSANE.
The shots show Safehaven's new Pilot / Rescue vessel yesterday morning at the height of Storm Christine, which produced "exceptional large waves and high winds off Roches Point".
It looks pretty hairy, but bear in mind these are boats which can be capsized and re-righted.
The boat is an Interceptor Pilot 48 Search and Rescue (SAR) vessel, just launched in December and with a total capacity for 12 passengers.
Company managing director Frank Kowalski said yesterday's conditions "were about the limit" of what the boats can handle.
"Yesterday we had two of Safehaven's experienced crew on each boat, who know the boats and their capabilities intimately as well as the local conditions and sea state that can exist at the mouth of the harbour in a storm," Frank told breakingnews.ie.
"We haven't yet experienced conditions this winter - which has been exceptionally stormy - that we were unable to take her out in yet, but I would say this is about her safe limit."
The thing is, yesterday wasn't a once-off. The lads at Safehaven positively relish conditions that the rest of us wouldn't put the dog out in, never mind go out to sea in.
As the below video - shot in December - shows, things get pretty hairy when the sea's in a foul mood.
Given the frankly incredible size of the seas in that footage, are there any conditions that the boat can't handle?
"There is always a limit to what any boat can handle, but driven with a high level of skill and caution, we have been able to take her out in 10m waves and up to Force 12," Frank said.
"But it's more the prevailing sea state that can exist rather than just the size of the waves, or strength of the wind.
"Wind over tide conditions at the entrance to Cork Harbour can be extremely violent."
So, the million-dollar question.
Would you have the cajones to go out in a boat like that?
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