Drowning Tragedies

[Karen]

Partly because of the 24-hour news cycle, we have heard of a whole lot of drownings this summer. I know we have discussed this before, but it boggles my mind that people can grow to adulthood without learning how to swim. We learned as children, it was just as much a part of growing up as learning how to read an analog clock, tie one's shoes and not touch a hot stove!

Do you know how to swim? Have you had the opportunity to learn but didn't take it up for some reason? Would you take a class and learn how if you don't already know?

Two incidents from today's news are 4 men drowning in a lake in Idaho, after one guy pushed another guy overboard as a joke, and didn't know he didn't know how to swim. Another is a teenager from NYC who drowned in an upstate NY motel pool, he didn't know how to swim, but ventured into the deep end ...

[Catherinedana]

I'm an other. I like water, but not too deep. I'm not a strong swimmer but I float like a cork! Love the Gulf of Mexico here in Clearwater because it's not very active water and you can really just enjoy a dip. I never swim in a lake because I panic a bit when I can't touch the bottom. I do love a day at the beach though!!

[Catty1]

Many of the drownings here are from simple things - like not wearing a life jacket!

Some are just sad accidents - many from people getting pulled down a river by a strong current earlier in the year (wait til all the runoff stops!)

And then there's the party/lots of booze/boat&water combo...almost a guarantee that someone will get, at the very least, hurt.

[Cataholic]

Many of the drownings here are from simple things - like not wearing a life jacket!

Some are just sad accidents - many from people getting pulled down a river by a strong current earlier in the year (wait til all the runoff stops!)

And then there's the party/lots of booze/boat&water combo...almost a guarantee that someone will get, at the very least, hurt.

And, the simplest- not knowing how to swim/water safety.

[Daisy and Delilah]

I took swimming lessons three times. I failed miserably all three times. My siblings did great. I think I have a fear of water that hindered the process.

Thank goodness both of my kids can swim with ease. I wouldn't have rested if they had gone to swimming events, pool parties, etc. without knowing how to swim.
Now I have no desire to swim and I hope I never have to wish I had learned.

[Karen]

I took swimming lessons three times. I failed miserably all three times. My siblings did great. I think I have a fear of water that hindered the process.

Thank goodness both of my kids can swim with ease. I wouldn't have rested if they had gone to swimming events, pool parties, etc. without knowing how to swim.
Now I have no desire to swim and I hope I never have to wish I had learned.

As long as you wear a life jacket if you are ever on a boat, you should be safe. Sorry you had that fear of water, but I am sure that serves to keep you from venturing into pools in any case.

[Cataholic]

To me, learning to swim is one way to avoid a commonplace enough tragedy. J underwent swim lessons this summer. That does NOT mean he is out of the woods by any stretch. But, constant and repeated exposure to water helps eliminate the 'fear factor' that can lead to drowning. He knows to flip on his back if he gets tired, or feels unsure. He knows to swim towards the side immediately. He knows to tread water. Next summer, or maybe in the spring, I hope to enroll him in a class that practices actual strokes and builds his skills more.

When we went to MI this summer, there was a rip tide (or whatever you call it in a lake) due to a significant storm over the lake. You could feel the pull. It caught him off guard ( I was right next to him). We talked about the feeling, how it is different than a pool, what to do (swim parallel to the shore as you slowly move in, etc). Did that make a difference? Nah. But, each exposure is something to learn from. There was another time where the 'wave' lifted him off of the bottom of the lake. I could see in his eyes he was frightened. He flipped on his back in two shakes of a cat's tail. That made me proud. He didn't panic, he went back to his instruction.

Not knowing how to swim is a horrible place to be. I do not think I am strong enough to save another, unless it is a small child....so, each man is on his own.

[RobiLee]

Yes, I can swim and I love the water!

For me it was just second nature also. We just grew up that way. My parents were avid swimmers, boater, skiers and scuba divers. At one point my dad was on a rescue team that searched for drowning victims. Being at the pool or lake was a daily thing for us. Passed the water genes right along to my son who was on the boat and in the water at 6 months old. Probably would have been earlier than that but he was a winter baby..lol. He was also a very good competitve swimmer and not too long ago I heard that he still holds 16 records at our local "Y". Just had to throw that brag in ...lol. Sadly though I am hardly ever around the water these days.

[todd]

No, never had the opportunity

[Bonny]

I can dog paddle is all & not for long then I sink. I always wear a life jacket when out on the river or lake.

[Laura's Babies]

We had 6 drown last week, all kids (Teens I think) from the same family, cousins. The adults were on the bank, a family gathering of families. Not a one knew how to swim, only one went to help and he drowned also. The kids went into the water and stepped off into 20 foot deep sudden slope. That was SO sad!

[chocolatepuppy]

When I was in 6th grade, if I remember correctly, the school sent us to the YMCA for swimming lessons. I feel I can swim good enough to save my life, although I haven't been swimming in years.

[K9karen]

If my feetsies don't touch the ground...well... panic!

I'm not afraid of the water. Although I almost drowned as a child (miracle I was saved and survived..jumped back in WITH a float. Must have dreamt I could swim, ran ahead of the family and dived in without a float ) I can swim underwater just fine. Can doggy paddle with the best (Logan's cousin Gizmo the Beagle). I just sink no matter how hard I try. I swear, it's on my bucket list: MUST LEARN HOW TO SWIM!

[dab_20]

I took swimming lessons as a child, and there were levels. I tried for years to get passed level 2 and failed everytime Yes, I can swim enough to save my life... but that would include "doggy paddeling". I'm ok to go in the deep end in a pool but I kind of start to panic if I can't reach in a lake or an ocean. I went snorkeling last winter and had a full on panic attack when I first got in, but I can make myself calm down and I enjoyed it.

[Queen of Poop]

I don't do water, period.

Bad childhood experience.

I don't even sit in the bath tub.

Back in high school a girlfriend figured she could teach me how to swim. I gave it a valiant effort but in the end, like my grandfather, I swim like a Rock. Straight to the bottom.

It's in everyones best interest if I stay as far away from the water as possible. I also don't do boats as I get terribly motion sick so no worries there either.