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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can I learn to swim this quickly?

14 replies

PrincessPeach7 · 22/10/2023 13:25

I’m visiting a friend in Australia for Christmas and we will be passing the Great Barrier Reef as well as lots of other places to snorkel. I always see everyone’s videos of them snorkelling and seeing amazing footage of fish and turtles.

Problem is.. I can’t swim. I can’t tread water. I can do basic front stroke and back stroke but that’s about it.

I’d absolutely love to be able to snorkel and see some wildlife but I doubt I’ll be able to learn to swim in 8 weeks. Is this at all possible or shall I give up on the idea?

OP posts:
SalmonWellington · 22/10/2023 13:27

Very doable, but depends on having time and money for 121 lessons and there being a teacher available.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 22/10/2023 13:28

Ah! One to one, not one hundred and twenty-one. As you were.

theduchessofspork · 22/10/2023 13:30

Absolutely - but you will need 121 lessons and time to practice.

in 8 weeks you can be swimming like a fish.

FlemishHorse · 22/10/2023 13:33

Swimming in the sea, with a snorkel and fins, is a whole extra skill to just swimming confidently in a pool. It’s a tall order tbh.

(Don’t be too fooled by fabulous videos - you can spend a lot of time snorkelling and see nothing much but unidentified blurry things getting out of your way!)

Pigsears · 22/10/2023 14:04

Depends what you mean by front stroke and back stroke. Also depends if you are confident about being in the water or also have to overcome fear /anxiety of the water. I'm struggling to see how you can't tread water - but can do some sort of stroke... So I'm thinking you might be anxious in the water?

Some chain leisure centres offer adult classes. Or 1-2-1 as mentioned above. Go sooner rather than later so you have as much time as possible.

If wearing a wetsuit when snorkeling it will give you more buoyancy and fins will make it easier to kick. You could practise with fins when swimming if doing some lessons so check with instructor.

Catza · 22/10/2023 14:15

You won’t become an Olympic swimmer in 8 weeks but if you already can float and do some half-decent strokes then there is no reason you can’t develop more confidence in water in 8 weeks. I am a rubbish swimmer but was able to snorkel with someone more experienced by my side. You don’t dive while snorkelling and really all you need to be able to do is float face down

flyingant · 22/10/2023 14:15

Can you just wear a lifejacket? I can swim but generally wear a lifejacket when snorkelling because it's so much more comfortable and relaxing.

MerryChristmasToYou · 22/10/2023 14:17

I must have had at least 121 lessons and I still can hardly swim

CarolDunne · 22/10/2023 14:20

I can't swim and went snorkeling on the great barrier reef.

I used a noodle but you can also use a floatation jacket

Mummy08m · 22/10/2023 14:24

With a good teacher, 1-1 lessons multiple times a week, you definitely can.

Swimming is a great life skill and pastime. The holiday is a great incentive to learn, go for it.

As inspiration... I only learned cycling when I was a teen. I loved it and used to go on this long cycling trail almost everyday in the summer hols. My friend one day said she wanted me to teach her to cycle, even though I'm not an instructor or anything...! We did the trail a few times and within a couple of years she was doing triathlons! These things are quick to learn if you do it intensively.

I also learnt to drive in less than six weeks by having lessons multiple times a week. Intensive and quick is my favourite way of learning stuff

Bunnycat101 · 22/10/2023 14:27

I think you have to be realistic about your capabilities if you’re in open water. If you’re somewhere with a shallow reef you’d probably be fine- if it’s open water that feels a step too far for me. On my honeymoon we spent a lot of time snorkling and on every trip there was a non-swimmer who needed assistance even with a life jacket. It made me quite cross by the end as they were putting themselves at risk alongside people who needed to help them and the dive company never enforced any sort of swimming ability rule. Until then I’d never quite appreciated how someone can still be a liability in a life jacket.

Mercurial123 · 22/10/2023 14:27

You might find this helpful

coralnomad.com/can-i-snorkel-if-i-cant-swim-7-ways-to-enjoy-safely/

ZuliKyanLarsFoz · 22/10/2023 15:13

Definitely get some lessons to improve before you go. However, I've been a few times and there is always non-swimmers in a life jacket snorkelling.

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