Are we allowed to swim anywhere now?

[notevenat20]

I am really really missing swimming. I know all the pools are shut but are we allowed to swim in lakes or rivers? If so, does anyone know any that are currently accessible within a million miles of Bath?

I don't believe anyone was ever stopping us swimming in lakes and rivers!

www.somersetlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/7-amazing-places-go-open-1676583

Well I've been surfing and swimming in the sea so 🤷‍♀️

If I look at the first thing in that list (vobster quay) it says it is shut. www.vobster.com/ I found anywhere open yet!

I've been swimming in the sea, although dp got told off for sitting on the beach guarding my stuff (he is a massive wimp about cold water doesn't like sea swimming)

I've seen surfers & swimmers plenty in last few days, rivers & coast.

nowaitaminute Oh if I drive to Devon will the beaches be open?

I don't see how they can close beaches? Car parks may be closed I suppose. However there aren't any lifeguards around so be careful.

ragged Anywhere near me?

Please don’t swim in reservoirs There are three main dangers - strong currents, the cold and time.

1. Strong Currents

These lurk beneath the surface, particularly if water is being taken out through massive pipes beneath the surface.

1. The cold and hyperventilation

When fatalities occur, it's the temperature of the water which is often the most significant factor. Reservoirs are deep and the water in them doesn't flow like in rivers or the sea so the temperature rarely rises much above 12 C.

Immersion is enough to take most people's breath away but what they probably don't realise is that this sensation is their body's natural defences kicking in - and they will only protect a swimmer for a matter of minutes, no matter how confident they are in the water.

One of the first signs of trouble is hyperventilation as the body tries to increase the flow of oxygen into the blood to help stave off the cold but, if the swimmer remains in the water, the body will begin to shut down to protect the vital organs. Muscles will go into cramp and suddenly it's no longer possible to swim. The victim will try to fight to stay on the surface but, if help doesn't arrive within seconds, they will be drawn unavoidably underwater, even though they may still be fully conscious and aware of what's happening.

1. Time

Even if friends or relatives dial 999 within minutes of a swimmer disappearing, the reality is that the emergency services are more likely to be dealing with the recovery of a body rather than a rescue.
Firefighters, police and paramedics may be able to reach the scene within minutes, but if the victim is still somewhere in the water, they'll not be able to begin a search until specialist equipment arrives. Instead, they can only watch and wait, which may be hard for onlookers to understand but is often as traumatic for the emergency services as for family or friends of the missing swimmer.

It can take days to recover a body from a reservoir. In the meantime, friends and loved ones can do nothing more than return home and begin a tortuous wait for news.

I live far from Bath, sorry. There must be local rivers, surely, feeders to R. Wye?

Well in Devon it was chaos with beaches packed, car parks full and then having to be closed, gridlocked roads and people dumping their cars on double yellows etc I think the locals are about ready to barricade the main roads lol I wouldn't drive there tbh

Warleigh Weir up at Claverton.

I've no idea what its like right now. I moved out of area dome years ago but I spent most my childhood summers swimming up Warleigh

If you need rescuing there may not be any lifeguards or medics on the beach.
Devon has been rammed today, many beach carparks are closed and people have been parking on verges, double yellows.
Don't block roads if you find a beach without an open carpark.
Also people have been defacating on the beaches, as toilets aren't all open.
Good luck.

Swimming is always banned in most reservoirs, for the reasons mentioned upthread.

Be very careful about swimming in rivers - splashing in a pool in a small one is one thing, but people regularly come to grief in larger rivers.

Hopefully it's still to early for blue-green algae blooms on the lakes ....

And it's only May, most U.K. waters will be pretty cold - a wetsuit would be a good idea most places I'd have thought, especially if you're not used to it.

I adore swimming outdoors (grew up by the North Sea) but it's not something to do thoughtlessly.

Oh if I drive to Devon will the beaches be open?

I hope this is a wind up.

Oh ffs I’m sure it can wait

@notevenat20 I don't think they had shut them in the first place did they??

nowaitaminute It was illegal to swim in the sea/rivers/lakes at one point I think. All the local lakes seem to be officially shut sadly still.

@notevenat20 oh really...interesting! I'm in Ireland where you could go anywhere within 2km of your home so that includes several beaches for me! Thank god!

Open water swimming sessions with some safety support are starting up again in London, for experienced open water swimmers only (not me! I'm still waiting!)

qweyuiop It would be great if there a page or twitter feed you could follow to get the latest swimming news of this sort.

Clevedon Marine Lake is open for solo swimming.

If you want to know where is open for open water swimming, then slow swimming, or the open water swimming society on FB are really good resources. Slow swimming is particularly lovely for the emphasis on enjoying the water and cake.