Scared to swim alone

[Dontwantsummertoendreally]

Is anyone else?

We live near the beach. I’m starting a new job mid September, so I have a couple of weeks to myself at the start of September when Dc are back at school.
Very excited and decided to make the most of it and do some things I really enjoy.
These include going to the cinema alone, coffee at the beach, reading at the beach and morning swims in the sea.
I do this when we all go to a beach as a family. Dh sometimes comes in, but if not, is still there on the sand.
Lifeguards don’t start until 10, there will probably be some people around, but not many.
Would you swim out in the sea alone? Am I being a big baby?!
Did all these things when younger, without even thinking about it.

Why are we hearing so many people drowning these days. Last night a family of four. Three have died?

Are people being swept away or are they going to far out in the sea?

I swim alone. Is it that much different to something like cycling or skiing alone?

U could tie one of those float things to you so you are more visible

I did, on Friday.

I finished work and drove down to the beach near the village I grew up in. I learned to swim in the sea, there as a child (Solent). It's never been lifeguarded.

The beach wasn't crowded but the tide was high when I arrived so the folk on the beach could easily see everyone who was in the sea really close up. Loads of paddle-boaders etc. and kite surfers further out. No strong currents.

I know the beach and I know how safe it is to swim there so I didn't give it a second thought. I wouldn't swim at low tide because you would be a long way from the beach and your belongings at that time.

I wouldn't do it at a beach I didn't know.

It was bliss.

Not a chance would I swim in the sea with or without lifeguards present.

I think it's a combination of social media (these events would mostly be reported regionally in the past) and the nice summer we have had. My boss grew up in a hot country and he said there it's normal in summer to hear lots of reports of this kind.

I think it is - if you swim alone and get stuck, you drown. If you cycle or ski and fall, you can get yourself to safety much easier, even if it involves crawling with an injury to a road etc.

I'd say it's very different, unless you have a bike that can suddenly develop a mind of its own and whip you off a cliff 😂

It all comes down to experience though. The people who say it's not safe ever tend to be the ones who only know the sea from yearly beach holidays or similar. People who grew up by the sea have a different mindset.

On a generally safe beach which I know well and on good conditions, yes, I'd have no problem swimming alone although I always stay in my depth. I'd be more worried about leaving my belongings unattended on the beach.

I think it's fine to swim alone. Just be mindful of the weather and your abilities. I know there's terribly tragic incidents reported but for every one of those there's thousands of safe swims.

No i would never swim alone it is nothing lile walking, running, cycling etc.

It is irresponsible to put other people at risk having to rescue people who think it's a great idea

I'd say it was actually the opposite way around.

People who grew up near the sea are the ones who are aware of the dangers and who would only ever swim with friends - it's tourists who think they'll be fine and go off and swim by themselves.

I rarely swim at life guarded beaches

So there aren't necessarily more cases then, we are just hearing about them more

There's been a lot of deaths where people have drowned in rivers too.

Yes I see your point about tourists, but my point was that I don't think you'd get many locals saying it's never safe to swim in the sea. You just learn how to do it properly - which involves having a healthy respect for it.

Yes I absolutely swim on my own, don’t go out of my depth though. Usually there are loads of other people swimming, most of them further out than me.

3 people (sadly dead) pulled out of the sea yesterday in Essex, I wouldn't swim alone. Don't rely on passersby to rescue, they may not even notice if you're in distress. Even if I saw you in distress, I would not be able to go in and rescue you.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2gmjd36pvo

Luckily outs are green flag beaches so no sewage

I'd say that doing it properly includes making sure you have someone with you, even if they're not swimming, or making sure you only swim when there are other people around you.

Just back from Cornwall and was swimming every morning before breakfast (and lifeguards). As long as you are sensible, don’t go deep and stay near the shore you will be fine. Wear a float if you want. If it is stormy and very wavy, obviously don’t go alone

I would (and do!) only swim alone in the sea if in a lifeguarded section with them working. Otherwise I wouldn’t ever risk it.

also, calm looking water can be more dangerous than obvious waves due to riptides! If caught in a riptide don't fight against it- let it pull you out until it stops and then swim horizontally away from the rip until clear before then making your way back to the shore. Please research how to spot them and what to do it caught in one!

'My octopus teacher' is basically a whole documentray about a man swimming in his own every day. He is still alive

Okay. But I wasn't talking about swimming with others. I was saying that people who grew up by the sea are not likely to be the ones saying it's never safe to swim in the sea.

I'd swim alone, and do. But it does depend on the beach. Most beaches I go to don't have lifeguards.

*also Im born and raised by the sea. I agree with a previous poster who say it’s the locals like me who are aware how dangerous the sea can be. I would of course, swim in the sea without a lifeguard- but not on my own, only when with others.
Im so lucky that I can often pop down to the beach on my lunch break etc for a quick swim on my own; when I do this I go to a more popular beach (rather than where the locals tend to go when we want to avoid tourists!) with lifeguards on.
It’s the tourists who visit once a year that are more blasé, and don’t appreciate the risks, or think that if they stay in their depth they’ll be fine etc.