Can you swim?

[Mick F]

I was of the generation and upbringing that swimming wasn't even thought about. Consequently, when I joined the RN aged 16, I'd never been to the swimming baths more than once in my life and was sort of scared of water. I learnt to swim, I had to, as it was all part of the basic training. These days, you can't even pass the interview to join up as a non-swimmer.

I've not been swimming since well before I left the RN in 1996. It could be that I've not been swimming for over twenty-five years.
No real intention of swimming again. I didn't like it much even though eventually I was actually quite good at it.

Can I still do it?
Dunno.

Mrs Mick F is the same as me, though she never really learnt to swim properly. She has swum, we've been swimming together once or twice, but it's even longer ago than me.

To this end, she's going to Tavistock pool this evening for a taster session, and if she's ok, she'll be taking swimming lessons. She's not convinced that she can swim at all now.

We'll see.

[rjb]

i was "taught" if that is the correct description when i was at primary school in Plymouth. We were taken to the outdoor hoe lido in Plymouth during the spring term, started in March that year. We were issued with pick axes to break the ice then sent in. . My memory of it was it was bloody cold. We all got a 12 yard certificate at the end - not sure i could swim and i am still rubbish at it. I can get from one end of a pool to the other but have to hold my breath otherwise i drink the pool. Never did get my breathing right, so i avoid water if i can.

[landsurfer]

I swim all year round .. in the sea .... it is uplifting, empowering, amazing .... just the taste of salt water in my my mouth lifts my mood.
Body board, surf board, Kayak ... or just me ....
Love the Sea.

Jules and I are members of Surfers Against Sewage and are trying to leave our use of plastic packaging behind us.

When i die i will be cremated and my grandson will paddle out from Godrevy and pour me into the sea ...

Jules and my loved ones will always be able to swim with me ...

Often Jules and I swim out from the beach, take off our cossies and swim about naked ..... try it ....

[Mike Sales]

I only learned to swim at thirty when I took up dinghy sailing. I took good care never to capsize and never needed to swim. I have been told that sailors who can swim might be tempted to swim for the shore, when it is safer to cling to the wreckage. I have not swum since learning how.

[profpointy]

I learnt to swim in primary school, and could perhaps manage 50 yards as an adult. When caving, my main sport, I did find swims very intimidating, so it did hold me back a bit. Then, in my late 30s I went to adult swimming classes, and fairly quickly improved my technique to the extent I could do a mile, and then getting fed up rather than overly knackered. Not really kept it up, but my technique is still there so I can basically swim a reasonable distance, have since taken up scuba diving (albeit you don't really swim as such, but you need to pass a swim test), and so forth.

Anyhow, I do recommend adult swimming lessons

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Well I am only a bit younger than you and all our schools had pools or weekly visits.
Scared of water till nine years old later took up sub aqua.

I live near the sea, but been some time since last swam in pool or sea.........................may partner was is a excellent swimmer.

[Cyril Haearn]

Swimming is the second best sport after cycling I understand

Learnt to swim several times, not been swimming for years but I am a bit fatter now so it should be easy

Good book about swimming:
Waterlog by Roger Deakin
About swimming in all sorts of queer places, +1

[reohn2]

Yep,love to swim in the sea especially,love to body board more so surrounded by three or four granchildren who I've taught to catch a wave

[bogmyrtle]

I was the youngest of 4 and the only girl. There was a pool about 20 miles away but it was too complicated for our father to take me as well as my brothers so I didn't learn as a child. I took lessons in my late twenties but I think my teacher was starting to wonder if I would ever get the hang of it.

[Mick F]

,,,,,,,,,,,,she's going to Tavistock pool this evening for a taster session, and if she's ok, she'll be taking swimming lessons. She's not convinced that she can swim at all now.

We'll see.

We went.
It was stressful for her but she's determined she'll be swimming by Christmas.
That's seven months or so, and she's signed up for swimming lessons every Tuesday until further notice.
We left there this evening, and went straight to the pub because she wanted a stiff gin (or two).

I'd sat by the pool and kept an eye on her. I was watching some people swimming back and forth, length ofter length after length. I consider this boring in the extreme and cannot understand why anyone would want to do that.

I was chatting to a lifeguard chappy and commented on the swimmers and he said that I should take it up as it's good exercise. I replied that I'd just cycled 35miles today and on Thursday I plan on a 45mile ride, and why the heck would I want to be bored silly swimming length after length after length after length after length ..............................................

[fausto copy]

I got kicked into the pool by a teacher (it was the 60's ) and was obviously terrified of water for years.
Moving down here to Pembrokeshire, I thought it a bit daft not being able to enjoy the sea.
Finally plucked up courage to go to lessons aged about 30.
Swimming instructor only interested in teaching us how to do crawl with proper breathing.
Couldn't relax enough to take in breath so a full length without doing so.

Swam in the sea twice and ended up in hospital on both occasions with kidney infections

Council opened a new leisure centre a couple of years ago and on entering I could not believe how long a 25 metre pool seemed
(especially as it's 2 metres deep with no shallow end!).

Now try and swim once a week (it is free for us oldies ) and at a push I can just about manage 1 kilometre in the 45 minutes allowed.
Don't find it boring at all and it's certainly a different exercise from our 50 mile rides.

Go for it Mick, fausto.

[661-Pete]

I've been told it's good exercise (next to cycling of course! ). Don't do it much, myself.

My introduction wasn't as extreme as MickF's but I too was a late starter. From my parents, I learnt nothing: trips to the seaside involved building sandcastles and paddling up to ankle-deep. So I was thrilled when the primary school announced that we'd be taken for a trip to the local swimming baths...

On arrival, the teacher separated us into swimmers and non-swimmers. We, the non-swimmers, were told to get into the shallow end and "not interfere". So I did - while the teacher organised activities for the swimmers. This was probably the first time I'd ever been in water up to my chest. Naturally, the other kids all splashed me mercilessly. I was terrified. I retreated into a corner, faced the wall of the pool, hung onto the rail, and sobbed and sobbed throughout the session.

I don't recal if the teacher noticed my predicament, but if she did, she wasn't the least but interested.

End of my first-ever swimming 'lesson'. Why do I remember now, so vividly, something that happened when I was around 7 years old? Must have been quite traumatic.

Later - in secondary school - I fell in with a much more conscientious and dedicated swimming master. He took up the task of getting me to swim at all costs. And he succeeded - sort of. Leastways, I can tread water, I can do a sort of breast-stroke and doggy-paddle. I can even float on my back. But I can't dive - not for toffee - and can't swim under water. I hate getting water up my nose or in my eyes.

When I get an opportunity: like, when we're staying at a hotel with a pool, I still take a dip now and then. I don't think one ever 'forgets' how to swim, unless you've had an illness like stroke which may affect your coordination.

I don't think I'd have survived the Titanic.... But that may be because I'm not as pretty as Kate....

[661-Pete]

Incidentally, I do wish doggy-paddle were introduced as a recognised stroke at the Olympics. Would give me an "I can do that" sort of feeling. These guys have got the right idea:
[youtube]Z27xTfIAMZI[/youtube]

[pwa]

I reckon the ability to swim is due to the knowledge that you can do it. The belief. I have been a swimmer since about the age of 6. I can't remember when I last swam. Probably five or more years ago. But I know that I can still do it with little or no thought required. Just like I know I can ride a bike.

[PDQ Mobile]

Been a swimmer since I was very young.
I too love to swim in the sea but I like it warm these days.
Love a regular big surf.

Regarding learning to swim.
A hot summer, camping by a smallish, wild mountain tarn.
We made a ring of plaited hollow reeds as a buoyancy aid.
The child swam happily supported and slowly our handiwork disintegrated until it completely disappeared.
Low and behold said child could swim and was ecstatic about it.

Same principle can be used with a rubber ring - always a bit less air until it's doing nothing.
It's how Mum taught me!
For swimming is all about belief and confidence in oneself.