Swimming The Broads.

[JennyMorgan]

Went swimming yesterday, should have taken my rubber duck and soap on a rope because the water was more than warm! 

However, some folk are causing problems. I went alongside the floating jetty at the Oulton Broad Yacht Club on Thursday, as I manouvered my dory alongside two youngsters ran along the jetty and bombed into the water either side of my running outboard, one so close that he actually slapped the top of the engine as he hit the water. It all happened so fast that there was nothing that I could do but thankfully my engine was in neutral otherwise it could have been awful. I told the boy that he was an idiot and inevitably received a foul mouth rebuke. I then told him that he was also an idiot for not accepting sound advice in regard to his safety. I lifted the engine to show him the prop which I then put in gear. He did not know that outboards had  props! 

Later a BA Ranger was on the Broad for the speedboats so I went over for a mardle and mentioned the incident. Friendly bloke, as most are, who then went on to tell me that swimmers were jumping off the Beccles bypass bridge, an eighteen foot drop into the water. Unwise but in itself not a major problem but apparently there was absolutely no thought for boats passing under the bridge and the obvious risks of landing on one! 

Interesting article here:

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/swimmers-ignoring-water-safety-warnings-face-court-action-and-fines-1-6184585?fbclid=IwAR01xhY-7Dh-3e9BLwVdruuJJFjXWuRMMWl-_Ok33jQNtmzhDZGvVTaSB2c

[BroadsAuthority]

With the recent hot weather and rise in popularity of wild swimming we'll be increasing our safety messaging about the dangers of swimming in the Broads over the coming weeks. You may have already seen our webpage on outdoor swimming but if not here it is: https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/navigating-the-broads/outdoor-swimming

Also thank you for posting that article link @JennyMorgan.

It was interesting to read the incident at Horstead Mill being quoted as an example of dangerous swimming when that exact location was featured in a 'Norfolk's Top 5 wild swimming spots' article in the EDP on 25 July where visitors were being encouraged to try outdoor swimming in the Broads (with very limited mention of the risks of swimming).

This of course was rather concerning to us and we're keen to re-iterate that although we accept that members of the public are entitled to outdoor swim as they wish (providing it is in a legal manner), they should do so accepting the risks and being fully aware of the safety implications both for themselves and other river traffic.

Tom

[marshman]

Are you sure that it was a real Ranger you spoke to Pete?  I thought they had been told not to fraternise with the natives???

[JennyMorgan]

Tom, just a thought, with the much publicised Waveney Swim is there not now a risk of mixed messages being put out? No easy answer to this one as responsible, organised swimming needn't be a problem, right time and right place, but clearly wider education is needed, especially in schools.

I lost a family friend a few years ago whilst 'wild water' swimming and boating near Bungay so I do have some concerns on this one. Outside the BA navigation area but still relevant.

https://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/drowning-mother-saved-her-son-s-life-1-508612

[dnks34]

I have also seen youths jumping from Beccles bypass bridge before now and seen a large group of kids jumping from moorings on the Chet, i have also seen children from a Hire boat swimming in Womack Water. 

This type of thing probably happens quite a lot but when groups of people are now to be seen swimming up the river its going to get harder and harder pointing out the very real dangers swimming in open water poses. 

I agree with JM regarding the possibility of mixed messages.  

In my opinion I wouldn't be making any reference to “organised events” at all in any literature with advice about swimming.  

 

[JawsOrca]

It seems the reference to swimming at Horstead mill has been removed: https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/views/top-5-wild-swimming-spots-in-norfolk-1-6153448 

7 hours ago, BroadsAuthority said:

It was interesting to read the incident at Horstead Mill being quoted as an example of dangerous swimming when that exact location was featured in a 'Norfolk's Top 5 wild swimming spots' article in the EDP on 25 July where visitors were being encouraged to try outdoor swimming in the Broads (with very limited mention of the risks of swimming).

We've seen our fair share of swimmers the one that concerned me the most was at how hill, about three lads even diving under right in front of the boat whilst we was going forward, I used the air horn and brought the river to a stop whilst they got out, they clearly didn't see any danger, I'm not surprised by peters explanation that they didn't understand there's a prop under the water. Perhaps more should be done by the BA.. perhaps signage at least at mooring spots? You see them all the time at Salhouse too but thankfully they are in the shallows.. plus in norwich. It certainly does seem that mixed messages are being given out.. I'd say organised events are very different and should be permitted but then these should b used to clearly demonstrate that it's not safe hence it's an organised event.

[Chelsea14Ian]

When the temp goes high as it has done over the last week.some seem to lose all reason. In the last few weeks think two people died in the Thames others risk there lives swimming in deep cold water.Now the weather is cooler the risk reduces, however the risk is still there and must be managed. 

[Wussername]

Swimming in the rivers and broads has certainly increased, in my mind, this year more than ever. It was only about three weeks ago that I witnessed a group of some five or six young people on paddle boards, on Malthouse broad. Inevitably the group decided to swim. They were some 20 to 30 yards from the quay heading. Six heads bobbing about in one of the busiest and popular places on the broads. Frequented by experienced boat hirers and experienced private owners.

 

And the not so experienced.

 

Last year at Reedham, a number of children about six in total. changed into their swimming gear, collected their rubber rings and floating mattresses and proceeded to the rescue steps to enter the River Yare in full flood. Had they been able to enter the water there is no doubt in my mind that we would have been presented with a serious emergency involving an unprecedented response from the emergency services but for the presence of mind from the Broads Authority quay attendant the situation was prevented from escalating.

 

Last Thursday, the hottest day of the year in fact I was cruising down the River Yare past the first railway bridge at Thorpe St Andrew village green. Just the other side of the bridge people were swimming in the original river. A fairly safe place I would have thought. Indeed I remember my mother telling me that she and her sisters would swim round the island from Town House into the new cut down to the other railway bridge, past the pub (for the life of me I cannot remember the name, was it Thorpe Gardens) past Hearts Cruisers and back to Town House.  Jenners Boat yard.

 

My journey that evening took me past the church mooring at Brundall. Some ten to twelve teenagers, boys and girls, from the village were jumping in and out of the river. not venturing very far into the river itself, it has to be said.  A practice I suspect has been carried out for generations.

 

A practice I suspect was carried out throughout  broadland years ago, without reservation. 

 

Andrew

 

[JennyMorgan]

8 minutes ago, Wussername said:

A practice I suspect was carried out throughout  broadland years ago, without reservation.

Undoubtedly it has, indeed as kids we spent a good proportion of our summer holidays swimming in the Broads, that was when we weren't fishing or sailing. But that was then, what of today? Education, education and yet more education.

[Timbo]

While I was teaching in the States in the 1990's I came across a monograph by Professor Cippola of UC Berkeley entitled 'The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity'. His monograph detailed five basic laws.

1. Always and inevitably each of us underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation.

2. The probability that a given person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic possessed by that person.

3. A person is stupid if they cause damage to another person or group of people without experiencing personal gain, or even worse causing damage to themselves in the process.

4. Non-stupid people always underestimate the harmful potential of stupid people; they constantly forget that at any time anywhere, and in any circumstance, dealing with or associating themselves with stupid individuals invariably constitutes a costly error.

5. A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person there is.

For anyone interested in researching this phenomena further here is a link to the complete essay. 

 

[Vaughan]

I have also swum round the Island in Thorpe more than once. Swam across the river once or twice as well, coming home from Norwich to find someone had nicked my dinghy!

On one memorable occasion I swam from Evening Flight's mooring on Wroxham Broad, right round all the racing buoys and back, at 2 o'clock in the morning. Sounds a bit pointless but I was chasing a rather beautiful young girl in a bikini at the time. I caught her as well, just after the windward mark!

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, Vaughan said:

I caught her as well, just after the windward mark!

And???????