Does anyone else feel like this about water?

[Wildswimmer]

Every time I see a body of water I want to strip off and dive into it. During Winter this is a frustrated yearning (although not so much this year as I now have a wetsuit), but not during Summer.

I never go out without a towel and trunks in my backpack and I always arrange my outings to include a river or lake. In fact I won't go anywhere where there isn't water handy - fortunately Cheshire has the largest concentration of meres in Europe, although there's no public access to many of them.

The journey I like most of all is by rail from Runcorn to the North Wales Coast. After Chester the line runs up the Dee Estuary then the Irish Sea coast. Looking out of the window at the somewhat muddy waters of Liverpool Bay, I get butterflies in my stomach and the prickling of my hackles - feelings of anticipation just like all those years ago when a little boy. And I can't sleep very well the night before. :)

Coming home is a bit of a comedown, but I'm tingling from the sun, and covered head to toe with salt and sand, which makes up for it. And there's always next week!

The trip to New Brighton is not quite as exciting - by bus through South Liverpool's suburbs then by underground from the City centre to New Brighton, but at least when I actually do get to see the Mersey, I'm only a few minutes away from wading into it.

Swimming in Liverpool's river is quite an experience, with huge tankers, container ships, car ferries and the Isle of Man Sea-cat passing little more than a quarter of a mile or so from you. And if you're off Egremont beach you even get the chance to wave to passengers on the famous Mersey Ferries.

It is possible to swim in the Mersey here in Runcorn, but the tidal flow can be vicious so basically if you want deep water you've got to go in at slack high, and even that can be dicey. However at low tide you can get out on the sands, and there are plenty of shallow pools to cool off in.

Anyone else feel this compulsion to swim?

Wildswimmer Pete

[Chris]

Definitely Pete, but I don't carry bathers around with me all the time!

When it comes to Summer though, I cannot walk past the sea (difficult when you live on a small island!) without wanting to dive in!!

Chris

[Wildswimmer]

Herewith another fanatic's website:

http://seaswimming.co.uk/index.html

Wildswimmer Pete

[dave1986l]

pete gota be careful tho as these unknown lakes or waters could have dangerous currents in them!

but yeah i am a real water baby lol on holiday, always in the pool or down the beach! and things like safe nice lakes in the summer are always nice to get into swimply because its just so nice! lol

[Wildswimmer]

pete gota be careful tho as these unknown lakes or waters could have dangerous currents in them!


I'm still here after 40 years of outdoor swimming, so must be doing something right. ;)

Most water scares have been dreamt up by the health and safety merchants in order to frighten us out of the water. Remember, RoSPA (an unelected, unaccountable commercial outfit) hold that unsupervised (wild) open-water swimming is an activity that must be simply stamped out. And they've persuaded a large sector of authority to think likewise. They and the rest of the H&S brigade represent a major threat to personal freedom.

My avatar was self-taken (using a diver's digi) in the River Weaver last November. After heavy rain the river was in full brown-water spate - look at the turbulance behind me. But it's "my" river: I treat it with respect, in return it looks after me - like any close friend.

At present I'm writing up a webpage on estuary safety based on my four decades' experience - rather than ignorance, useless statistics and an obvious psychotic fear of the water environment. Will be covering mud-wading, swimming, estuary walking: should with a bit of luck cause some H&S nannies to blow their stacks.

Take a look here:

http://www.river-swimming.co.uk/stats.htm

to see how the H&S merchants deliberately misrepresent their already dodgy statistics.

As far as safety is concerned, I agree fully with RALSA's motto: "Safety through education, not dictation".


Wildswimmer Pete

[NotVeryFast]

Take a look here:
http://www.river-swimming.co.uk/stats.htm
to see how the H&S merchants deliberately misrepresent their already dodgy statistics.
Interesting analysis. One comment I would make is that these figures:
Rivers (freshwater) 4
Lakes, reservoirs & canal 3
The sea 7
Estuaries & tidal rivers 4
Swimming pools 7
Are somewhat misleading because of the different numbers of people engaging in swimming in each of those types of water. More information is needed, such as the total number of swims that took place in each one, to allow any understanding of the relative risk. But I applaud the general analysis leading up to that point.

[Wildswimmer]

Interesting analysis. One comment I would make is that these figures:
Rivers (freshwater) 4
Lakes, reservoirs & canal 3
The sea 7
Estuaries & tidal rivers 4
Swimming pools 7
Are somewhat misleading because of the different numbers of people engaging in swimming in each of those types of water. More information is needed, such as the total number of swims that took place in each one, to allow any understanding of the relative risk. But I applaud the general analysis leading up to that point.

Unfortunately I doubt such information to be available. Remember, these are RoSPA's figures, and I don't think they'd readily forward any information to the enemy (us) without some form of (probably legal) coercion. And of course there can't possibly be any record, nor even accurate estimate, of ad-hoc open-water swims.*

I'd suggest it appropriate to lump estuary and sea figures together, as many seaside resorts (such as New Brighton) have esturial bathing beaches.

Given that even in the UK, seaside holidays are held to be the most popular, I'd suggest that the numbers of sea bathers would be reckoned to be in their millions. Any official record kept of swimming pool user numbers? Although even this would be slightly inaccurate as those using private pools aren't generally ticketed so would probably not be counted.

However taking official estimates of the total number of active swimmers in the UK (between 10 to 11 million) just over 30 deaths is a a very small number. Although it's "just over 30" too many. I want to see a zero casualty rate, but not simply by stopping swimming as the H&S Gestapo long to do.

Incidentally, if a marathon runner drops dead from a heart attack, the cause of death is put down to just that.

If a swimmer dies from a heart attack whilst in open water, it's recorded as a "drowning". Just one of the nasty little political deceptions used by the anti-swimming brigade to blacken our sport.

Just have a look at the history of the "Black Park" dispute to see the dirty tricks used by some authorities.

Wildswimmer Pete

*Well, not until Nanny has us all chipped, barcoded and satellite tracked.

[e-fitz]

Every time I see a body of water I want to strip off and dive into it. During Winter this is a frustrated yearning (although not so much this year as I now have a wetsuit), but not during Summer.


Anyone else feel this compulsion to swim?

Wildswimmer Pete

Most of the time, yes...but I couldn't bring myself to enter the water of Dover Harbour on Sunday morning - sea temp was 2.5 C - despite there being a dozen or so members of the Channel Swimming association in the water.

No wetsuits, just speedos and a hat. And they swam, properly...

I can only blame a minor hangover and the thought of driving back to Hampshire without first showering the salt away. But I regret not making the effort :cry:

[Wildswimmer]

Most of the time, yes...but I couldn't bring myself to enter the water of Dover Harbour on Sunday morning - sea temp was 2.5 C - despite there being a dozen or so members of the Channel Swimming association in the water.

No wetsuits, just speedos and a hat. And they swam, properly...

I can only blame a minor hangover and the thought of driving back to Hampshire without first showering the salt away. But I regret not making the effort :cry:

I really MUST work on my cold-hardening to get it down to below 10C.

Perhaps next Autumn - never do today what you can put off for a few months ;)

Didn't think the Channel got that cold? Irish Sea is currently around 5C near the coasts. I should have an accurately measured reading tomorrow as I'm barefooting it from West Kirby (Wirral) to Hilbre Island with one of my swim-buddies. Three miles of shallow water and mud, and I'll be wearing my Speedos under my shorts. Just in case I feel brave! And yes, we've consulted the Liverpool tide tables and I'll be wearing my tide watch.:fingers:

Wildswimmer Pete

[Leprechaun]

I really MUST work on my cold-hardening to get it down to below 10C.


Wildswimmer Pete

This link will let you know what you are about to leap into......

http://www.ncof.gov.uk/

[Wildswimmer]

I usually use this one:

http://cobs.pol.ac.uk/modl/metfcst/irst/latest.php?

as it's more local to me. In fact the POL is something to do with Liverpool University, and is based in the Bidston Observatory on the Wirral.

This has been unavailable for a week or so but hopefully it'll be up and running again shortly.

Your link is handy if I'm visiting other parts of the country so thanks for that - I've put it in my favourites.

My own temperature recordings are used by RALSA to disprove claims that "open water in the UK never warms up". Last year's are here:

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/Wildswimmer007/2005watertemps.htm

This year the list is going to be far more comprehensive - I've collected quite a few readings already. These are surface temps taken at a couple of inches depth using an accurate digital thermometer specifically designed for water testing. I also use a swimming pool thermometer to do surface and 1m depth readings. These I don't publish; they are merely kept for statistical purposes.

Wildswimmer Pete

[Wildswimmer]

This link will let you know what you are about to leap into......

It was 4.9C in the main body of the sea, but the rock pools left behind measured a relatively sub-tropical 7.0C

Wildswimmer Pete