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Original poster

If someone gets into difficulty swimming...

30 replies

hermyweasley · 16/07/2020 19:14

What does that actually mean?

I'm a terrible swimmer so have never been swimming in lakes or similar, but a teacher from my primary school recently died when swimming, it just said 'she got into difficulties'

How can that happen to a really strong swimmer? I'm thinking about the glee actress too.

OP posts:
inforapennyinforapug · 16/07/2020 19:17

The things that come to mind are they could have got caught in a current or rip tide, got tangled in something beneath the surface, experienced cold water shock or simply overestimated their swimming capabilities and were too tired to return to the shore.

Original poster
hermyweasley · 16/07/2020 19:18

So might think they're able to swim a way out, but can't actually make it back to shore as so exhausted? That's such a scary thought

OP posts:
Lucked · 16/07/2020 19:21

Well I think it is a non specific term because non one can be certain, cramp, exhaustion and being pulled under by a current are common causes.

In the case of Naya Rivera they are speculating that there was a current that made the boat drift and it took her lot of effort to get her son back on the boat but when he turned round she was gone. So possibly a combination of exhaustion and a strong current. It is very tragic. I don’t think I would have the nerve to swim somewhere so isolated.

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ClashCityRocker · 16/07/2020 19:22

Sometimes strong swimmers get into more trouble when caught by strong currents or rip tides as they try to swim and wear themselves out. I think (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that sometimes the best thing you can do is get into a floating position on your back and await rescue.

But yes, strong currents, tides, getting caught in things on the water bed, cold water shock...

SirGawain · 16/07/2020 19:44

@ClashCityRocker

Sometimes strong swimmers get into more trouble when caught by strong currents or rip tides as they try to swim and wear themselves out. I think (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that sometimes the best thing you can do is get into a floating position on your back and await rescue.

But yes, strong currents, tides, getting caught in things on the water bed, cold water shock...

Correct. Check out “Float to Live” on the RNLI website. In a rip current swim along the current parallel to the shore not towards the shore. That way it’s possible to swim clear of the danger.
cptartapp · 16/07/2020 19:50

DH pulled a woman unconscious from the sea in Rhodes last year. She was floating face down. The waves were huge and must have knocked her under, no one should have been in the water really. There's no doubt he saved her life as no-one else spotted her.

Bunnybigears · 16/07/2020 19:56

They use that phrase when they don't know what happened. They can become entangled, exhausted, suffer cramp, unable to get to shore due to current etc. DS has done some lake swimming this summer as he is a club swimmer and an instructor that took him for a session who has swam the channel says if he doesn't have a support boat with him he always uses a tow float as you never know what can happen.

nikkylou · 16/07/2020 20:08

It's a kinda of deliberately vague statement.

Getting into difficulties could mean anything dependant on the setting.

Even in swimming pools, hitting your head, or getting some clothing caught in a grate or vent. Panic probably has a lot to answer for in some situations. Although in a pool setting I'd like to think a lifeguard would notice any serious incident.

In a lake, again catching on something, cold water shock, exhaustion, injury if you've jumped in.

The sea, is dangerous and unpredictable. I remember when I was child, playing as the tide came in. Water about waist deep, climbed onto the kind of concrete water breaker thing, went off the other side into somehow much deeper water.

I've also gone on one of those bowl water slides, and plunged into 3 metre deep water at the end. Its really disorienting going into deep water, you kinda try and reach for the bottom to kick off but it's not there, and you know to try and swim to the surface but you're sort of back to front and not sure exactly how to get there.

managedmis · 16/07/2020 20:13

People really underestimate the strength of the water. Even for a strong swimmer waves can be absolutely exhausting.

I'm a crap swimmer and know I am. I stick to lake paddling or a length or two in a pool.

RandomMess · 16/07/2020 20:16

I was brought up by a sea and fresh water canoe enthusiast. Could swim from an early age, I am very wary of the water!

TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 16/07/2020 20:23

I keep thinking about poor Naya Rivera. It's just an awful tragedy, just thinking about her final moments wondering if her son would be okay, her poor family :(

FizzyPink · 16/07/2020 20:26

Once me and my sister were swimming out to a pontoon quite a way out into the sea. We’re both strong swimmers but the current was very strong that day and although we were swimming we weren’t getting anywhere and I was genuinely worried that if we got out there we’d struggle to get back to the beach. I can see how it can happen

peakygal · 16/07/2020 20:27

My husband got into difficulty and drowned. He was a good swimmer but it still happened. Many reasons could factor into it I guess

ItsSpittingEverybodyIn · 16/07/2020 20:51

Dh was a strong swimmer when he was younger. But he was on holiday with some friends in his 20s and there was an island in view of the beach. Some people were swimming there seemingly easily so he decided to have a go. He got there fine and sat there to rest before setting off back. He got halfway then said he just lost his strength, he was basically treading water and then panic set in and he started going under. He thought he was going to die, but luckily someone in his group had noticed and swam out and dragged him to shore. He was very lucky.

BringMeTea · 16/07/2020 20:52

peakygal I'm so sorry.

GreenTulips · 16/07/2020 20:55

There can be a strong under current, so you can be dragged under a seemingly calm river or Sea.

There’s also a sudden surge if a boat has recently passed by which sucks the water in then a wave hits hard.

endofthelinefinally · 16/07/2020 20:57

peakygal
I am so, so sorry for your loss. That is awful. Sad

rainbows93 · 16/07/2020 20:59

I'm a strong swimmer, grew up with a swimming pool, always been a swimmer for as long as I can remember but one mistake strong swimmers can make is to think they're invisible in water.

I was swimming in Lake Como and got cramp from the cold in one leg, it literally took 10 seconds for me to go underneath, luckily my Husband and friends were messing about with water floats and hooked one under my arms.

It was a valuable lesson, water is unmatched when it comes to power, undercurrents, whirlpools etc are all dangers when swimming.

rainbows93 · 16/07/2020 20:59

I'm a strong swimmer, grew up with a swimming pool, always been a swimmer for as long as I can remember but one mistake strong swimmers can make is to think they're invisible in water.

I was swimming in Lake Como and got cramp from the cold in one leg, it literally took 10 seconds for me to go underneath, luckily my Husband and friends were messing about with water floats and hooked one under my arms.

It was a valuable lesson, water is unmatched when it comes to power, undercurrents, whirlpools etc are all dangers when swimming.

rainbows93 · 16/07/2020 20:59

So sorry for your loss @peakygal xx

BeanbagMcTavish · 16/07/2020 21:12

Even at the Olympics, they have lifeguards at the swimming events. These are literally the best swimmers in the world, but ANYONE can get into difficulties.

I swim well (several miles a week) but I wouldn't swim alone.

Nacreous · 16/07/2020 21:24

I am a strong swimmer, I can swim 3 miles in a go in a pool. I've swum several kilometres in a river and I sea swim.

However, I have "got into difficulty" while swimming and I really thought I was going to drown.

As a late teen I went to stay with friends in Devon. We went to the beach for the day, and all being strong swimmers decided to swim what we estimated was 500m across a bay. The others were much taller so they walked and stopped and chatted while I swam and trod water. We got about 2/3 of the way across and I was just exhausted, and we were being dragged further and further towards where the bay met open sea. I started to panic and my boyfriend said he would tow me. He swam about 3 strokes before I could see he couldn't cope and I was just going to end up drowning him too. I realised then that if I didn't want to die I was going to have to get my shit together. I somehow drew every bit of strength I had and powered across until I could finally stand.

I insisted we had to walk back, and was horrified to discover what my local boyfriend had said was a bay was in fact an estuary. I had to swim back across it, but we went where it was much narrower. When we got home I got a map out and measured it - we had actually swum two kilometres, not 500m.

It was teenage stupidity, ultimately. But it instilled in me a huge respect for rivers and the sea and I will never underestimate them again.

Hannah888 · 16/07/2020 21:46

I live in a South coast resort and my siblings and I lived in the sea all our childhoods without incident. I noticed
in the local paper that the lifeboat would not be operating until last week. I'm afraid I thought so? However I see somebody has been rescued every day. Why! We didn't see a lifeboat in all those years nor needed one. Very safe beach so why?

Original poster
hermyweasley · 16/07/2020 23:01

I'm so sorry to read that peaky

OP posts:
peakygal · 17/07/2020 09:15

Thank you all x

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