Swimming in Lakes?

Bigfellalixnaw

I'll be organising a group walk with some friends up into the mountains this March. They would also like to include a lake on that route to swim in. I found such a lake up in the mountains we'll be trekking, but I want to ask would it be advisable to do so?

Esel

Bigfellalixnaw wrote: »

I'll be organising a group walk with some friends up into the mountains this March. They would also like to include a lake on that route to swim in. I found such a lake up in the mountains we'll be trekking, but I want to ask would it be advisable to do so?

Getting into a very cold mountain lake when your body is warm/hot (after hiking) is a definite shock to the system. Did it once.

Losty Dublin

Unless your friends are experienced outdoors swimmers I'd consider giving it a miss. The water in some of the higher lakes can be pretty peaty and not as, how can I say it.... as fresh as other lakes, and Irish lakes can be fairly peaty. Unlike a beach lakes tend to uneven under food or muddy so it's quite easy to get into bother if you aren't careful. Worse again, quarry lakes seem safe but are lethal and deaths have occurred in them.

Also, exposure also needs to be considered. The chill factor will bite hard as well, more even when you consider that air temperatures will be colder to begin with. Hyperthermia is a risk most times; add swimming to the equation and the risks increase greatly. If you have them then wetsuits will be a big help

Lastly, many mountain lakes are on private farm lands or at hard/impossible to access sites. It's a long way to go to be disappointed so perhaps swim at a sea beach; maybe this will help you

http://outdoorswimming.ie

Bigfellalixnaw

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Unless your friends are experienced outdoors swimmers I'd consider giving it a miss. The water in some of the higher lakes can be pretty peaty and not as, how can I say it.... as fresh as other lakes, and Irish lakes can be fairly peaty. Unlike a beach lakes tend to uneven under food or muddy so it's quite easy to get into bother if you aren't careful. Worse again, quarry lakes seem safe but are lethal and deaths have occurred in them.

Also, exposure also needs to be considered. The chill factor will bite hard as well, more even when you consider that air temperatures will be colder to begin with. Hyperthermia is a risk most times; add swimming to the equation and the risks increase greatly. If you have them then wetsuits will be a big help

Lastly, many mountain lakes are on private farm lands or at hard/impossible to access sites. It's a long way to go to be disappointed so perhaps swim at a sea beach; maybe this will help you

http://outdoorswimming.ie

There is a mountain lake near Brandon, Kerry, Lough Cruite. That's the lake we plan on going to swim in.

Losty Dublin

Bigfellalixnaw wrote: »

There is a mountain lake near Brandon, Kerry, Lough Cruite. That's the lake we plan on going to swim in.

I don't know Kerry too well but there's a few users on here that do. Maybe they can talk better about the region but it is legend for poor weather so be prepared.

unkel

Be very, very careful. In my experience a lot of Irish people say they can swim, but many can't really swim very well at all.

That said, I wild camped beside Lough Cleevaun two years ago and I had a lovely swim / wash in the lough first thing in the morning. No bathing costumes required

Woah woah woah, the obvious thing to watch out for in the lakes around Brandon is the Kerry Carrabuncle, though reputed to live in nearby Lough Geal...

http://forteanzoology.blogspot.ie/2009/11/muirheads-mysteries-lake-and-sea_22.html

I just don't get why people would choose to swim in a lake when you have mile after mile of beach around Brandon Bay?

CalamariFritti

If you know what you're doing it will not be dangerous. There can be the odd quarry lake that may be sulphurous or otherwise spoilt so I wouldn't swim in those unless you know the place is safe.

There will be no dangerous currents that can pull you out which is the biggest danger with seas swimming. But you want to be a confident enough swimmer and not easily freaked out. It will be cold and the ground may be soggy or rocky or there could be weeds and grasses you may touch with your legs. And I wouldn't swim on my own and you want people in your group who could actually help if someone got into trouble, not just stand there and scream.

unkel

Deleted User wrote: »

Woah woah woah, the obvious thing to watch out for in the lakes around Brandon is the Kerry Carrabuncle, though reputed to live in nearby Lough Geal...

http://forteanzoology.blogspot.ie/2009/11/muirheads-mysteries-lake-and-sea_22.html

There's supposed to be a monster in lough Cleevaun too. I did't see him and he obviously didn't fancy having me for breakfast

Esel

Seriously, do this in summer, not winter.

iwillhtfu

unkel wrote: »

No bathing costumes required

unkel wrote: »

There's supposed to be a monster in lough Cleevaun too.

There certainly was that day anyway

unkel wrote: »

I did't see him

Nothing to be ashamed of that water can be cold :eek::D

tphase

Esel wrote: »

Seriously, do this in summer, not winter.

unless you're used to it....

Esel

tphase wrote: »

unless you're used to it....

Have you ever done it?

tphase

yep ... swim in the sea and mountain lakes all year round. Not every day but often enough that I don't get a heart attack. Once you're used to it it's fine - still feels bloody cold but you definitely know you're alive afterward

Have you ever tried it?

Esel

tphase wrote: »

yep ... swim in the sea and mountain lakes all year round. Not every day but often enough that I don't get a heart attack. Once you're used to it it's fine - still feels bloody cold but you definitely know you're alive afterward

I'm guessing you never tried it?

I'm guessing you need to read my first post again.

The OP is talking about doing it mid-hike, in winter, with a gang of newbies.

tphase

sorry, I missed that bit...you've done it once

I also seem to be missing the bit where the OP refers to his friends as "newbies"

hmmm

Bigfellalixnaw wrote: »

I'll be organising a group walk with some friends up into the mountains this March. They would also like to include a lake on that route to swim in.

I'd tell them to stop being stupid. Have they ever been up a mountain in March, and have the ever seen an Irish mountain lake?

I know fellows who dived down to the Dakota bomber that crashed into the Reeks during WWII and fell into the lake below killing all the US crew on board. They said it was freezing, and lugging scuba gear up the Reeks was seriously hard work.

The main reason I wouldn't do it is simply the permission aspect. Just wouldn't assume it's alright with the owner of the lake.

unkel

It's sickening what happened to the 5 dead US crew after the crash. Their burnt bodies were looted and weren't recovered & buried until nearly 2 months after the crash.

Linky

unkel

unkel wrote: »

It's sickening what happened to the 5 dead US crew after the crash. Their burnt bodies were looted and weren't recovered & buried until nearly 2 months after the crash.

Linky

I dunno about that. It's all based on the author "surmising" about someone witnessing it on their way back from a card game. Another plausible narrative would be that it was in the middle of a very hard winter, there are no houses in the Hags Glen, no one heard it or had any reason to suspect a plane had crashed into one of the most inaccessible areas of the highest range in Ireland, and it was only when either the US retraced the possible routes of the flight or some local saw the fuselage buried in the lake that the tragedy became known.

unkel

Remote, inaccessible and high up the mountains in the middle of a very hard winter. Yet the locals had no problem looting the bikes and, one presumes, selling them on. Let alone stealing a golden wedding band off a dead mans body.

CalamariFritti

CalamariFritti wrote: »

If you know what you're doing it will not be dangerous...

If the OP knew what he was doing s/he wouldnt be asking if its advisable.

There will be no dangerous currents ....

If you don't know the lake in question, you have no way of knowing if there are dangerous currents or not.

Esel

@Conor74 - would you advise swimming in mountain lakes in winter?

Esel

Esel wrote: »

@Conor74 - would you advise swimming in mountain lakes in winter?

It wouldn't be for me. Again, my issue with it wouldn't be the safety aspect so much as the permission aspect, most farmers may allow us to walk their lands but they may regard the idea of swimming in their lake as taking a little bit of a liberty. As well as being concerned about liability if anything happened.

Bigfellalixnaw

Esel wrote: »

I'm guessing you need to read my first post again.

The OP is talking about doing it mid-hike, in winter, with a gang of newbies.

They aren't newbies, trust me. I've seen videos of them swimming in mountain lakes in November. So if they want to swim in a lake during March, then it's going to happen.

Esel

Bigfellalixnaw wrote: »

They aren't newbies, trust me. I've seen videos of them swimming in mountain lakes in November. So if they want to swim in a lake during March, then it's going to happen.

My bad. It sounded like they were when you said you were organising the walk. Will you be joining them in the lake?

I'd say there would be a fair temperature differential between November and March though.

Bigfellalixnaw

I plan on joining them. When in Rome and all that.

Losty Dublin

Bigfellalixnaw wrote: »

They aren't newbies, trust me. I've seen videos of them swimming in mountain lakes in November. So if they want to swim in a lake during March, then it's going to happen.

Not wishing to be a malcontent about this but you ask us if this is advisable and are told that it isn't for a number of reasons. Now you tell us that you've seen a video of them swimming elsewhere, that they are doing it regardless and that you will join them.

What's the point of asking us if it's advisable or not when you won't take heed? If they aren't newbies then perhaps you should let them be and plan their own swim; otherwise heed the advice offered

unkel

Losty Dublin wrote: »

What's the point of asking us if it's advisable or not when you won't take heed?

Perhaps the OP isn't aware of all the angles / viewpoints / dangers / opinions and asking here would give him a bigger picture. Even though it won't change his stubborn mind

I'm a bit like that myself

John_Rambo

Hi. Late to the thread, but I've experience of swimming in mountain lakes. One word of warning, diving below the surface can be shocking! Serious drop in temperatures a few metres below the surface. Not a problem for experienced swimmers, but just something to note.

Bigfellalixnaw

unkel wrote: »

Perhaps the OP isn't aware of all the angles / viewpoints / dangers / opinions and asking here would give him a bigger picture. Even though it won't change his stubborn mind

I'm a bit like that myself

Yeah, I'm stubborn alright :rolleyes:. You get nowhere in life otherwise. Nice to see a bit of a debate going anyway.