Swedes (who swim in lakes, rivers, the sea, at night – you name it) always think I am really weird because I do not go into water where things live, and I don’t go into swimming pools at night. Ever. I am afraid. I hate it. Just the thought of other things swimming in there freaks me out, though I have friends who do wild (open water) water swimming and love it.
I am a really good swimmer – I used to swim competitive butterfly stroke until my early twenties, and I trained as a lifesaver at school, where we had to do sea rescues. I am happy on boats, big and small. But I have never liked being out of my depth in the sea and I refuse to swim in rivers and lakes. I also don’t like regular swimming pools when it is dark because I cannot see what is down there. I am not a fan of swimming pools that are painted black.
I grew up in great white shark territory, so we were taught from when we were very small to look at the shark flags, check with the lifesavers how the nets/bubbles are etc etc. Also, where I come from, certain rivers and lakes contain bilharzia, which I would not want – ever. So that is an extra component added to what is not exactly a phobia but more a deep fear.
I have read that many experienced sailors don’t like being on the open sea at night. Maybe it is a primal thing?
Swedes though – where there is water, they are swimming!
How about you?
Not a big fan of swimming, but I can. Used to swim in the ocean as a younger woman…could be an age thing. I\’m 71 yrs. 🥺
One thing I learned a few years ago – you can forget how to swim! You remember how to float obviously, and remember the strokes, but it takes practice to get your body under control in the water if you have not done it for a while. I was very startled the first time I tried to swim across a pool after about 20 years and had forgotten how!
I never really thought about it. I love the ocean and I grew up surrounded by it. But it’s true that I wouldn’t swim in lakes or rivers. Oceans are fine but with a lifeguard around, so I’m not sure if I would be tempted to dive into the deep and yes, the top picture is exactly what I imagine the depths of the ocean to be… I don’t think we are chickens for not wanting to swim there, we are just aware of how scary it can be!
I grew up inland but watched wildlife documentaries so never learned to swim (no shipwreck for me I would drown). I have a strong respect for the wildlife around me (in the UK there isn’t much danger from it) as well as the wildlife in water. I eat fish and meat and am quite capable of catching my own (fish and rabbit or hare), killing skinning and cooking what I catch. I believe that fish and mammals who live in the sea have more right to be there than we do as humans.
I am the same, I do not go into natural water. A pool that smells of chlorine and that is painted blue, that I can do, but not at night.
I am the same, I do not go into natural waters. A pool that smells of chlorine and is painted blue I can do, but not at night.
This is highly interesting! I’ve lived by the sea most of my life and now I live in the middle of Germany so no see there and I miss it a lot so I always take advantage to bathe in the ocean/at sea every chance I get. Having lived near the Atlantic Ocean, I know of the dangers. The waves are terrifying and even though we are lucky enough to not have many visits from sharks, every now and again, they turn up, so it’s never a big surprise. Even though you are a skilled swimmer, you probably have a much deeper respect of the ocean than I probably have. Definitely food for thought for the next time I’m at sea.
I can completely understand why you are afraid. My Grandmother grew up on the Ohio River and was completely scared to death of the water for various reasons. I have been told that there are catfish as big as a VW Bug car in the Ohio River, just gives me the shivers. My husband and I scuba dive, and I can honestly say that in all the years we have been diving I have only seen a Black Tip Reef Shark one time.
I couldn’t even scuba dive – eww thos things down there!
I’m with you every step of the way on this one. Maybe I’ve watched too many wildlife programmes?