Can you swim?

[Kojiro]

We had a pool since I can remember. My father was adamant that I learn to swim immediately, which I did at about 2 or 3 years old. I love the water and went on to get my open water diving license at 16.

[muse]

I hold the Canadian record in a swimming event, it's safe to say I won't drown in the kiddie pool. I think. I don't really swim anymore so it's possible I've forgotten a few things.

[erik_t]

In my area of the Pacific NW, swimming was a portion of the primary school curriculum (probably a total of 60 hours or so, although I do not recall knowing any classmates who had zero swimming experience beforehand). No particular level of competence was required, but some ability tended to manifest itself as a matter of course.

I'm not a fast swimmer or able to go great distances, but I am strong enough in the water to keep myself safe on watercraft and within a few hundred meters of the shore.

[aerius]

They had swimming program in our junior schools when I was a kid, but I think it was only for 1 or 2 years and the requirements were something like "must swim the length of the kiddie pool" which I think was 25 yards. I don't remember getting more than 10-20 hours in total during that time.

[Lord Zentei]

Yes, since it's part of basic education over here.

I can't say that I'm very good at it, though. Probably enough to save myself in 250 yards or so of mostly calm water.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I spent thursday afternoon teaching my 27 year-old girlfriend how to swim. Its funny, because a reasonably intelligent adult can master the basic motion in about ten minutes, its just that they never had it explained to them before.

[ArmorPierce]

I don't get how people are not able to swim. You float when you are in the water. Everything else comes naturally.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I don't get how people are not able to swim. You float when you are in the water. Everything else comes naturally.

You're right, its mostly fear of drowning that overcomes people's natural ability to swim.

[tim31]

They should be afraid of drowning. It's fantastically easy to do. Which is why a learn to swim curriculum in Australia include How Not To Die In A Rip.

In north Queensland they also get taught how not to get stung by box jellyfish, but that's basically 'don't go to the beach between November and February'

[erik_t]

I don't get how people are not able to swim. You float when you are in the water. Everything else comes naturally.

Do you, now. Well, speak for yourself.

[PeZook]

Do you, now. Well, speak for yourself.

You actually do. Part of most swimming courses over here include demonstrating this to people like you who don't believe it. That is, of course, without shoes, jackets cell phones etc.

It's panic that kills in the water (or alcohol) most of the time. At least here. I'm sure it's different in Australia

[Phantasee]

Fat and skinny people tend to float, muscular people tend to sink.

[weemadando]

They should be afraid of drowning. It's fantastically easy to do. Which is why a learn to swim curriculum in Australia include How Not To Die In A Rip.

In north Queensland they also get taught how not to get stung by box jellyfish, but that's basically 'don't go to the beach between November and February'

There's also talk of additional training:

"Don't go out above your knees if you've never been in the ocean before."

"Don't go swimming in heavy surf off cliffs if you haven't been doing this shit your whole life. And even then, think twice."

"Don't go swimming off Tassie in July."

"Don't swim with the seals. They may look cute and may even be playful. But that's because they know that they can get out of the water faster than you and are pleased to have you there for that reason."

[tim31]

"Don't go swimming off Tassie in July."

"...if you ever want to see your balls again."

The seal thing is a hoot, same as with dingoes. Camped at Wineglass back in November with two friends. In the morning, walking along the beach, bam. Seal. We took a few photos and gave it a wide berth. And it kept staring.

[weemadando]

The best SCUBA diving is this time of year however - very cold water = very clear water around Tasmania.

However, THICK wetsuits are recommended. Balls still unhappy.

Also, things like the 18m swells which are always good to avoid this time of year. But then again, we get those in summer too.

[ArmorPierce]

Fat and skinny people tend to float, muscular people tend to sink.

This is not true unless maybe a guy is solidly built with tons of muscle. I bench 225 and I don't come close to sinking.

[Xon]

There's also talk of additional training:

Swimming around reefs requires a bunch of advanced training as well.

Don't put your food down on random surfaces which look like somewhat colored rocks, stonefish are bad news. Also be careful with where you stick hands as sometime might get bitten if provoked.

Oh, and avoid stingrays.

As per standard, Rottnest Island has both in the reefs around the island. It's also a popular tourist and resort location, and has all of the above.

[Teebs]

I have a dislike for deep water, but I can swim. My parents (thankfully) forced me to learn when I was younger and I can do over a mile without stopping, but through general fitness rather than having anything resembling good swimming technique.

[PhilosopherOfSorts]

Fat and skinny people tend to float, muscular people tend to sink.

This is not true unless maybe a guy is solidly built with tons of muscle. I bench 225 and I don't come close to sinking.

I have a friend who sinks like a stone, and he's not some hulking bruiser, its just that he has something like less than one percent body fat. I, on the other hand, am a fat bastard, I can float comfortably on my back with a case of beer on my chest. The only time I've been concerned while in the water was when I got sucked throug a set of rapids without my raft, I float and swim well, but, needless to say, the river overpowers me without noticing.

[Block]

Fat and skinny people tend to float, muscular people tend to sink.

This is not true unless maybe a guy is solidly built with tons of muscle. I bench 225 and I don't come close to sinking.

What does how much you bench have to do with body composition? Like he said, muscular people tend to sink.

[Norade]

I grew up near a lake, I never had formal lessons, but on my back I could really stay in the water for hours (if warm) if not paddling at full speed.

[His Divine Shadow]

Yes, I grew up a few hundred yards from a lake, used to go swimming all the time as a kid.

[The Romulan Republic]

I can swim, but very badly. I've never gotten the hang of diving.

[spooky spice]

Yes I can swim, I learned when I was 12 or 13 y/o, actually I'm entirely self taught. There was a swimming pool at our school and swimming was part of the PE regime, The non swimmers were left to wade around in the shallow end, while the teachers focused on the ones who could swim, so you either taught yourself, or you didn't!

I can do reasonable breast stroke, not to competitive standard, but if I'm swimming for leisure and someone 'challenges' me I'll beat 'em every time (unless they're Mark Spitz or something), I eventually taught myself to so what we used to call front crawl...

I haven't been swimming for years.

[Starglider]

Yes. I had formal lessons from age five to ten. It was a regular activity in secondary school so I would've learned as a teenager if I hadn't already.

Skiing on the other hand I didn't learn until I was 25.