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So You Can Go Swimming!


JennyMorgan

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Mel Holland contacted me and has allowed me to post the message she was going to submit to the swimming topic.

Regards

Alan

 

Hi everyone,

Please let me introduce myself, I'm Mel Holland and the event organiser for the Waveney River Swim. I apologise now for the lengthy response but I think that given the comments that I've read here, I hope it's viewed a good thing rather than being brief.

One thing to get out there, open water swimming is a personal preference. I completely recognise that it's not for everyone. However, it is a hugely growing sport in the UK, one I think personally I have a lot of experience in. When it comes to swimming, you name it, I'll have likely done it. From swimming in shark infested waters to being stung by jellyfish or swimming through a group of swans, competing in 0 degree water (no wetsuit!), sprinting 25m free to swimming 24 miles, in lakes, rivers, sea, pools, busy with boats or completely clear of any obstructions, I've done it. I completely get this can be viewed as bonkers by some! This event will not only bring quite a lot of local swimmers together, but there's a lot of interest from people out of the region interested in coming to the broads not only to swim the event but holiday alongside it. I'm sorry if you'd rather it didn't.

Firstly, I can't comment on any recommendations or advice that you may or may not have been given by any organisation about swimming in the broads. All I can comment on is the event itself including what safety measures have been taken. And before I get into any details, please let me say that safety is paramount to the event. If you have any concerns, the best way to raise and address them is by contacting me via the event website at broadsswimming.co.uk. I have addressed numerous safety concerns raised by this forum already which have been documented within risk assessments, normal operations procedures, an emergency action plan, and go/no go criteria. All those documents have been assessed or are being assessed by the Broads Authority, insurers and the RNLI to name a few. It's not been simply write a document and you're good to go, the reviews are rigorous and for the right reasons which I welcome.

Secondly, nothing will be shut to any river user. We are here to co-exist with everyone. No moorings will be shut, nor any section of the river. The Broads Authority have been very clear that we co-exist with all other river users. I get that our event may not be conducive to other river users but we are here for one day of the year. If you choose to avoid the section we're in during the swim, that is your choice, however we are to here to work with you. All we need is access to the ladders at each mooring to allow swimmers to enter/exit the water safely. I hear what you're saying about fishing, a number of signs about swimmers in the water strategically placed as well as a course recce prior to the swim starting will alert other river users on the course about our presence, if not already known.

Thirdly, event safety. As mentioned we are working closely with the Broads Authority who have been insistent that the event adheres to river by-laws. E.g. swimmers are to stick close to edge of the river. That being said, any other river user will also need to adhere to the rules when overtaking. We will have both powered and non-powered safety craft on the river adhering to the safety level of cover set by both Triathlon England as well as the ASA. Our event staff will be briefed what to do when encountering other river users including if they are not very experienced. We also have a plan for divers to clear the course of things like fishing line or other underwater obstructions prior to the event. Swimmers mandatorily must wear tow floats to make them more visible. Contact will be made with every day boat hire company, whether northern or southern broads based, to alert them about the event. Also, the reason I've chosen 50 swimmers per wave is because this is actually a significantly reduced number per wave of similar swims elsewhere in the country in rivers of the same size. There are multiple reasons for doing this, not only because it reduces the amount of swimmers entering the river at any one time, there are medical reasons for doing so also.

To be honest, there's quite a lot more that I could go into about the safety measures that are being put in place for the event. As mentioned, the best way to get in contact should you have any concerns is via the event website at broadsswimming.co.uk. The documents I mentioned above about risk assessment etc are not a one time thing for me, they are living documents that can be added to as any potential risks are identified so as they can be addressed.

I do hope this addresses any concerns, but please do get in contact if it doesn't via the website.
Regards,
Mel Holland

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Right - moderators here - 

We Have unlocked the thread, as we feel that this can be discussed in a civilized manner.

We will be carefully watching the thread to ensure there are no derogatory or disrespectful remarks made.

please dont ignore moderator warnings.

if things start getting out of hand we will lock the thread again.

Thank you for your co-operation.

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55 minutes ago, Bound2Please said:
1 hour ago, Bobdog said:

I wish it every success and hope that it becomes a regular fixture in the Broads National Park calendar.

:default_eusa_naughty::6973434b8b31cd5effed88c7cbb2f1149d4af7_t:

At this rate I think I had better get my two pennuth in while the thread is still open!

Like Smellyloo I remember the old Beccles regattas and I was one of the Pickerell Arms number two crew in the Beccles and All England Shovel-boat race for two seasons in the late 60s. 

I suggest that the fun of a regatta water frolic is a very different thing from a passage swim which, we are told, will  take an average swimmer 5 hours to complete.

If it were done on a canal, with a towpath giving direct access to the bank I might understand it but on the Waveney? I recall an incident about this time last year when a man fell out of a hired canoe and would soon have drowned if he were not seen by chance by someone at the WRC who rescued him from the reeds that he was hanging onto, unable to get out of the water. And the river is like that, on both banks, all the way.

In my opinion this proposal is misplaced and potentially too dangerous.

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For sure  I will not be there on the day,what I think needs to be considered is the views of locals and businesses.Which ever way to look at it,It could well affect many people as mentioned many times is concern about safety.If all these areas can be satisfied then by all means go ahead,but I do have doubts.

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We have been assured that a thorough safety assessment has been carried out, is there a need for less informed individuals to cast doubts on the advisability based on safety.

Wild swimmers, which this event will attract, are used to swimming in conditions much worse than the waveney, surely we can allow them to decide if this event is viable.

Sadly we seem to live in a society where we revel in thinking up reasons not to do things instead of welcoming new ideas.

I hope the negativity written here, although well intentioned, won't put the organisers off from organising future broadland events.

One final request please can we refer to the broads as the broads ... continued use of national park label only serves to fuel discontent and ill feeling amongst members. 

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16 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

A swim of that length will require the whole of a rising tide in order to complete the course. On July 1st that will mean leaving the WRC before 0900. Are they really going to get 200 swimmers away by that time?

Seems to be an 8.30 first start. Slower swimmers first. 

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While I thank Ms Holland for her input I read nothing in it to suggest she understands anything about the location other than possibly the length of water with no physical barriers and consequently the ability to swim unhindered by locks etc,  to compare the Waveney  with any other waterway is illogical given the nature of the river and its banks, there is no other River outside the Broads that carries anywhere near the same volume of boats and inexperienced users and none that would require monitoring over the entire 11 kilometer length of the course.

As far as adhering to the BA requirement to co exist with other river users I can`t see how that is possible when whichever side of the river they use the bank will effectively be out of bounds to Anglers who have limited access anyway, I would also suggest that there are those in the BA that jump at any sort of publicity opportunity.

I have every respect for others choice of activity and have watched open water swimming on the TV as I am sure have others and while I can appreciate its attraction to some I still think this is entirely the wrong location for an event of this nature possibly only understood by people with knowledge and experience of the area.

Fred

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This is a difficult issue and one worthy of discussion and debate on here. I'm not against people accepting risks to partake in a sport of their choice, be that rock climbing, motor sport, deep sea diving or whatever. People taking part should be free to make up their own minds. Open water swimming undoubtedly falls in to a high risk category for the reasons already discussed on this thread and if people want to do it fair enough - but not on the Waveney in high summer please. With this event, those choosing to participate are impacting on the enjoyment and freedom of others, in particular boaters who will have an anxious time avoiding swimmers if they choose to use the stretch that day. I don't accept the "it's only one day in the year" argument presented by the organiser because boaters, especially hirers, can only enjoy their boats a limited number of days each year and 1st July might be one of those days. If I was on the Broads that day I would either have to avoid the stretch or accept being scared to death attempting it. 

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We have been assured that a thorough safety assessment has been carried out, is there a need for less informed individuals to cast doubts on the advisability based on safety.
Wild swimmers, which this event will attract, are used to swimming in conditions much worse than the waveney, surely we can allow them to decide if this event is viable.
Sadly we seem to live in a society where we revel in thinking up reasons not to do things instead of welcoming new ideas.
I hope the negativity written here, although well intentioned, won't put the organisers off from organising future broadland events.


Very well put


One final request please can we refer to the broads as the broads ... continued use of national park label only serves to fuel discontent and ill feeling amongst members. 


Just as soon as people stop saying “it’s not a National Park”
I do agree with you but it does work both ways.
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17 minutes ago, smellyloo said:

I hope the negativity written here,

I suggest that, in my case, a life-time's experience of safety on inland waterways is not negativity, nor is it "kill joy".

 I would rather call it common sense, in the wish not to endanger life.

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Unless the swimmers are directed swim against one bank for the entire distance, they are going to cut corners to reduce the swimming distance. There are some 20 odd bends in the river over the course, so if we assume just one crossing of the river per bend, times 200 swimmers that is 4000 mid river obstacles to be avoided by boating traffic in just 11.5 Km.

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Well I hope they do manage to pull it off and having been a regular swimmer in the broads for many years I am sat here considering whether to enter!

My biggest concerns are not so much being mistaken for a whale on the event whilst participating but more worried about being harpooned on this forum long before getting to the WRC slipway.

Do we have the same attitude to the London marathon when our enjoyment of our vehicles is restricted for the day or how about the English stages of the tour de France and the traffic restrictions that causes. 

Should I have been lambasted for causing inconvenience to others whilst taking the wherry turn in anger on a Thursday night and preventing free access to the broad to other river users?

I was there on the very first SUP race, there were I think, 8 on the long race and 5 on the short course. They jumped through hoops to make that happen and look at it now. 

Ultimately we are all responsible for our own safety. 

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21 minutes ago, smellyloo said:

 

Sadly we seem to live in a society where we revel in thinking up reasons not to do things instead of welcoming new ideas.

I hope the negativity written here, although well intentioned, won't put the organisers off from organising future broadland events.

 

Speaking personally I have no wish to stop anyone enjoying whatever it is they enjoy and I think any form of outdoor activity should be encouraged, however I am old enough to be of a generation where respect for others was equally as important as the right to do our own thing, I like to think that whatever activity I undertake it is done without interfering with others right to enjoy their chosen lifestyle.

Fred

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10 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

I suggest that, in my case, a life-time's experience of safety on inland waterways is not negativity, nor is it "kill joy".

 I would rather call it common sense, in the wish not to endanger life.

I certainly would not take a motor boat on the river during the event as my risk assessment says it would be unsafe to do so. 

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8 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

I suggest that, in my case, a life-time's experience of safety on inland waterways is not negativity, nor is it "kill joy".

 I would rather call it common sense, in the wish not to endanger life.

Has anybody mentioned the obvious message which will be given that if it is OK to swim in the Waveney then surely it is OK to swim in the Bure, the Ant and what about a nice dip in the Yare.

Andrew

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7 minutes ago, Wussername said:

Has anybody mentioned the obvious message which will be given that if it is OK to swim in the Waveney then surely it is OK to swim in the Bure, the Ant and what about a nice dip in the Yare.

Andrew

I watched a recent TV program of people who regularly swim across the mersey. Im not aware that this resulted in hordes of people taking to regular swimming there. 

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6 minutes ago, rightsaidfred said:

Speaking personally I have no wish to stop anyone enjoying whatever it is they enjoy and I think any form of outdoor activity should be encouraged, however I am old enough to be of a generation where respect for others was equally as important as the right to do our own thing, I like to think that whatever activity I undertake it is done without interfering with others right to enjoy their chosen lifestyle.

Fred

But that works both ways.  Your right to do your own thing on a boat could be seen as interfering with others right to enjoy their chosen lifestyle of wild swimming.  Why should your pleasure always take priority?

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1 minute ago, smellyloo said:

I watched a recent TV program of people who regularly swim across the mersey. Im not aware that this resulted in hordes of people taking to regular swimming there. 

Sorry but I don't see the comparison.

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12 hours ago, ranworthbreeze said:

This event will not only bring quite a lot of local swimmers together, but there's a lot of interest from people out of the region interested in coming to the broads not only to swim the event but holiday alongside it. I'm sorry if you'd rather it didn’t.

Mel Holland has covered everything very well and we should thank her for her input. I do however take issue with the above as she has clearly been fed some incorrect and biased information ie people don’t want outsiders coming in. That’s how I read that anyway. I am sure I speak for many of us when I say that it can only be a good thing when more visitors come to the Broads and bring business to the area. Hopefully some of the competitors will like what they see and want to come back. I hope you are reading this Mel because the Broads relies very heavily on its visitors, whatever aspect they come for. If you have been told this debate is because of selfishness, that is totally wrong. On this forum most of us try and look at things from all angles and points of view, sadly one or two cannot understand that.

Having had the competitor angle, I would welcome some input from the BA as would others I imagine. Is it all business as usual or will there be any closures/restrictions. I hope some further clarification will be forthcoming. 

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8 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

restricted for the day or how about the English stages of the tour de France and the traffic restrictions that causes. 

Sadly when they closed off most of Clacton on Sea front last year for the Tour de Tendring, not only did the shops loose a lot of trade, we couldnt get out of our road, causing me to miss an IMPORTANT TO ME prostrate cancer appointment. Also I believe the ambulance service couldnt get to 2 heart attacks, the paramedics had to leg it to them. So closing off roads is dangerous and people do create about it. . 

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