Will you swim in the ocean?

I am a strong swimmer. I don’t think I’d jump off a boat in the ocean, though.

What has prompted this question, OP?

Yes but open ocean terrifies me so I wouldn't want to swim for very long and I wouldn't enjoy it.

yes.

Yes, but preferably in a place without many string rays.

Of course

[quote]What has prompted this question, OP?

This was a discussion at a Christmas party last night. More than a few people said they love to swim, but only in pools. That the ocean, rivers, and lakes are too uncertain and it's easy to get in trouble. I'd never thought about it.

I'm a strong swimmer but don't like swimming in deep water, be it the ocean or a lake. I think it is a primal fear of the abyss or something like that. Even a very deep pool gives me a bit of the creeps.

Lakes are disgusting, R6,

I like snorkeling in tropical locales but I wouldn't swim in a natural body of water just for the hell of it. Too many things could go wrong.

Swim in calm ocean waters like snorkeling off Bermuda? or jump off a boat off in the north Atlantic in a storm OP? You’ll need to be more specific.

Where fish are fucking?

I’m afraid of the water, but if I were able to overcome that I would not be happy about swimming with things that want to eat me.

Ocean swimmer, but getting bumped by a shark off Jones Beach has dampened my enthusiasm foe swimming in warm oceans.

I'm in Ohio, and was always warned about the huge catfish swimming in the Ohio River. So, No, I won't swim where there are huge predators.

I used to, but not anymore

They call me Flipper.

Pacific, not pacifist.

Not since the incident.

Pesky, annoying, and unwanted children?

A lake can be a girl's best friend.

I hate getting water in my nose but if push comes to shove I’m confident that I can swim pretty well.

Swimming in a lake on a hot summer day, with a view of the mountains, is absolutely divine.

I don’t enjoy swimming in the ocean. Around the Greek isles is a different story, the clear Mediterranean is wonderful to swim in, close to shore.

I got caught in a rip current in Mexico and seriously thought I was going to die. I remembered to swim along the shoreline and then towards the beach once out of the current. I've been a pussy about swimming in the ocean since.

No. I remember the 12/26/04 Indian Ocean 9.3 earthquake and tsunami and that has turned me off going in the ocean.

Absolutely not. Not even when I was younger. Wading, yes. My mother terrified me about currents and riptides.

Back when IMDb had boards, I was a member of the Sports board. An active member who was on his gap year before university drowned in a Scottish loch when he got caught up in a current. Only 18 or 19. We were all shocked. You normally don't think about lakes having currents, but if a body of water is large enough.

We had a thread here about an Only Fans performer (recognized by some DLers) who rented a boat in Lake Tahoe. He decided to take a swim somewhere in the middle of the lake. He parked the boat incorrectly and it took off while he was in the water. He had a camera running onboard. The end must have been quick because the water is freezing cold year round. I tried to find tge thread, but couldn't.

Some very experienced and champion swimmers have died swimming in the ocean. There are deaths in open water swimming races every year.

I will wade out into the ocean - but no way and I'm swimming in it.

Lakes can have their own hazards - getting caught up in a bio mass of sticks and kelp.

There are very few non-pool situations where I would actually swim - and I swam competitively for over 15 years.

Here's the guy who drowned in Lake Tahoe. His body was recovered from more than 1,500 feet.

R26 - that's so sad. In August - on a sunny day. I'm surprised no other boats were around to help him.

Almost 250,000 people drown each year around the world - over 4,000 in the US and many from rip tides in guarded and unguarded areas.

Between that and the ocean wildlife - I've never felt too comfortable in the ocean.

Then again - I grew up in the 70s as a kid - Jaws and Jaws 2 made a big impression on many people at that time. Although sharks attacks are so rare.

Spent all my childhood summers at a lakefront cottage so I'm most comfortable in a lake but I'm cautious. I'll swim in the ocean but not confidently.

Pools? Usually irritated by the chlorine. Salt water is fine.

Born in Hawaii, grew up on Southern Cali beaches each weekend, swam in NorCal beaches a few times and I'm not swimming in the ocean ever again. I was caught in a rip tide the last time I swam near Jenner, CA and that was enough for me.

Plus, sharks. No thank you.

Absolutely not

FUCK NO!

After running into a shark while snorkeling in the Florida Keys, I won't swim in the ocean anymore. (The captain of the charter boat said it was just a "friendly nurse shark who hangs around these waters," but no.)

I have no problem swimming in the middle of Lake Michigan.

I used to love going to the nude beach at Sandy Hook NJ. You could see the Brooklyn/Coney Island skyline from there. Then I realized every time somebody flushes a toilet there, I'm swimming in it.

I only swim in pools now.

Bathtub swimmer here. so no.

R33 - that's how I feel when I'm in Puerto Vallarta. All of these people swimming in the bay - I refuse to get in it. The acceptable levels of bacteria in Mexico is much higher than in the US.

Luckily there are pool clubs on the beach - but no way am I getting in there.

Unfortunately a lot of sewage from Tijuana has been floating up to San Diego the past year - but they're starting to get a hold of the problem in the Tijuana River finally.

What's the upside of swimming in the ocean?

Ocean only. I hate fresh water.

r36 is the outlier

R37 Grew up on the ocean. I never went in a pool until I was an adult. Ponds and lakes freak me out.

I grew up on the ocean too (Hawaii, Southern California) too.

You won't catch me swimming in the ocean anytime soon. That's the sharks home.

Ah, yes. The wonders of the Greek islands and the sea. So peaceful. So pristine.

The ocean is for creatures. Humans invented swimming pools.

Yes, I'll swim in the ocean. I had swimming lessons when I was little.

I swim 8-10 ocean swims each summer, between 2k and 4k. Usually a minimum of 500m offshore but at least beyond the breakers.

I love it. I do think about sharks but only when the race is over. It’s a great way to stay fit and some of the swimmers’ bodies are amazing, which is a bonus.

I learned to swim at 2 so I don’t remember not being able to swim.

I swim in the ocean and pools but stopped swimming in lakes after my foot got tangled in a shopping cart in Walden Pond. I like to think Thoreau would have been as disgusted as I was

R43 I do think about sharks but only when the race is over. It’s a great way to stay fit and possibly get eaten by a Great White shark. Tee hee.

You mention the ocean, then you contrast it with a pool. But there are many bodies of water that are neither. What about lakes, OP?

How about night swimming in the ocean? That sounds terrifying.

I snorkel at the beach in Maui and go out on charters and do the same. I love it.

Two times weren’t the best: once, I wasn’t paying attention and the current and waves pushed me onto some rocks and coral and I got scratched up—I still have a scar on my leg. The second time wasn’t my fault. I was on a charter to a place that is protected and fish feeding is not allowed to attract fish. Well my captain broke the rules while I was in the water. All of the sudden I was swarmed by all kinds of fish—he had thrown food overboard right on top of me and the fish were in a frenzy. Once I figured out what had happened I was fine but pissed.

One of the best things I’ve done is swim in a freezing mountain lake in the summer.

Swim, swim? Only in the open ocean off a boat with people I trust. Near shore or a beach, I’ll wade or mess around, but not really swim.

There’s something exciting about deep ocean swimming, a mix of terror and exhilaration which is why I enjoy it but only with trustworthy, capable people in the water with me or paying attention on the boat.

You guys are really missing out on life if you refuse to swim in the ocean. There are calm areas. You have to research and ask the locals.

You’re a regular comedian, aren’t you, R45? Apart from not being funny and making no sense.

I have gone swimming/snorkeling off boats in the ocean many, many times. You actually don't need to be as strong a swimmer in salt water, as you are more buoyant and can float/rest more easily than in fresh water. From the way people here are carrying on about sharks you'd think scores of people were attacked every week -as opposed to the actual figure of 30-60 per year (with typically only 5-10 being fatal)! For god's sake -87 people on average die in their bathtubs each year! My biggest criteria for getting into the water are its temperature and clarity. Warm and clear? I'm all in! Cold? Hazy? I'll pass.

And, yes, I was in fifth grade when I read Jaws and the movie came out, and I have always lived near the beach in Southern California. I was scared out of the water for a summer, that's all...

I can, and have done, but I prefer swimming in a pool. I burn easy so cant do extensive open water swimming

Not much has been said about rivers. River swimming has scared me more than the ocean.

why, r54?

Rivers and lakes often come with eels.

don't go chasing waterfalls, stick to the rivers and lakes you're used to

R40 I’m not talking about Santorini, Paro/Naxos, or Mykonos.

The smaller islands, closer to the mainland, are an absolute treat. Especially the isles without an airport.

I love ocean swimming. Sure there are animals and dangers, but the chances anything will happen to you are slim. I grew up swimming with my father and us children learnt how to read a beach and the ocean. We would body surf too, all thought by or father. It's just beautiful.

R40, while never having left his home state, is rather adept at googling “Greek island crowds” and posting a picture. He’s not aware that there are thousands of Greek islands.

A great white shark is really missing out on a meal if you refuse to swim in the ocean.

r61 very true. which is why I no longer do.

I grew up in LA. Of course I swim in the ocean! It's my happy place.

Will I swim in the ocean…. For $1 million dollars? I’d consider it. I’ll add it to my other millions accumulating assets interest.

I grew up in Vancouver and Vancouver Island, and we had a boat - of course I swim in the ocean! Pools and lakes are gross.

Jellyfish are really the only hazards here.

Grew up on ocean beaches, summer and winter. I took the Red Cross Swimming and Water Rescue (they called it “Lifesaving” then) classes in the ocean, off the Town dock. The water temperature was 59 degrees the day of the test. You had to pass to be hired as a lifeguard. The club we belonged to had a saltwater pool overlooking the harbor, but I preferred the beach. People pee in pools. People pee in the ocean, too, but there’s a lot more ocean in which to dilute the pee.

This is what is in one drop of ocean water. I don't want all this going up my nose. Yuck.

R47 it's never a great idea. It's when the big fish come out.

There is NO body of water of ANY kind that is free of bacteria or other living organisms, R67. You should see what's in your drinking water!

I simply do not understand all the fear in this thread...

Go jump into the Pacific Ocean!

r69 please see r15 for more information.

It's real and it's spectacular.

I am. But not into a shark's home, OP. I wasn't invited.

R21, There are Great Whites in the Med, FYI.

If you didn't grow up with the ocean nearby, then you probably would be scared of it.

r74 not true.

i was born in Hawaii and grew up in SoCal going to the beach very often.

I was swimming in the sea quite often.

And I won't anymore.,

I used to swim and play in the ocean all the time. One time about a decade ago, a strong current pulled me under and another kept knocking me down, so it was a while before I could get any air. I thought I was going to die.

After that, I stick to the sand on the beach

I would trust ocean swimming over lake swimming because of PCBs and bacteria. When my family camped in the 80s, every lake from Illinois down to Tennessee that we visited was closed due to PCBs -so much beautiful nature poisoned….

However, I’m pretty sure people have to wear a full-body swim suit for ocean swimming because it’s so fucking cold. I expect a warm, languid SpongeBob experience, but I feel like it’s rush hour and I’m late getting home.

r74 said what i didn't. the same thing happened to me as well.

that was the point I realized that I was human and small and not really able to surpass the fucking ocean.

If you're swimming way out in the ocean far from the shore (and provided there's not a storm), the water often tends to be calm, so you're not in a lot of danger really unless you can't swim well. You have to be aware of animal predators of course, but I think swimming on the beach is a lot more dangerous because of the tide and waves coming in and out.

I grew up swimming in the ocean and in rivers, but I have always been a pretty good swimmer. Even still, my dad instilled a deep cautiousness and awareness of just how powerful water is that has always stayed with me. I have swam on the beach in the water at near-chest level, but that's about as far as I am willing to risk it. Water can be deceptive and unpredictable. Even calm-looking rivers can have undertows that will easily kill you. I guess you could just say I have a healthy respect for bodies of water.

I tend to like really hot water so avoid both oceans and pools

I think sharks have gotten a bad reputation through film and Shark Week. The scientists all seem to say the same thing: sharks don't attack people unless they're confusing you with something else. I will go into the ocean up to my knees, but no further for fear of the undertow or stepping into some deep hole, not sharks. If you're afraid of sharks, don't douse yourself in Eau de Walrus before entering the ocean.

Nurse sharks and hammerheads are quite fun to swim with if you are thrashing around or impersonating a seal.

My friend Julie used to make seal noises whenever I swam.

I’ve had too many Ghost Ship nightmares to swim anywhere in which I can’t see the bottom. I still think there are beasts out there smart enough to evade BiffTad photographers. And, they’ll grab a foot just for shits and giggles. ESPECIALLY Lake Erie!!!!!!!!!!!!!

R73 I had no idea and just looked it up…

😞

Yes. Ocean only on a sunny calm day.

Lakes harbor brain-eating amoebae.

I swim in the ocean.

I swim in the sea

It’s not always fucking cold R77 - depends where you live. Where I swim it’s Speedos most of the year apart from July to September. The warmer currents usually stick around to the end of Autumn.

I could swim in the ocean & the deep end of the pool.

That stated, I was almost taken out by riptide many, many years ago. Fortunately, it hasn’t happened since.

Ocean.

Look, the ocean is the sharks' home, ffs.

I will dip my toes and wade in it, but I'm done with swimming in it.

Thank god there are no deadly predators that live on land! As long as I stay out of the ocean I'll be safe!!

You guys have been listening to Trump's shark vs. battery story again, haven't you?

r92 we are also as careful about bears.

idiot.

No to the Ocean. Shit that kills you lives in the Ocean. No to lakes. Shit that lives in lakes can kill you. Highly chlorinated pool water please.

Someone upthread posted that sharks only attack humans by accident, and that is especially so for surfers who look like seals from below. However bull sharks often attack humans and ichthyologists believe that this is hunting, not an accident.

And I’d always hoped that Great Whites weren’t a huge threat because they rarely come in close to shore and spit out the odd human that they mistake for a seal (too bony), until a swimmer was bitten in half by a Great White right on the shore in Sydney last summer. The shark then circled and came back to eat what was left of the swimmer.

[quote]No to the Ocean. Shit that kills you lives in the Ocean.

Even more shit that kills you lives on Land.

Careful, R96, or sarcasm-impaired R93 will call you an idiot.

I’m Chicken of the Sea.

About the guy who was killed off the coast of Sydney.

[QUOTE]The provoked classification does not put Nellist at fault for the incident—rather, witnesses recalled seeing fishing bait in the water near where he was swimming, meaning the shark would have been drawn to the area.

[QUOTE]Gavin Naylor, director of ISAF and shark expert, told Yahoo News: "We are committed to understanding the behaviors of sharks to better understand them. We anticipate that with an improved understanding of species-specific shark behaviors, actions can be taken to minimize the frequency of shark bites on people.

[QUOTE]"In the tragic case of Simon Nellist, there were people fishing nearby. Fishing activity is known to attract sharks, primarily because fish caught on lines struggle and generate vibrations that bring sharks in."

R26 Tragic story. And he had to be hot, so even more of a loss.

No I refuse