So You Can Go Swimming!

[JennyMorgan]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/waveney-river-swim-2018-1-5452716

[TheQ]

Hmm... swimmers, motor boats, propellors, rescue boats /guardships, rights of Navigation....

I have nothing against swimming and in fact I've been in many times, just worried about:

A, the danger

B, the precidence, if they close the river for it.

PS I thought Burgh St Peter to Beccles was Up river, not Down as reported in the article, although I guess they will have it during an incoming tide...

[MauriceMynah]

Nice to see the EDP's journalists are still researching stories to their normal exacting standards. I don't know the southern waters as well as I do the northern side, but I'm sure last time I was in Beccles, it was "Up River" from the Waveney River Centre.

Anyway, pedantic hat to one side, What will be happening to boating whilst this is going on? As it's on a Sunday, it's likely to be a hirers first full day.. It's not likely to endear itself to the anglers in that area either.

Has anyone thought this through?

 Edited to add...  Hi Q, both responses typed at same time both posts saying much the same.

[Hylander]

As well as  the craft on the river , just think what is floating about in it.   All these sea toilets being flushed (illegally) into the river and a whole lot more.  . Never mind Weils Disease.  No thanks.

 

 

 

 

[Chelsea14Ian]

The idea could  be good,however as others have said.There are many things to consider. I guess boats for a time will be unable to  use that part of the river,Will there be a check on what's under the water.For many years there has been much done to keep people out of the water.These are just a few things to consider.

[smellyloo]

That's great news. It's nice to see the return of swimmers to Beccles .... memories of the old regatta frolics.

It's also good to open up the rivers to other interest groups other than boating and fishing.

I note that there will be tests on the condition of the water prior to the event.

One again the Suffolk broads lead the way.

 

[vanessan]

I guess the river between WRC and Beccles will have to be closed to boats for the day. With 50 swimmers going off at a time it would surely be too dangerous to have boats around? What about day boat hire from Beccles too? The moorings at North Cove and Worlingham will be closed to boats as well. There is a lot of fishing along that stretch and with the long rods etc used these days, I could see problems. I can’t see how it could be managed without closing the river in its entirety.

[Guest]

To me the river would need closing to boat other than those involved otherwise its extremely dangerous in my book , while I totally agree that the water is for everyone when one group inconveniences other groups then that's not fair , as for BA making moorings available I take it that means anyone moored would have to leave the mooring , it would have been a much better idea to use 2x floating Pontoon's as staging posts , totally agree with MM as to the angling aspect a lot if fishing goes on down that stretch of river but clearly not going to be that day so that's another group put out .

I'm not against it in principal but I do think its in the wrong place on the system and its impact on other groups is unfair .

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, vanessan said:

I guess the river between WRC and Beccles will have to be closed to boats for the day. With 50 swimmers going off at a time it would surely be too dangerous to have boats around? What about day boat hire from Beccles too? The moorings at North Cove and Worlingham will be closed to boats as well. There is a lot of fishing along that stretch and with the long rods etc used these days, I could see problems. I can’t see how it could be managed without closing the river in its entirety.

You must have been reading my mind or via versa 

[batrabill]

Sounds a great event - and shows what nonsense it is to say it’s not safe to swim.  

It’s funny how everyone seems to think they have a right to not be “inconvenienced”  

Does Horning sailing club “inconvenience” boasters when they’re racing? Of course they do, but so what?

We all share the river and that means a bit of give and take.  

 

[dnks34]

So long as the participants are displaying their registration numbers and have paid the appropriate short visit toll, Its fine by me.

Joking aside, I have no objection to other interests using the rivers but I would not consider it fair to see any part of the navigation closed to facilitate it. 

If its properly organised and they have enough safety boats we should all coexist just fine. 

[vanessan]

27 minutes ago, batrabill said:

It’s funny how everyone seems to think they have a right to not be “inconvenienced”  

I can’t actually see where ‘everyone’ is thinking that. Maybe one or two but certainly not everyone. The above posts are members expressing their opinions as to the event and its practicalities. MM questioned whether the idea had been thought through and I think that is what is in most minds.

[Chelsea14Ian]

36 minutes ago, batrabill said:

Sounds a great event - and shows what nonsense it is to say it’s not safe to swim.  

It’s funny how everyone seems to think they have a right to not be “inconvenienced”  

Does Horning sailing club “inconvenience” boasters when they’re racing? Of course they do, but so what?

We all share the river and that means a bit of give and take.  

 

I don't have  a problem,There is however  a difference with this and sailing. With sailing you can also use the river.Its my quest that with swimming for the time swimming takes place boats will be unable to use the river.

[batrabill]

Do you think they will mark a channel near the bank?

[Guest]

51 minutes ago, batrabill said:

Sounds a great event - and shows what nonsense it is to say it’s not safe to swim.  

It’s funny how everyone seems to think they have a right to not be “inconvenienced”  

Does Horning sailing club “inconvenience” boasters when they’re racing? Of course they do, but so what?

We all share the river and that means a bit of give and take.  

 

Hardly a fair comparison really given that we are talking of person's in the water not boats ..no one group has the right no matter who they are to have priority on the river , but given that BA is largely funded by boats its a bit rich to close Mooring's and highly likely restrictions on boat movement's , like I said in another area it could work perfectly well but that to me is the wrong area of the broads for such an event .

[Chelsea14Ian]

18 minutes ago, batrabill said:

Do you think they will mark a channel near the bank?

If you are referring to me,I am not suggesting anything.What I am pointing  out is there are questions that need to be asked and answered. I am sure it could be a good event once all points are covered.

[rightsaidfred]

I could be wrong but I don't see how they can justify closing almost the whole length of River for half a day or more leaving boats stranded for a fun event.

Fred

[vanessan]

29 minutes ago, batrabill said:

Do you think they will mark a channel near the bank?

As they indicate they will be releasing 50 swimmers in each batch, it will have to be quite a wide channel don’t you think?

[ranworthbreeze]

If the swim has to be in Beccles then to me it would have made more sense to do it above the low Beccles Bridge to limit the number of craft on the river. 

Regards

Alan

[JennyMorgan]

The river will not be closed for the day, plain and simple, try it if they will.

What worries me is that the BA are allowing the organisers to take over the 24 hr moorings, on a Sunday when local boaters habitually make use of them for the day. As for anglers, well here is a very real problem especially from a safety point of view. If a swimmer becomes entangled in a fishing line, far from impossible, and is subsequently hooked then who is responsible? This hasn't been thought through, quite clearly. I would have thought that using the Trinity Broads was an option.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, batrabill said:

Sounds a great event - and shows what nonsense it is to say it’s not safe to swim.  

It’s funny how everyone seems to think they have a right to not be “inconvenienced”  

Does Horning sailing club “inconvenience” boasters when they’re racing? Of course they do, but so what?

We all share the river and that means a bit of give and take.  

 

I think we are about finished with measures to stop people "offending others" so we have started thinking about measures to stop people "inconveniencing others"

I wonder what is next?

[JennyMorgan]

If an angler is fishing a match and subsequently hooks a swimmer will they be able to weigh the swimmer in their catch?

 

[smellyloo]

Angling and swimming events coexisted quite amicably for many years in Beccles. 

 

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, batrabill said:

Sounds a great event - and shows what nonsense it is to say it’s not safe to swim.  

It’s funny how everyone seems to think they have a right to not be “inconvenienced”  

Does Horning sailing club “inconvenience” boasters when they’re racing? Of course they do, but so what?

We all share the river and that means a bit of give and take.  

 

Bill, you are quite right in what you have written, in my opinion, but beyond that I do question the safety aspect of 200 swimmers on a navigable river in the high season. At least the members of Horning Sailing Club are protected from raging MAFI's by the hulls of their boats but swimmers have no such protection.

[Bound2Please]

15 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

If an angler is fishing a match and subsequently hooks a swimmer will they be able to weigh the swimmer in their catch?

 

Only if landed