How many people here can't swim?

KilOit

KilOit wrote: »

It's a life skill that might save your life one day

Reminded me of this when you said that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnuZwODzsNU

Ickle Magoo

johnr1 wrote: »

I must be the only PADI certed openwater diver in the world who cant swim:D on second thoughts -:eek:

I'd say not - group diving with flippers and tank is a different skill to swimming ON the water...or having to be able to swim due to an activity that is sans support.

I've heard it's much harder to learn to swim as an adult - but I'd say you've an advantage over most non-swimmers as you clearly enjoy the water and aren't scared of it...maybe you could learn with a mini-tank?

YBTurbo

I can't, took lessons years ago, still can't.


I'm more of a beached whale TBH.

MugMugs

Autosport wrote: »

No, I cant swim, fear of water and had a very bad accident in the pool while getting lessons, never going near a pool again

Did somebody crap a Lion Bar out beside you ?

munchkin_utd

bullpost wrote: »

Grew up close to the sea and can swim but my parents didnt.
Married a girl from a seaside town and none of her family swim afaik.

That's common enough probably.
My dad is also from the seaside but couldnt swim because his parents (and all parents in the area) banned their kids from swimming in case they drowned.

There was an accident there back in the 40s when a few people drowned at sea with the bad currents in the locality so that put a stop to anyone of that generation learning to swim or even thinking of it!!

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

I'm surprised at all the people who don't know how. I know very few in real life who are unable to swim.

Taltos

My dad taught himself years ago and made sure all my older brothers and sisters could swim.
By the time my younger brother and I came along we had to fight to learn how to swim. Took some convincing.

Learnt in the pool while at primary school. This is the only thing I really fought for as a kid and as an adult I am really glad I did.
Even now I find the sea so much easier to swim in. My eyes used to kill me from the chlorine in the pool but the pain was worth it.

For anyone considering swimming or even those who are not - a few things to remember.
1. Sea has loads of salt in it so easier to float...
2. Breathing - there is a knack to breathing in the sea - once you learn this you are most of the way there. Try to keep it slow and relaxed, remember air in your lungs means you are buoyant.
3. Finally - Relax - this is probably the hardest thing especially for adult - once you really learn how to relax you have it - there is nothing you cannot do in the sea when you train your body to stay relaxed in the sea. This comes with practise and eventually one day it will just click - might be immediately or might take a few sessions - but the longer between the sessions the harder it will be.

I would encourage everyone to learn how to swim - have gone out the last two evenings and plan on hitting the beach again tonight - only thing keeping me sane with work at the moment. In off the rocks and immediately you feel awake and able to deal with anything.

Paparazzo

KilOit wrote: »

Can thread water till the cows come home or I get a cramp, very strong swimmer which I learned at a very early age. Pretty embarrassing not being able to swim, every man woman and child with 4 limbs should be able to swim. It's a life skill that might save your life one day

You probably have a better chance of drowning if you do swim. Chances are, you won't go near water if you don't.

rubadub

Paparazzo wrote: »

You probably have a better chance of drowning if you do swim. Chances are, you won't go near water if you don't.

rubadub wrote: »

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/drowning/article_em.htm

One-quarter to one-third of drowning victims have swimming lessons. Although drowning equally affects both sexes, males have a rate three times higher than females because of increased reckless behavior and use of alcohol.

Reading up on sailors it seems some say it is superstition, tempting fate.

http://www.pepysdiary.com/archive/1660/12/11/

“Sailors often did not want to learn to swim…”
I have read this many a time and have never—until now—questioned it. But can this really be true? It seems to me that most seamen who went overboard would likely be in harbor, transferring from small boats, handling cargo, or simply going aboard drunk, and swimming could clearly save their lives. Seamen in battle? Most of the battle paintings I’ve seen show sailors clinging to floating chunks of wood; surely a sailor would prefer to be able to swim to reach something like that. Of course, things change as times change, but with eleven years at sea, both navy and merchant marine, I never knew a single sailor who admitted he didn’t know how to swim. Do we have any contemporary source references to this point?

It appears to be true that many sailors refused to learn to swim out of superstition: to learn to swim meant preparing for something (shipwreck) which you prayed would never happen, and it was bound to bring bad luck - in a sense it implied you didn’t trust God’s wisdom!

We shouldn’t generalize though: there were certainly sailors who could swim. But the fact remains that even somebody who can swim around in a river or a lake may not be capable to save himself or others from a raging sea with high waves…

There are many references on the web, without much detail however. One of the most interesting ones I discovered involves newfoundland(er)s - the dogs:
“NEWFOUNDLANDS have webbed feet and a few hundred years ago used to be kept aboard sailing ships. Many sailors thought it was bad luck to know how to swim so if one fell overboard he often drowned. In these cases, the dog would be thrown in to “fetch”, and due to his size and webbed feet would generally have no trouble bringing the man safely back to the ship.” from:
http://www.gurney.co.uk/pads/5PROJECT.HTM

Another one, from BBC and with a nice pic:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/theship/ship_gallery_4.shtml

munchkin_utd

Taltos wrote: »

Learnt in the pool while at primary school. This is the only thing I really fought for as a kid and as an adult I am really glad I did..

Am shocked at how many (Irish?) here learnt in the swimming pool as part of primary school.
Whats all that about? Must all be city folk.

For us down the sticks there was no pool anywhere within an hours drive away, just a poxy cold dirty lake. So even when you do lessons in the lake, you spend your time shivering tensly with the cold.

The odd time my family would go to Enniskillen pool but even then the rare novelty of a swimming pool meant you just splashed about rather than thought about trying to learn to swim.

rubadub

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Am shocked at how many (Irish?) here learnt in the swimming pool as part of primary school.
Whats all that about? Must all be city folk.

I expect in most cases it is not compulsory, like part of P.E. though some schools will have their own pool and it may have been part of P.E.

I imagine it was like in my school (primary & secondary), the classes were offered to pupils, it was external and paid for privately, just meant kids were the same age and friends, so they could easily arrange car sharing etc.

I think I swam in 3 pools attached to schools when I was young, I was not in these schools, they must rent them out for more income.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Am shocked at how many (Irish?) here learnt in the swimming pool as part of primary school.
Whats all that about? Must all be city folk.

For us down the sticks there was no pool anywhere within an hours drive away, just a poxy cold dirty lake. So even when you do lessons in the lake, you spend your time shivering tensly with the cold.

The odd time my family would go to Enniskillen pool but even then the rare novelty of a swimming pool meant you just splashed about rather than thought about trying to learn to swim.

I grew up in a small Mayo village and we've had a swimming pool here since the 1970's.

Sky King

I'm really good at the breast stroke.

It's true, just ask yer ma.

newbee22

It's compulsory now to learn swimming in primary, part of the pe curriculum. I was ashamed of myself last year, most of my class who were 5 and 6 could swim! But I will learn someday!

Tayla

I can't swim, I nearly drowned at splash world as a kid when I was on a school tour.

The reason i'll never learn to swim is because I don't breathe through my mouth, only ever my nose and I know there's nose clips for swimming but I put one on once and it made me feel very claustophobic.

My OH says he can swim but he does that splashing about mentioned earlier and prob spends 1 minute max in the water, he says it's because he has a fear of sharks :rolleyes:

Davyhal

I can't swim, or so I think. I used to do swimming from the ages of 4 to 7, and I don't know what happened then, but since about the age of 7 I have been terrified of going anywhere near the water. I even get a bit wary walking over certain bridges in case a gust of wind catchs me and blows me over or something. I know, it's a stupid thing for a man of 23 years and 12 stone to think, but still!!! I doubt the lessons I had at that young age would be of any aid to me, I wasn't really able to tread the water or anything... So yeah, water is not my friend, which is why I particularly treasure my Under-5s swimming medal that I got in primary school!

Mickeroo

johnr1 wrote: »

I get this as well, now, I dont run marathons but I would consider myself reasonably fit, however I use loads of air when diving relative to others, and I've been totally winded and exhausted a few times when I had to do a long surface swim back to a boat.

That's like any sport though, if you're used of running then you can run, but swimming is a different type of exercise completely so you have to start from scratch again, not to mention you have to time your breathing with the stroke which is one of the hardest things to learn imo, also if you're a runner there's a good chance you're skinny, it's good to have a little bit of flab to make you that bit more bouyant

You should go and join a beginners swimming class in a local pool, you'll progress quick because you're comfortable in the water, I garauntee there'll be people who won't even be able to put their face in the water there. It would also be in the shallow end which makes it easier too, you'd be well able for it

the_syco

Caraville wrote: »

It's funny cos I can't run for $hit but I could swim for ages without getting tired. Now I'm not very fast or fit but I just love swimming and love being in the water.

Likewise. Maybe try up your game, and swim like hell for a minute, then rest swim, and then when you can, swim like hell again. Push yourself.

Caraville wrote: »

The only down side for me swimming is that my sight is pretty bad so I can't see without my contacts & I don't like wearing them in the pool- I don't bother with goggles then cos I can't see anyway!

Specsavers sell "pre-made" goggles for €65 Pre-made in the sense that it won't fit your exact prescription, but i'll get within 10% so you'll see alot better. Or you can go for the more expensive option (for me it would be €160 or something) which would be a more exact prescription.

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

I'd say treading water will only exhaust you quicker - floating is where it's at if you are waiting for rescue...the swimming comes in if you have a life-boat handy that you need to get to - or you happen to have capsized in a shipping lane, or close to shore.

Although women float easily on their backs due to them having breasts, men will sink. Also, floating on your back is not an ideal situation, as you can only see straight up, and will be ignored if someone sees you. Threading water, you'll see others, and people will see you in distress.

Mickeroo wrote: »

You make yourself as small as possible to conserve heat and just float there, thats the recommended course of action. Bring your knees to your chest, fold your arms and put your hands in your arms pits. It's called the HELP position. As you said, if you start swimming you'll just die of hypothermia quicker.

Only works if you have a floation device. Otherwise you act like a stone.

--LOS-- wrote: »

the chlorine in the pool just killed my eyes

Chlorine alone doesn't kill your eyes... it's only when mixed with piss that this happens ^.^

Mickeroo

the_syco wrote: »

Only works if you have a floation device. Otherwise you act like a stone.

Obviously. You shouldn't be in a boat if you're not wearing one.

Wetai

Swimming is great, in a swimming pool at least. I wouldn't feel as comfortable at the beach due to changes in the tide, strong waves, etc. Not to mention that damn salt water (worse than the chlorine in the pool, IMO) or a really deep pool, though.

Posy

I can swim, but I've never swam in the sea, only in a pool. I don't like going out too far in the sea, and since I'm Irish it's usually freezing!

..and I'm terribly, terribly unfit so I can't swim too well since I'd be out of breath after about two minutes.

Emoi

Can only keep myself a float for a while, terrified of the sea due to sharks.
I did get my dolphins badge when I was a kid, but would not put my head under water.

munchkin_utd

rubadub wrote: »

I think I swam in 3 pools attached to schools when I was young, I was not in these schools, they must rent them out for more income.

Schools with pools?
The more I hear the more I wonder what in the name of christ was going on down the country during the 80s.

The public in Cavan raised 300,000 pounds through collections and all sorts of events for providing a swimming pool and the central government STILL wouldn't put the few extra pounds to it to to get it built.

But thats really not a country v dublin problem.
Its a symptom of the fact that local government in Ireland is a toothless system that relies almost solely on central government funding for anything reasonably substantial - and more importantly central government dictats on what can/ cannot be funded.

Unlike the op 's background in germany where the local city governments build indoor/ outdoor swimming pools out of their own kitty. They also provide sports grounds and local transport and parks and playgrounds and tennis courts and god knows what else, all decided on and funded locally.
But until Irish people are prepared to pay local taxes for local facilities, it'll still be 3rd world in the way of public facilities and services.

Sorry for the tangent, but i have just deduced that its the politicians (and their ruining of local government) who are to blame that I cant swim !!

DEFTLEFTHAND

Does the wearing of a lifejacket negate the need to be able to thread water?

Mickeroo

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Does the wearing of a lifejacket negate the need to be able to thread water?

Pretty much!

rubadub

the_syco wrote: »

Although women float easily on their backs due to them having breasts, men will sink.

I am male (a bit fat) and float in the sea, I don't float in a pool but the salt water makes you more buoyant. The ideal/recommened bodyfat % for women is higher than that for men, as body fat is not as dense as muscle a fat 15stone man takes up more space than a bodybuilder who is 15stone, so the fat man is more buoyant. Women have more fat too so a typical 12 stone woman is more buoyant than a typical 12 stone man.

Many people might think they cannot float but you have to ease into it and put your head right back, and arms out. If a non swimmer falls in the sea they will probably flap around wildly which is the wrong thing to do.

the_syco wrote: »

Also, floating on your back is not an ideal situation, as you can only see straight up, and will be ignored if someone sees you. Threading water, you'll see others, and people will see you in distress.

In some cases it might be better though, like if you were way out at sea a helicopter would probably see a person on their back, arms and legs outstretched near the surface of the water, better than a person treading water.

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Schools with pools?
The more I hear the more I wonder what in the name of christ was going on down the country during the 80s.

These were all private schools pools I went to as far as I know.

One near me is newpark, not sure if it is feepaying but the pool is open to the public and has memberships. In rural areas they might not be able to get the income necessary to sustain a pool in a school.

FloatingVoter

Floating in water is also called "The Dead Mans Stroke". It is quite easy and fun. I'm a skinny git so maybe it's easier for me.
As for swimming pools (city v. country) there is a good outdoor pool in Newcastle West which was opened in the late 70s through local effort. NCW isn't a metropolis but it's not a village either. It really depends on the luck of the draw.
The chlorine is there to protect you and while it stings at first, you get used to it.
Best of luck to anybody who takes up swimming lessons. It pays off and any doctor will tell you its one of the healthiest exercises you can do.

Taltos

Just back from the sea in Greystones - fantastic out there tonight - sunny and quite warm with almost clear water.
Anyone by the sea - go get lessons - you won't regret it.

Taltos

In terms of the fishermen not knowing how to swim - I know there is that belief that it was due to bad luck - but somewhere in my grey cells remembering some lads in the 70s I recall someone saying something along the lines that if they went over all it would take was one breath to finish them - quick fast and relatively painless as opposed to a tortuous swim knowing no-one was coming to save you...

Added to that in the old days look at the clothing - none of it was light - forget about callling it a dead weight - can you imagine how hard it would be to get one of the old aran sweaters off you when under water???

Wertz

Been able to swim since I was about 6...was taken to an "instructor" at a pool by my mum...he proceeded to put me in the deep end of a pool (when deep ends were properly deep) and then let me fend for myself, to get the knack of treading water that we all instinctually do...I then learned to swim in about 3 lessons after that. He said they throw you in at the deep end to root out the fear of water.
Have always been a very strong swimmer but haven't swam regulalrly now in decades...wasn't even a pool here until 2001 and I just never bothered when it opened.
Great way of keeping fit...ahve some community games medals in it from when I was about 12.

sock puppet

rubadub wrote: »

I think I swam in 3 pools attached to schools when I was young, I was not in these schools, they must rent them out for more income.

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Schools with pools?
The more I hear the more I wonder what in the name of christ was going on down the country during the 80s.

The public in Cavan raised 300,000 pounds through collections and all sorts of events for providing a swimming pool and the central government STILL wouldn't put the few extra pounds to it to to get it built.

But thats really not a country v dublin problem.
Its a symptom of the fact that local government in Ireland is a toothless system that relies almost solely on central government funding for anything reasonably substantial - and more importantly central government dictats on what can/ cannot be funded.

rubadub wrote: »

These were all private schools pools I went to as far as I know.

One near me is newpark, not sure if it is feepaying but the pool is open to the public and has memberships. In rural areas they might not be able to get the income necessary to sustain a pool in a school.

Just to provide some information on this. I've swam in pools all around Ireland and I've noticed a lot of pools are the same, as in an exact replica of the others. They also all seemed to be built beside schools which were also exactly alike. My coaches told me the reason was that back in the 70s a lot of community schools were built with exactly the same design and that included a pool alongside them. So that's how a lot of public schools have pools.

It's kind of weird going into them and knowing the layout of a place you've never been to before. I looked at a photo of Newpark and knew instantly it was one of these pools.

midnightdream

I am german as well and found that amazing too. My Husband kinda keeps afloat but I beat him everytime in a race!!! We had swimming lessons as part of School!

miss no stars

I don't sink. Caused MASSIVE problems for me when I was in lifeguard training. The hardest bloody part of it was getting to the bottom of the pool to get the "submerged victim". I'd get about a meter and a half down then would just shoot back up to the surface. Exhausting stuff.

Fairly glad I don't sink, though. Would have drowned as a child if I was a sinker. Was left in the pool by myself aged 4 with just a kickboard for company. Let go of it in the middle of the pool and started to realise my predicament. My dad, instead of jumping in, took the opportunity to work on my stroke :rolleyes: Don't think I ever quite got over that. That said, he has a point in that I wasn't sinking and did seem to be making progress to the side.

I think swimming is essential though. Not being able to swim just adds extra danger to like, everything around water. I know plenty of people who sail but can't swim. They can sail just fine, but they're terrified of falling overboard even close to shore. I don't like the idea so much either, but I also know that even if my lifejacket did fail to inflate it wouldn't be certain death for me.

KilOit

Paparazzo wrote: »

You probably have a better chance of drowning if you do swim. Chances are, you won't go near water if you don't.

That is actually true funny enough. i'm thinking more the lines of drinking too much and trying to walk a straight line on the wall of the Liffey and you fall in. instinct will kick in and you could thread water to the ladder if you could swim, if not able to swim you'd sink like a rock in a drunken state.

FloatingVoter

KilOit wrote: »

That is actually true funny enough. i'm thinking more the lines of drinking too much and trying to walk a straight line on the wall of the Liffey and you fall in. instinct will kick in and you could thread water to the ladder if you could swim, if not able to swim you'd sink like a rock in a drunken state.

...you'd just need your stomach pumped if you accidentally drank any of the water.

Mars Bar

It took me three years of the primary school bringing us to the pool for me to grasp the skill of swimming but once I got it, I moved up fairly quickly in the swimming club to the point I was doing 80 lengths non-stop.

I couldn't do that now, 3 lengths would have me gasping for breath but I haven't forgotten how to do the four strokes. Forward stroke, breast stroke, back stroke and the butterfly stroke (I keep it for special occasions as it's impressive looking!)

I was in Spain last week and the pool in our Villa kept us sane in the heat. We could all swim but if you didn't know how to swim before the holiday, you would have known how to buy the end of it.

I won't lie, I do still get scared of water at times like in the wave pool at the waterpark on Sunday.

CatFromHue

mars bar wrote: »

I won't lie, I do still get scared of water at times like in the wave pool at the waterpark on Sunday.

On and off I used to do a lot of swimming. I could do up to 5 or 6 km a week for a bout 2 or 3 months and then not do any for 6 months. Always when I go back after a break of a few months the first thought that crosses my mind when I kick off the wall for the first time is "WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM!!"

It's a bit freaky.

leroypatches

Hi,
My girlfriend is a qualified instructor but doesnt teach private lessons very often and has been asked to give lessons to someone but doesnt know what to charge. Any ideas?

billyoc

I can float on my back and whiz along. But if I turn on my front I can't breathe and can't move along. I have spent all my life rowing and sailing but yet I never could swim. I always wear a life-jacket when in a boat, or even in a swimming pool. But I'd love to be able to do without it. It's a pity there isn't a flotation aid for adults available like water-wings for children.

Solair

Tried a few times but due to ear problems it was always too much hassle.

I don't mind chilling out in the water but I can't get my ears wet so it's a bit pointless ! I can't plug the ear either.

elfy4eva

I can swim grand, but the moment I try to tread water I sink like a stone.

Lia_lia

Yeah, my Father kinda dropped me into a pool when I was baby to teach me how to swim as young as possible. Well, I'm sure it wasn't like that, but that's the jist of it.

Lived in Brittany as a child and everyone had to be able to swim there by the age of 6..part of the curriculum. I'm a qualified lifeguard too!

The majority of my friends can't swim.

Cody Pomeray

I can swim but I'm not crazy about swimming, even though I come from a seaside village.

I agree it's strange that many people from a small island cannot swim, but don't forget we are an island in the North Atlantic, not the Indian ocean.

I don't think it's a massive handicap anymore than not being able to surf or rock climb or play chess.

April O Neill

Yes, I can, but I don't have great technique.

I was plopped into the pool at 6 months old, then got swimming lessons in school. But some of the kids at those swimming lessons still never learned.

One huge factor was the scarcity of indoor swimming pools in rural Ireland in the 80s/90s. We considered ourselves very lucky to have a good one ten miles away.

herisson

I used to be a strong swimmer as a kid. Took a 12 year break from it, started back few weeks back.

I have no idea what I'm doing. Limbs flailing everywhere, it looks like I'm drowning half the time. I should get lessons but I haven't drowned yet so I'm doing well so far.

Call Me Jimmy

Yea I can swim, spend the summer in the sea. Found out yesterday it's been in all your sh!t.

somefeen

Learnt to swim when I was about 5 or 6. Practically grew up on the beach.
I wouldn't be the strongest swimmer these days but honestly I think I'd be dead if I didn't know how to swim. If I have kids they'll be taught from young aswell, its fun but also likely to save their lives

LordSutch

I just can't imagine not being able to swim. So many swimming adventures on my hols over the years, both in the sea and in pools. From diving off boats into the Med, to diving off pedalos, to swimming out to sea only to climb aboard another boat, swimming around bays, swimming in rough seas off the Canaries + and into all kinds of fun over the years. Great socialising that's for sure. Being able to swim is great )

Its also a great way to keep trim and fit, specially for old buggers like me, so twenty/thirty lenghts in the local pool followed by a sauna is a nice way to spend an hour or two of a weekend. Also, being able to swim means that I'm less likely to drown if I fell into deep water.

beano345

lived beside the sea most of my life i would'nt be the greatest swimmer...plus the reality of bodies being washed in or dragged in in fishing nets over the years around were i live kinda puts a fear into me!

kowloon

I used to swim a lot when I was younger, generally under the water rather than on top of it. Got self conscious as a teenager and never took to water again. If I was dropped into a river I think it would come back fairly quickly.