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Can you swim??

montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 59,955 ******
edited October 2023 in General Discussion

Can you swim?

When was last time you have?


I learned to swim in grade school at our local city pool. I further enhanced my ability in the boy scouts. One year at scout summer camp I achieved the one mile swim, which I was very proud of.

Then while in the military I jumped off the 33 foot platform of the pool at Ft. Lewis, Washington. I was scared to death of the height, and to climb that ladder. As the platoon sgt. there was no way I could not do it. I looked at my platoon and said follow me. Think that was the second most pucker factor I've had. The first is another story and time.

I have not been swimming in probably 25 years.

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Comments

  • jimdeerejimdeere Member, Moderator Posts: 26,152 ******

    I can avoid drowning if that's what you mean.

  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 59,955 ******

    If by means of swimming, yes that's what I mean.

  • mac10mac10 Member Posts: 2,700 ✭✭✭✭

    I stay away from water these days not young anymore

  • Farmall ihcFarmall ihc Member Posts: 103 ✭✭✭
  • bullshotbullshot Member Posts: 14,680 ✭✭✭✭

    Grew up in Florida so, yeah I know how to swim, have a pool that I am in all the time but ....... I don't swim anymore, I just hang out in the pool.

    Don't have the stamina to swim very far and I see no need to expend that much energy for no particular reason ........................ I have boats.

    "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you"
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭

    Yep, swim and snorkle, but it has been a while.

  • Butchdog3Butchdog3 Member Posts: 940 ✭✭✭✭

    Nope, tried to learn but sank like a rock every time.

  • William81William81 Member Posts: 25,336 ✭✭✭✭

    Since I got older, I am one of those chunky fellows that floats ...😉


    Actually I swim well.... Last time was last summer when I was Kayaking... I have been a decent swimmer since I was a youngster. Swimming lessons, Boy Scout activities etc....

  • pulsarncpulsarnc Member Posts: 6,489 ✭✭✭✭

    Nope, sink like a rock.!

    cry Havoc and let slip  the dogs of war..... 
  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 25,224 ✭✭✭✭

    I wish I could 😥

    as a kid my mom was worse than a mother hen , we were not allowed close to water even fishing was barely accepted and that was bank fishing in the creeks that were I bet 3' deep at the most

    ( I understand her over protectiveness now but as a kid it just made me mad . my older brother died in bed with mom and dad he was just shy a month old and I was about killed in a car accident at 16 or 18 months old she was so scared of losing one of us after thet


    when I was about 24 yrs old I took swimming lessons at a local YMCA but the class was so big I got little guidance

    except told every one can float or swim just relax, and you will float

    nope I went to the bottom every time like a rock all I got out of the class was proof I could not swim

    some years later I did find out not every one can "float"

    if you have a dense bone structure it is too heavy to float so at least thet made me realize I was not crazy

    I have come close to drowning a few times being stupid and doing what i should not have also


    when my two boys got a few years under their belt we signed them up for swimming lessons both of them and my wife can swim for that I am at least grateful.

    as for me at 66 yrs old I just know my limits and not swimming is one big one I do regret it but oh well.

  • Lady Rae Lady Rae Member Posts: 2,344 ✭✭✭✭

    I love to swim 😍 but we live in a cold climate where we have to go inland to swim.... I got in the ocean last year.

    "Independence Now, Independence Forever."

    John Adams

  • elubsmeelubsme Member Posts: 2,191 ✭✭✭✭

    In 1952 my Dad signed both my brother and me up with a membership in the Williamsport, Pa. YMCA. As a side note, everyone swam naked and we didn't think a thing about it. My, my, my, as Joe would say, How things have changed. Ed

  • 62vld204262vld2042 Member Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭✭

    My uncle Jerry Don introduced me to "sink-or-swim" when I was about 6 years old, by tossing me into a cotton irrigation bar-ditch in a field outside of Anadarko. At about 8 years old my grandmother put me in summertime swim classes at the Oklahoma College for Women, in Chickasha.........breaststroke, backstroke, crawl. By the end of summer, I was pretty self-sufficient in the water.........as long as the diving board wasn't too high.

    After losing the leg in '67.......my college roommate got me back into the pool in 1969. Oddly enough it gave me the gumption to carry on to other things.

    In the late 1980's, following a prolonged racquetball injury(left foot), I took up lap swimming and road cycling. After a couple of years, prolonged severe crotch numbness ended long cycling excursions.......the lap swimming remained. For most of the early 90's I swam one mile a day, four days a week at our YMCA.

    After returning to racquetball, I still put pool laps in a couple of times a week.

    Then there was my right shoulder operation in 2007...............to be continued......

  • brier-49brier-49 Member Posts: 7,090 ✭✭✭✭

    I won medals in school but haven't been swimming in 40 years

  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,432 ✭✭✭✭

    Can. Don't like to.

    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,614 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2023

    I earned the Mile Swim Merit Badge at age 13 in Boy Scouts, swam 1/2 mile across the lake at camp, and swam back. Accompanied by an Explorer Scout in the canoe in case I got a cramp. A mile is a long way when you are 13 years old.

    The next year I was Water Safety Instructor certified, which meant I was licensed to teach others to be a lifeguard.

    Yes I am a good swimmer, and I swam 3/4 of a mile last year at the YMCA. I don't like the chlorine in the pool, I have been looking for a lake or river to swim in but no luck so far. When they come out in May with a high level of e. coli in the French Broad river, and when the river in fact smells like doo doo, it takes all the charm out of swimming in it. Runoff from cow pastures plus faulty septic tanks. I can't believe people eat fish from that river.

  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,614 ✭✭✭✭

    When I enrolled at Ga. Tech in 1968, all freshmen had to take the course called Drownproofing. If you flunked, your 18 year old butt was kicked out of school. Tech didn't want tp spend 5 years training you to be an Electrical Engineer, just to have you drown at a party at Lake Lanier at age 25.

    Drownproofing was just glorified water treading. You had to jump in the deep end of the Tech pool, fully clothed, and you took off your shoes and pants and treaded water for an hour.

    I knew several guys, Rats is what we freshmen were called, I knew several Rats who were kicked out of Tech right in the middle of Fall Quarter because they flunked Drownproofing. Of course with all my training in Boy Scouts, Drownproofing was easy for me.

  • Ruger4meRuger4me Member, Moderator Posts: 3,790 ******

    Can't remember when I couldn't... I grew up near the pacific and spent most summers in the water, surfed, and did a stint as a life guard in my teens, did a lot of water skiing back in the day also, but probably haven't been in the pool, lake or ocean in over 15 years now. I don't think my COPD would help much, but I doubt I would drown right away at least.

  • Bubba Jr.Bubba Jr. Member Posts: 8,304 ✭✭✭✭

    I used to go swimming every chance I got, but it's been years since the last time. When we went to the Outer Banks I swam in the ocean. When I got out of the water my shorts weighed about 20 pounds from all the sand that collected there. My wife and daughter just stood there and laughed at my baggy britches.

    I'm too old to swim anymore, and to be honest I don't miss it.

  • dunbarboyzdunbarboyz Member Posts: 2,503 ✭✭✭✭

    Grew up in the water could swim at three. Once swam five miles because I was told I couldn't.

  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,381 ******

    Yes, I can.

    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • cbxjeffcbxjeff Member Posts: 17,597 ✭✭✭✭

    As an entering freshman at UW - Madison every student (except with a doctor's letter) had to pass a swimming test. I couldn't swim so went in a mandatory swimming class. I flunked the first semester and had to take it over. We had to swim the length of the pool using 3 different strokes. Half was through the second semester the instructor yelled that he was tired seeing me there and get in a swim. Obviously, I made it which was good since I was the coxswain on the crew team!

    It's too late for me, save yourself.
  • Locust ForkLocust Fork Member Posts: 32,000 ✭✭✭✭

    I can swim....but its been a while. I used to scuba dive when I was in the Navy.

    I am not a "good" swimmer.....very slow and I tend to dog paddle a LOT. I actually was RESCUED by a lifeguard one time because it looks like I'm drowning. I didn't want him to miss his moment to shine, so I let him save me even though I was fine. The crowd cheered.

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  • BrookwoodBrookwood Member, Moderator Posts: 13,723 ******

    When I was around 7 years old or so, a bully pushed me off a long pier out on West Grand Traverse Bay for touching his brand new pin wheel bicycle he had ridden out on the dock. The pier was where the big Great Lakes Freighters docked to unload fuel to storage tanks nearby. Anyway, the water was very cold and it shocked me for a bit, but I did quite well doing the dog paddle. Made my way to a side ladder that went up from one of the pilings and got back up on the dock.


    My older brother who I was with was doing some fishing and saw the guy push me in. He knocked the dude off the bike and tossed it over the end of the pier. Some 200' deep! 😁


    I've been a regular fish in the water ever since and learned most of the swimming strokes while quite young. Living here where lakes and big water are close to home has been one of the fun perks of life for me.

  • OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,510 ✭✭✭✭

    I can swim like a fish, since I grew up minutes from the Ocean. My parents had us swimming at 3 years old. Still love to jump in the ocean every summer. We have a built in pool , so we swim all summer.

  • Lady Rae Lady Rae Member Posts: 2,344 ✭✭✭✭

    "Independence Now, Independence Forever."

    John Adams

  • Don McManusDon McManus Member Posts: 23,672 ✭✭✭✭

    For a number of years when we lived on a lake I tried to become a proficient distance swimmer. Could never figure out the breathing. After about 100 yards, I need to revert to a breaststroke or sidestroke to catch my breath. Forced myself to swim a mile once.

    One and done as they say.

    Freedom and a submissive populace cannot co-exist.

    Brad Steele
  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 59,955 ******

    Yes sir same here on the breathing. Did mostly backstroke, side, or even dog paddle, but I could swim.

  • waltermoewaltermoe Member Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭✭

    I can swim, but I’m no Mark Spitz. Swimming is an excellent way to exercise. When I was in the Boy Scouts I did have to swim a mile to get a swimming merit badge.

  • OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,510 ✭✭✭✭

    One more thing, as much as I love to swim and the ocean, You will NEVER, NEVER, get me in a boat on the Ocean. I get seasick in the bathtub. 🤢. You will never see that shade of green anywhere. LOL

  • truthfultruthful Member Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭✭

    I didn't swim until I was in college. In order to graduate from ROTC, we were each required to swim two lengths of the pool using four different strokes.

  • dcon12dcon12 Member Posts: 32,015 ✭✭✭✭

    I learned to swim down at the Y. Don

  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,614 ✭✭✭✭

    Only a female would do that. Go ahead and pretend you are drowning so you don't embarass the lifeguard.

  • mohawk600mohawk600 Member Posts: 5,526 ✭✭✭✭

    Took lessons at the YMCA........guppie through dolphin. I am a very good swimmer but don't enjoy it anymore.

  • yonsonyonson Member Posts: 940 ✭✭✭

    I don't go in the water. There's THINGS in there.....

  • Gregor62Gregor62 Member Posts: 3,143 ✭✭✭✭

    Enough to keep my old butt from drowning.

    If anyone needs any type of help or ride while I'm in the water, they will get firm kick in the guts as I make my way to safety.

    I ain't no Michael Phelps.

  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 25,224 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2023

    My wife loves the ocean a lot of our vacations have been to the ocean ,

    maybe she has a plan since I can't swim

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