> # Water safety

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> Posted by wetimer on July 21, 2016 at 23:05:37

> It couldn't have escaped my attention that a couple of days ago, a 29 year old man drowned in Shadwell Basin, the very same swimming location that I posted about earlier in the week. Did anyone else notice that?

> My heart goes out to his family and friends, that they should lose someone who was not only doing something he enjoyed himself, but that the tragic accident should also have occurred in such a happy place, amongst hundreds of other swimmers and sunbathers. Of course the fact the man was so young just makes it all the worse. Should anyone who knew the young man stumble across this message, please accept my condolences.

> At this stage, we don't know how the accident occurred. What we do know is that the news reports are already linking this event with the idea that swimming in Shadwell Basin, or other unsupervised wild swimming spots, is inherently dangerous. Of course there are dangers, and swimming in the wild will never be as safe as swimming in a lifeguarded swimming pool, but the health and safety crowd shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater. (Ok, bad metaphor, but you get the idea).

> Incidentally, a Google search reveals that one other person has drowned in Shadwell basin, about 5 years ago, but that was under exceptional circumstances. In that case, the victim was the subject of an apparently unprovoked violent attack, and that was during March. It is unclear whether the frozen waters were the final cause of death or whether he died from his injuries, but it was probably a combination, as a passerby who jumped in to help had to retreat because of the cold. That incident is more a sad reflection on the dangers of inner city life than on anything to do with voluntarily going swimming.

> Speaking as someone who enjoys swimming in isolated places, I have done a lot of research into the safety, or otherwise, of doing so. I would like to share some of my accumulated knowledge, in the hope that it may help others:

> 1) Stay near the surface. Wild bodies of water are not usually the same temperature throughout. Often the water stratifies into layers. The top 1 or 2 metres gets warmed by the sunshine in the summer. Beneath that, the water can stay at the same freezing temperature throughout the year. In a swimming pool, it is often a fun activity to swim to the bottom of the pool. In the wild, this can be a recipe for certain death. On hitting cold water, the body reacts instinctively. Sometimes that will result in hyperventilating. In other words, involuntarily filling the lungs with water. This is followed by panic, made worse if the water is murky and it is unclear which way is up. In the worst case, the cold can trigger a heart attack. Lesson 1: Stay at or very near the surface.

> 2) Enter the water gradually. At school, I was taught that if you can't enter the water gradually, the safest way to do so is by diving. That way, your hands push any obstacle away from your head. However, this is clearly nonsense. You can easily miss obstacles with your hands and your head would still be travelling at a high velocity on impact. The safest way to enter the water if you can't do it gradually, is by jumping, feet first. You may break a leg, You may even break your hands. But you are unlikely to concuss yourself, and your brain is the most important part of your body to protect. Lesson 2: Enter the water gradually, or jump feet first if this is not an option.

> 3) Lesson 3: Plan your exit. If you are not strong with your arms, and you have no experience, don't think you will be able to haul yourself out of the water. Look for the availability of ladders. I have heard unfortunate reports of people jumping into reservoirs to cool off on a hot day, and then drowning because they couldn't scale the steep smooth walls to get out

> 4) Be aware of hidden dangers. It's not a good idea to explore underwater. Don't look for underhangs. Remember, if you get into trouble in wild water, no one will know.

> 5) Plan for currents. Note that that is different from saying don't swim where there are currents. Anyone who has ever swam in a river or the sea has experienced currents. Mild ones are not a problem. Try to keep out of strong ones. There are giveaways. Churning water where a river meets the incoming tide from the sea creates undercurrents which can drag you under. This is what makes the lower Thames so dangerous. If you do get stuck in a current, know what to do. Riptides are caused by the water which the waves carry towards the beach escaping back to the sea. If you get caught in one, don't fight it. You have two options. Either swim in a perpendicular direction until you are out of the current, or wait for the current to weaken as it carries you out, then surf back in with the waves.

> 6) Needless to say, there are also people who claim that swimming in clothes is dangerous. If it's a conscious choice, it's less likely to be a problem. It is true that it is harder to swim with the additional drag of loose clothing. If you ever get into trouble in the water, don't be afraid to tread water and strip.

> I'm sure there's more, but I'll stop there. Sorry to be a bit of a killjoy this evening. I'm just saddened and a little freaked out at my swimming spot, and somewhere I think of as being one of London's best kept secrets, playing host to such misfortune.

> -Wetimer

> Follow Ups:

> - Re: Water safety Neverdry 18:24:22 7/29/2016 (0)
> - Re: Water safety Chris (and Jamie) 10:40:35 7/22/2016 (1)
>   - Re: Water safety swimmerrat 17:19:46 7/22/2016 (0)

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