Are you a good swimmer?

[TheHughesCrew]

I'm an ok swimmer. I swam in the school swimming team, many moons ago. DH is also an ok swimmer. We'd happily swim a mile or so in a pool.

As others have also mentioned, swimming lessons for our children were non negotiable. They both got their 2k badges whilst at primary school. They are happy and confident in the water.

It's supposed to be in the national curriculum I believe, but we just filled in a form to say they could swim. I'm not sure what actually happened to those that couldn't.

Swimming lessons were eye-wateringly expensive for both of them. We couldn't afford them when they were younger and it was something that really bothered me. But they both did brilliantly even though they weren't swimming underwater at the age of 6 months

But, again repeating what others have said, the pool in Spain would have been quite cold as it wasn't heated. Cold water makes even the most confident swimmer panic. My brother has an unheated pool in his garden and my son had a real panic in it a couple of years ago in May. He could even stand up, but was thrashing around like a lunatic as the cold really took his breath away. We shouted at him to stand up, which he did, and we laugh about it now, but I think it taught him a valuable lesson. We even talked about it when we were walking up Southend pier last week. My mantra is to kick off your shoes, and float until help arrives. We again reminded them not to jump in after each other if there was a problem. It's a chat that we've had numerous times. But many families don't have the luxury of experience or swim sense, to have those discussions in the first place. My heart is absolutely breaking for that poor family in Spain

[EssexSue]

I used to do bookings for schools to use the pool. Only one school came all year round, sadly there were financial issues for most of the others so they either came summer term only or paid for the children who could not swim to take part in the swimming lesson scheme.
I suppose we should remember as well a lot of people won't be able to pay for their childrens' swimming lessons, especially now that in a lot of cases Leisure has become privatised.
It's easy to forget that the dibb is not really a typical snapshot of life for many.

[lottiesmum0]

I would class myself as a strong swimmer. I’d also class Dd the same. Ds is ok and DH is weaker - he does not like feeling out of his depth.

[mason1]

I can swim - not fantastic, but good enough for a leisurely swim in the pool. DH is a good swimmer (his school had a pool, so swam regularly). Both kids had lessons from 6 months and continued through to life saving skills.

My mother in law can’t swim (mid 60s), my dad’s a strong swimmer and taught us to swim, and mum can swim but doesn’t like to get her hair wet 🤣 (both 75).

The swimming lessons at school as part of the curriculum are inadequate - as a previous poster said, how on earth they expect a non-swimmer to complete 25m after 30 minutes a week for a term or 2 is beyond me. I also don’t agree that it’s a schools responsibility to teach a child to swim - but that’s a different discussion 🙄

[Irishlass]

I'm a good swimmer. Everyone in my family is tbh. I'm in my 30's and have been swimming since around 4/5 but we were all taught by my dad or uncles while on our holiday abroad. It was one of the trafitiond lol, see who can swim by the end of the holiday lol. Even now the school I work in do swimming lessons once a week for KS2 kids, that's for the whole year.

Regarding the tragic incident in Soain on Christmas Eve though, to be totally honest with you, I'm not convinced it's due to non swimmers... which the wife incidentally has said the husband could swim.

There's something odd about the whole thing TBH. If it was one person yes, but not 3 people, in broad daylight with other people around. Esp in that small of a pool. I may be on my own in that thought, but there's something just not right about the whole incident.

[Mazbar]

I’m a average swimmer, my wife swims like a stone. So she wanted our daughter to swim, she started early and progressed to a swimming club, at 8 she did the Marie curie swim 64 lengths of our local pool so over a mile in just over a hour then went to school.

[PPM]

I used to be able to do 15miles, but now at 65 I reckon thatabout 400 Mars would be my limit before I saw my breakfast again

For me now the important thing is being able to help Mrs PPM incase she got into difficulties. I did a lifesaving course when the kids were young incase I ever needed it ( thank goodness I didn’t need it ever). One handy tip was how to make flotation out of your trousers. Take them off, tie knots in the bottom of the legs. close and zip the top then flip over your head to trap air in the legs. This will go down in around 5 mins but gives you a break from paddling. This only works in warming waters.
In the North Sea if you aren’t out in five or ten mins you are done
Oops went off on a rant... sorry

[Holidaylover19]

Non swimmer here. Tried to learn but just couldn't.

[ERICSMUM]

Originally Posted by Irishlass

... Regarding the tragic incident in Soain on Christmas Eve though, to be totally honest with you, I'm not convinced it's due to non swimmers... which the wife incidentally has said the husband could swim.

There's something odd about the whole thing TBH. If it was one person yes, but not 3 people, in broad daylight with other people around. Esp in that small of a pool. I may be on my own in that thought, but there's something just not right about the whole incident.

See more...

My thoughts exactly. There’s more to this story but probably take ages to become public.

[Tinkerbell]

When I was young... long time ago... I was a very strong swimmer, however at the age of 18, I did “drown ” in the sea, I was revived by a life guard mouth to mouth etc and obvious lived, lived to tell the tale, since then I will not go out of my depth although I do like scuba diving! Which is odd, but do tend to panic when I am on the surface.