21-06-2012, 06:50 PM
11
Re: Open Water Swimming.
We learnt to swim in the local baths but practised in the River Trent just below the weir at Gunthorpe. It's a wonder we didn't die of the pollution at that time, the brown suds were around 18" thick where it tumbled over the weir and we could hardly see where we were going...
but happy days....
21-06-2012, 08:27 PM
13
Re: Open Water Swimming.
When I was 3 we were living in a rented house in the middle of a large field through which ran a dirty stream, and there was a larger area of water at one point that we called the swimming hole. I learned to swim there, when my parents gently put me in and got me to swim back to them standing ever further away. I've never looked back, and love being in the water. But nowadays, only warm tropical water will do!
21-06-2012, 08:38 PM
14
Re: Open Water Swimming.
Originally Posted by orangutan
->
When I was 3 we were living in a rented house in the middle of a large field through which ran a dirty stream, and there was a larger area of water at one point that we called the swimming hole. I learned to swim there, when my parents gently put me in and got me to swim back to them standing ever further away. I've never looked back, and love being in the water. But nowadays, only warm tropical water will do!
22-06-2012, 04:03 AM
15
Re: Open Water Swimming.
My friend pitched her baby into the swimming baths at around age 3 months, under her strict supervision, of course. He learned to swim from that early age.Sadly for myself, I never learned how to swim, but I did try. When living in Northern Ireland, my husband, friends and I decided to go to the swimming pool in the American barracks at Ballykelly on a Sunday afternoon.
Everybody kept their eyes on me and tried their best to teach me, but I just kept sinking.
Anyhooo, one fine Sunday afternoon, there was a new lifeguard. A big Haiitian chap, gorgeous, muscles rippling and he said to me: "Li'l lady, I'll teach you how to swim." I was given a "float" which I stuck under me tummy, but it turned me upside down on me back and, when I started to paddle with me feet and throw my arms back over my head, I started to move feet first! Absolutely true!
I never did learn how to swim.
22-06-2012, 02:45 PM
16
Re: Open Water Swimming.
Originally Posted by Mollie
->
My friend pitched her baby into the swimming baths at around age 3 months, under her strict supervision, of course. He learned to swim from that early age.Sadly for myself, I never learned how to swim, but I did try. When living in Northern Ireland, my husband, friends and I decided to go to the swimming pool in the American barracks at Ballykelly on a Sunday afternoon.
Everybody kept their eyes on me and tried their best to teach me, but I just kept sinking.
Anyhooo, one fine Sunday afternoon, there was a new lifeguard. A big Haiitian chap, gorgeous, muscles rippling and he said to me: "Li'l lady, I'll teach you how to swim." I was given a "float" which I stuck under me tummy, but it turned me upside down on me back and, when I started to paddle with me feet and throw my arms back over my head, I started to move feet first! Absolutely true!
I never did learn how to swim.
22-06-2012, 10:55 PM
17
Re: Open Water Swimming.
When we lived in Wales there was an open air swimming pool - the school used it during the summer but the public used it at weekends. One year just after my birthday Mum took us down there, I think I was about 13. I'd got some new Lime Green Stirrup pants for my birthday which I was wearing. We had to get changed in the changing rooms & then bring our clothes outside for somebody to look after.Anyway I couldn't swim but was running back to Mum with all my clothes in my arms when somebody banged in to me. I fell in the pool - all my clothes went in with me
I went down to the bottom like a stone-came up again - sank again before somebody realized I was in trouble & dived in to drag me out.
I never felt confident in the water after that & never learned to swim properly - I also had to go home with damp clothes on
Trying to get me to learn to swim I think it was in school a lifeguard tied a rope around my middle & he walked along the edgeo with me swimming along quite well while he held on to the rope telling me you cant sink i'm holding on to you - until I realized that the rope was hanging loose in the water & I panicked & sank
23-06-2012, 09:22 PM
18
Re: Open Water Swimming.
I got pushed in the deep end of the pool, when I was young this put me off swimming. I did learn to swim but not till I was a lot older. But I do not like to swim unless my feet can touch the floor.I made sure my children could swim. Son swam on the Greater Manchester and Lancashire school team. Missed the England school team by a touch.
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