Swimming in lakes.

[Kepper]

I don't think waterskippers are an acurate determination of water's potability. I have seen manure from cow pastures running into streams and seen water skippers right there on the surface. I definately would NOT want to drink that.

 

[energystuff]

Maybe the people you talked to were afraid of whirlpools created in reservoirs when water is let out through dams. Google "The Glory Hole at Monticello Dam" and check out the crazy pictures... I wouldn't swim near that!

 

[ChadTower]

I'm not dumb enough to google anything with the words "glory hole" in it. :O

 

[dinosaur]

I won't swim in a pool because I don't like all the chemicals they put in them. I've been swimming in a lot of lakes and a few rivers. Although it's possible to run into a whirlpool in a river because of currents, I've never encountered one in a lake. It seems to me that it would take a vast body of water to have independant currents (like an ocean) that could suck you down.

 

[Hikebike]

I won't swim in a whirlpool in a body of water. I'm afraid I would get pulled under the current. I love swimming in lakes though and the ocean too. I'm not a big pond swimmer though. You just never know what is in ponds!

 

[southerngal]

I don't like to swim in lakes but it's not because of whirlpools it's because of all the snakes in the lakes around here. I am terrified of snakes and I won't swim in anything you can't see through.

 

[calanta]

I would have loved to hit the lake this past weekend but with the storms it was advised to stay in doors, too many crazed winds picking up and making officials worry a tad. If I am lucky and not OC this weekend from work I might try to head up, love the stuff!

 

[dinosaur]

I won't swim in a whirlpool in a body of water. I'm afraid I would get pulled under the current. I love swimming in lakes though and the ocean too. I'm not a big pond swimmer though. You just never know what is in ponds!

You won't swim in ponds because you don't know what's in them. But you will swim in the ocean. Interesting.

 

[greentea]

I'll pretty much swim in anything with a few exceptions. In all honesty I think more people drown because they get a cramp than the amount of people who get sucked down by a whirlpool. What I did notice however is that people don't like swimming in places that are too deep and guess saying you are afraid of a whirlpool makes you sound less of a chicken than saying I don't like to swim in places where my feet don't touch the bottom.

 

[Grizzly]

The only place in a lake that an undertow will occur will be close to a dam. And you need to be near the water intake assumeing the water goes under the dam. If it is a low head style don't worry because you are going over it.

fast moving river are a little different. Like some of the examples stated, also where two rivers arre merging or seperating. My favorite example is the one below Niagra falls. Now that is one I wouldnt want to get stuck in.

They can be fun too. There was a great one in Yellow stone National Park. The current at one point pulls you under water to take you under a rock out cropping and spits you out above water on the other side.

Yep add that to my list of dumb things I did as a kid.

 

[Zack]

I think my first swimming lesson ever was in a lake. Here in the south, everybody swims in lakes. Smith Lake in northeast Alabama is one of the cleanest lakes in the southest, so it's cleaner than most public pools. We've even been known to jump off bridges into the lake.

 

[woodsnwater]

I'm an ocean person, I'd rather get bit by a crab then put my feet in that muck on the bottom of the lake. And thanks for telling me about the snakes! Now I really dread our summer vacation!

 

[ChadTower]

We've even been known to jump off bridges into the lake.

That's not unusual. We used to jump off railroad bridges on our bikes. 15' drop into 10' water. Just deep enough that we could get our bikes back without getting hurt if you did it right.