130
votes
Accepted
What's wrong with swimming out far?
There don't seem to be any detailed statistics, but common-sense will tell you that open-water swimming away from the shore is not risk-free. The hazards can be split into four categories:
1 - Wind ...
- 11.8k
58
votes
Accepted
How does water depth affect swimming safety? Why do signs, especially in the UK, say "DANGER: deep water"?
Well, there's the obvious issue that the bottom may shelve very steeply, so that non-swimmers trying to paddle may drown.
Beyond that, I think there's a specific point and a more general point.
...
- 11.8k
52
votes
Can a kid ever dive too deep while snorkeling and breath-hold diving?
This is not a freediving answer!!! Freediving is not for 8-yr old kids. This is also not a scuba diving answer, this answer is about about casual, low-intensity, snorkeling, mostly on the surface, ...
- 4,271
50
votes
What's wrong with swimming out far?
The other answers already told you about exhaustion, I can tell you firsthand how dangerous cramps could be.
I was swimming together with my former girlfriend in Ustka, Poland on the coast of the ...
- 909
50
votes
How can I take keys with me while swimming?
Lots of swim/board shorts come with key keepers in the pockets. Chances are you may even have one in the swimwear you own. It's simply a length of elastic cord stitched into your pocket. If you don't ...
- 53.7k
37
votes
How can I take keys with me while swimming?
There are a few ways to do this in addition to the previous answer. If you have a car with a hitch:
This is what we use when we SCUBA dive.
Since you are only swimming and presumably not going to ...
- 491
37
votes
Accepted
How to transport personal belongings while swimming long distance?
There are these types of dry-bags that float and are combined with a leash and waist band. They are often marketed as primarely a "safety buoy", as they provide you with visibility, which is ...
- 21.8k
32
votes
Accepted
Cold water swimming - go in quickly? or slowly?
The worry with going in fast is cold water shock (RNLI, the main UK lifeboats and beach lifeguards). The cardiovascular effects are a particular concern if you get in fast and immediately put in a lot ...
- 26.8k
30
votes
Accepted
Surfacing out of a sunken ship/submarine - Survival Tips
Even though the question describes a hypothetical and unlikely situation I think it has some merits as it is somewhat relevant for SCUBA diving also: it describes an emergency uncontrolled SCUBA ...
- 13.3k
27
votes
How can I take keys with me while swimming?
We've has a similar question on Travel.SE. The answer below is largely based on this other answer of mine.
Invest in a Dry Egg/Box
My suggestion is to carry your keys in the water with you when you ...
- 377
27
votes
How can I take keys with me while swimming?
If it's just the keys that need securing, I love key wristbands. They are properly secure and you have the key in sight if you are a bit paranoid about it ;) I prefer it over any kinds of bags on ...
- 371
25
votes
How to safely rescue someone drowning as an untrained bystander?
I learned the following in my lifeguard training from the Boy Scouts:
REACH: Victim(s) are located close to the shoreline and the rescuer(s) can retrieve them by reaching with their persons, ...
- 799
24
votes
How does water depth affect swimming safety? Why do signs, especially in the UK, say "DANGER: deep water"?
I cannot swim, so if I am expecting something to be shallow enough to stand in and then it turns out that it is much deeper then I will die.
Normally I would expect that water gradually get deeper ...
- 340
24
votes
Surfacing out of a sunken ship/submarine - Survival Tips
First and foremost: Don't Panic
At 30m, you'll be fine if you can free yourself within about 20 minutes and know what you're doing. That being said, there is a good chance you won't know your exact ...
- 341
24
votes
Can a kid ever dive too deep while snorkeling and breath-hold diving?
An existing answer makes a key point, but it's rather hidden: make sure he doesn't hyperventilate before diving.
Hyperventilating reduces CO₂ in the blood, and it's the CO₂ buildup that leads to the ...
- 26.8k
23
votes
What's wrong with swimming out far?
There are two sources of danger, both of which are unexpected.
The first has to do with the variations of your condition. Based on what you have written, you can do say, two kilometers on an "average"...
- 369
22
votes
How can I take keys with me while swimming?
I would be very leary about taking keys out into the water - most car modern car keys are not particular water proof and if you lose it in the water, it's pretty much gone for good.
I use a ...
- 369
21
votes
What's wrong with swimming out far?
One reason is geometry.
If people on the shore know the approximate direction you went to swim, your possible location could be anywhere inside a circular sector. The area of this sector depends on ...
- 548
18
votes
Can a kid ever dive too deep while snorkeling and breath-hold diving?
I am a spearfisher who dives regularly beyond 20m. I lost a friend who blacked out freediving (40m) alone and am fairly educated on the matter.
As mentioned previously, hyperventilation is the main ...
17
votes
How to get out through surf in fins?
Walk backwards.
The fins will have the least trouble with the water if you walk backwards.
- 30.4k
17
votes
How can I take keys with me while swimming?
As a nudist/naturist, I've been to resorts where I've rented a cabin or trailer and needed to keep the key with me. As the resort(s) deal with people who aren't wearing trunks or have pockets, the key ...
- 171
16
votes
How does water depth affect swimming safety? Why do signs, especially in the UK, say "DANGER: deep water"?
One thing not yet mentioned is quickness and ease of rescue.
In my younger years, I was a trained lifeguard, and though my certification is long expired, I remember most of the concepts.
A ...
- 5,188
16
votes
How to safely rescue someone drowning as an untrained bystander?
I was always taught three very important things to consider before you even attempt to rescue someone in distress in the water.
You, yourself, all alone, barely float. You might think you're awesome ...
- 2,800
15
votes
How can I take keys with me while swimming?
Very low budget solution: Safety pin your key to your swimsuit--inside a pocket if possible.
- 251
14
votes
Dangers of swimming with algae (potentially Eurasian Watermilfoil)
Those are just aquatic plants, not algae, and you'll find them in any healthy lake anywhere in the world. They pose no danger to you. No, you won't get tangled in them and drown. People swim through ...
- 449
13
votes
How to transport personal belongings while swimming long distance?
Until you got to "shorts and T shirt" I'd have said a waterproof belt bag. I've used them kayaking (on the rare occasions when it's warm enough to go without a drysuit or at least dry-cag in the UK) ...
- 26.8k
13
votes
How can I cover all my skin (face+neck+body) while swimming outside (sea or outdoor pool) to avoid UV radiations?
I live in a country with high UV levels and consequent high skin cancer rates. The following is a distillation of the advice from health bodies in several countries. In my country 10 minutes in the ...
- 11.1k
11
votes
Accepted
Technique for swimming with fins?
I am a 25+ year scuba divemaster. Alas, poor fin kicking technique is very common, even among experienced scuba divers.
First of all, selection of a fin which is too flexible is better than one ...
- 1,319
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible