Can you swim? Six kids in Louisiana couldn't.

It would be much easier to rescue a 400 pounder than a 150 pound body builder. Fat floats.
The worst are kids with Downs. They spaz out and they are rock solid.

 

You really need an editor.

 

I have to agree with the post above about swimming in a river being so much different. I grew up around the Ohio River, and even though I'm a fairly strong swimmer, I won't swim in a river without a life jacket anymore. It's just not worth the risk.

I haven't read the story linked here, but from what I heard they were out on a sand bar that started to give way to the current where the first one went into the water. I was taught as a child to never trust a sand bar. I wish these kids had been taught the same. Rivers can be very dangerous.

 

Not the same thing but a girl drown from our rival high school in inches of water when I was a sophomore.

There was a party with both schools at a pretty high secluded waterfall when the girl's father showed up. Everyone took off running, but the girl wasn't familiar with the area. She was near the edge and fell. She hit her head and landed face-down in a puddle and drowned. By the time my boyfriend's best friend hiked down to her she was gone.

****
Personally, I can't remember not knowing how to swim. Just being able to float and move around in the water seems natural to me. Dr. J doesn't know how though and he refuses to let me teach him -- even in my Aunt's four-foot pool. I think that's very stufforn and possibly dangerous.

 

They weren't taught the most important lesson of all - if you can't swim and aren't surrounded by people who can, stay out of the water.

You want to get wet to cool off on a hot day? Have a water fight. Run through a sprinkler or a garden hose. Get a wet banana or a slip and slide or whatever it's called. Do not go in a river. And especially do not go in a river or any other body of water that happens to be a major navigation channel.

 

I don't get offended by much, but the thread title is damn near the line.

 

My Mom grew up on a farm and couldn't swim a lick. When we'd go to pools and beaches and what not, it was a running joke just to get her to hold her nose and stick her head under water for a split second. But she had my sister and I taking swim lessons at a very young age. Like others here, I can't remember NOT being in the water.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were in the Virgin Islands for vacation and I swam out past the buoy. A few seconds later, I heard a whistle and saw, off in the distance, a lifeguard waving for me to come back closer to shore. It was pretty goddamn cool, being 36 and in otherwise terrible athletic shape, to be able to get whistled at by a lifeguard.

I visited my sister during my nephew's swim lesson this week. It was incredibly cool to see the kid, who will be 7 in October, kicking off from the wall, falling underwater but never panicking as he floated to the surface and began kicking and stroking his way backward. Just so inspiring to see the determination at such a young age.

 

Eight seconds later, virginity all gone. ;D

 

I was going to say something, but you're right, a little too glib for the subject.

 

The Detroit River is in our coverage area, and it's not for swimming. The current is way, way too strong. Nothing like having this body of water and not being able to swim in it. But, you have to respect its power.

 

From the sound of it, the river could've been perfectly still and it wouldn't have saved these kids.

But I agree, rivers are dangerous. You can get into an undertow that can pull Michael Phelps under. And I ain't talking about the Tool album.

 

(INSERT DETROIT JOKE HERE)