Can You Swim?

[Kyriakos]

Also: injuries (a lot of people drown by falling unexpectedly into water, hitting a rock or something on the way, suffering an injury that might not be life-threatening on its own but it sure is difficult to swim if you're unconscious or have a broken limb), drunkenness (also a very common contributing factor), or fatigue and hypothermia (a more immediate problem in Norwegian waters than in Greek waters, for example -- cold water kills you a lot faster than warm water).

I wouldn't swim in norwegian waters. What's the point?

Afaik you should avoid swimming soon after a meal or drinking alcohol.

 

[yung.carl.jung]

yes, I'm pretty decent at it. shame I never get to swim because my skin (anyone's really) doesn't like the chemicals in the water. they turn frogs gay etc.

I was passable at it, broad shoulders and large feet help but I never put the effort into becoming good at it or developing stamina for it.

I now envision you as a bodybuilder with clownishly large feet.

 

[Zardnaar]

Also: injuries (a lot of people drown by falling unexpectedly into water, hitting a rock or something on the way, suffering an injury that might not be life-threatening on its own but it sure is difficult to swim if you're unconscious or have a broken limb), drunkenness (also a very common contributing factor), or fatigue and hypothermia (a more immediate problem in Norwegian waters than in Greek waters, for example -- cold water kills you a lot faster than warm water).

I went swimming drunk in a river at night once.

Really don't recommend.

 

[elmurcis]

Can I swim? Yeah, with life-jacket on. Otherwise I sink. I guess golden heart or titan bones or something similar

 

[Leifmk]

I wouldn't swim in norwegian waters. What's the point?

Well I guess most of those who drown when the water is really cold didn't go swimming on purpose.

 

[Socrates99]

I used to be pretty good, even did the mile swim in boy scouts as a kid. I tore my rotator cuff a few years back and lost a lot of strength in my left arm. I didn't realize how bad it was until I decided to jump off a pier in Lake Michigan with my brother in law and swim back to shore. The water was really choppy and tired me out fast and I had to quit when we hit the next ladder. I think I'd prefer actual waves because theres at least a short rest between waves. I think the best I can say about my swimming these days is I'm in no danger of drowning.

I have been to the Atlantic coast in Maine and the Gulf in Alabama. I have to say, for those that turn their nose up at the Great Lakes, visit them. The water can be pretty turbulent. Especially on their eastern coasts where the western winds drive the water against the shore.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

I learned this the hard way. My friend and I took it into our heads to grab a handful of sand from the bottom of the bay; the great sand challenge. The swim down was brutally hard, and as I grabbed sand I was feeling a combination of desperation and relief; desperation because I felt like I was at my limits, relief because I expected to make the turn and just shoot to the surface. Made the turn and nothing happened. Fortunately about five good strokes got me past the barrier and I started gaining buoyancy and speed. Broached like a rocket.

I wasn't aware either until i began practicing spearfishing. It makes complicated to chose the right amount of ballast. It can be very unpleasant or even dangerous to get it wrong. Scubas solve it using variable buoyancy devices which are basically inflatable jackets connected to the air bottle, many have electronic panels and such and cost an arm and a leg. Snobs of the sea...

 

[Berzerker]

Can I swim? Yeah, with life-jacket on. Otherwise I sink. I guess golden heart or titan bones or something similar

Even when you keep air in your lungs? Are you thin? I think floating is easier for fatter people and harder for people with more muscularity because of relative density.

 

[Commodore]

Does your answer change if we add "while traversing the water between point a and point b" to that definition?

Nah, I can swim between two points, I just won't look very graceful doing it. I tend to swim like a dog.

 

[Berzerker]

ah the dog paddle, a drowning man's best friend...

 

[Zardnaar]

This week's efforts on the quest to find a campsite/swimming hole. 22 degrees at 8 in the morning.

Lagoon, to shallow/trash. Walkway though requires some exploration.

On the other side looking to the west. We found some vicious wildlife....

Mamma duck was nearby, she let me get very close.

 

[Zardnaar]

Not as pretty as Westeros. Track around the lagoon.

Didn't get ambushed though.

 

[Kyriakos]

If its good enough for ducks, it should be good enough for (northern euro-descendant) humans
I doubt beaches look much better in the baltic.

 

[Zardnaar]

If its good enough for ducks, it should be good enough for (northern euro-descendant) humans
I doubt beaches look much better in the baltic.

It's a muddy lagoon and not much water inflow. It's not stagnant but not the freshest.

Mamma duck let me get around a meter away and she opened her mouth at me and made a funny noise.

She wasn't aggressive but I took it as "close enough human please leave us alone". Ducks here are technically wild but they are familiar enough with humans kinda like pigeons.

Might feed her next week if she's still there.

Lagoon empties into the ocean here.

 

[tjs282]

I doubt beaches look much better in the baltic.

Which bit?

The German and Danish Baltic beaches look pretty good (even if they're only swimsuit-worthy for about 4-5 months of the year!), certainly better than the first pic in Zardnaar's post (#171). No idea about Poland, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, or Latvia, though (or Russia, come to that).

@Broken_Erika's 'ice-egg' pic/link was from the Finnish Baltic coast (but it freezes down here as well, December-February).