Dangerous Activity

[Fisherman65]

My wife and I were on our boat last week and saw children being allowed to jump off the top of a hire boat into the water,others sitting on the stern platform with there legs dangling in the water while underway with the adults? Were 30 ft away at the helm,and other so called adults breaking the speed limits on many occasions, what’s happened to common sense? If a an accident happens no doubt those involved will try to pass on the blame by saying there weren’t enough signs.

[Cheesey69]

Yup and I see people sitting on bow and Stern with their legs over the side. 
Hate to see what happens in a collision especially at how hill and Ludham 

I think the water has this friendly reputation. Lies, it’s always out to kill you

[rightsaidfred]

There is nothing common about sense it is something sadly lacking these days,  we are on holiday so everyday rules dont count just look at the beaches etc and the number of drownings on the news.

Fred

[grendel]

this is why if i take a swim on the broads no matter where, i tie off a safety line to assist me getting out of the water, and take the end of the line with me. i also scope out the depth near my exit point and its consistency  eg soft mud, thus if my legs sink into the mud i have a rope to pull myself out. i am not scared to swim, but i dont see any point in taking unnecessary chances

[JennyMorgan]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

i dont see any point in taking unnecessary chances

Which is why 'skinny dipping' is not to be recommended, those pesky pike like a tasty tit-bit! 

[Guest Jayfire]

6 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

those pesky pike like a tasty tit-bit! 

They're not the only one's 

[YnysMon]

Umm... I just tried to post an advisory word to Jay to say ‘steady!’ and it came out as ‘streaky’. What is is with the spell checker thingamabob?

[Guest Jayfire]

4 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

Umm... I just tried to post an advisory word to Jay to say ‘steady!’ and it came out as ‘streaky’. What is is with the spell checker thingamabob?

It's the thingamabob telling you that you're wasting your time Helen 

[JennyMorgan]

6 minutes ago, Jayfire said:

It's the thingamabob telling you that you're wasting your time Helen 

You can only try and hold a good man down!

[webntweb]

We were at Salhouse today and and ex Broom's woody - think it was an Admiral - looking splendid with its varnished hull, cruised round the broad.

As they were leaving 2 children jumped off the back of the boat into a large inflatable dinghy and were being towed along with the bow of the inflatable lifted out of the water.

[Broads01]

Is it worth phoning Broads Control about these sort of incidents?

[trambo]

I doubt it, as while irresponsible is any law being broken?

Fred

[Vaughan]

8 hours ago, trambo said:

I doubt it, as while irresponsible is any law being broken?

There is something about not being allowed in a dinghy when it is being towed but that may be a hire boat condition, rather than a bye-law.

The danger, with a wooden dinghy, is that if you stand too near the bow your weight may bring the bow down and cause the dinghy to "porpoise". With an inflatable, that is not so much of a risk.

I wouldn't know, I never did it myself, as a boy . . . .   

[Fisherman65]

On 17/08/2020 at 18:14, grendel said:

this is why if i take a swim on the broads no matter where, i tie off a safety line to assist me getting out of the water, and take the end of the line with me. i also scope out the depth near my exit point and its consistency  eg soft mud, thus if my legs sink into the mud i have a rope to pull myself out. i am not scared to swim, but i dont see any point in taking unnecessary chances

 

[Fisherman65]

Didn’t think swimming was allowed on the broads 

[grendel]

its not usually recommended due to the low water temperature, but it is an activity that has always taken place, and last week the water was particularly warm, there have now been several organised events on the waveney. it is indeed an activity that every boater should be aware of and watch out for, much as you need to do for canoeists, and paddle boarders, that are out in prolific numbers at the moment, indeed there is no real difference between a swimmer and a paddle boarder that has fallen off their board.

indeed the Broads Authority strongly advise against it but it is allowed.

Quote

The Broads Authority strongly advises against entering the water unless part of an organised event.

https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/navigating-the-broads/outdoor-swimming

but also advise all of the dangers.

if steps are taken to mitigate the risks- eg only swimming when the water is warm enough, avoiding busy areas or times, etc, then swimming may be undertaken with a degree of safety

[Upcycler]

2 hours ago, grendel said:

its not usually recommended due to the low water temperature, but it is an activity that has always taken place, and last week the water was particularly warm, there have now been several organised events on the waveney. it is indeed an activity that every boater should be aware of and watch out for, much as you need to do for canoeists, and paddle boarders, that are out in prolific numbers at the moment, indeed there is no real difference between a swimmer and a paddle boarder that has fallen off their board.

indeed the Broads Authority strongly advise against it but it is allowed.

https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/navigating-the-broads/outdoor-swimming

but also advise all of the dangers.

if steps are taken to mitigate the risks- eg only swimming when the water is warm enough, avoiding busy areas or times, etc, then swimming may be undertaken with a degree of safety

Also I assume that if you have any open wounds, even if they are small cuts and because of the chance of infection can be at a high swimming in the broads, do people need to be aware of this?

[grendel]

That is generally the case with open wounds no matter where you are swimming  outside of heavily chlorinated swimming pools.

[MauriceMynah]

I often wonder how much broken glass there is in the rivers, that would be my main worry.

[TheQ]

11 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

I often wonder how much broken glass there is in the rivers, that would be my main worry.

Most parts of the broads you won't be touching bottom, even then soft mud, the glass will have sunk down into it.

I've been sailing 40 years on the broads been in many times, seen many people in the water including the children playing at the sailing club. Every rope you handle on a boat has been in the water.

I have yet to hear of anyone catching anything from the river that doesn't wriggle. 

[batrabill]

I understand why the BA want to discourage swimming. But we’ve swum dozens of times this year in Womack, as have our neighbours, and also Hickling, South Walsham, West Somerton and others I’ve forgotten. I’ve had a terrible spell of finger cuts from clumsy cooking all summer. So have had a series of open wounds. 
 

I’ve also gardened all summer - and shhh... don’t tell anyone but rodents, birds, reptiles, dogs, cats, deer, foxes, voles and a million others, they ALL just poo and pee right on the ground! Don’t use loos at all! Hazard!

I loath the snowflake term, but doing things like having a cooling dip in a river used to be called “life”. Now it’s a hazard. 
 

“Like my mamma said, you only live till your dead” It’ll Shine When It Shines. Ozark Mountain Daredevils