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Safety | Weather Conditions
Safety Tips
Enjoy swimming in the great outdoors – but be responsible and take the following precautions:
- Swim in a brightly-coloured hat (ideally not blue, white or green) – so other water users can see you;
- If you can, swim in a group of swimmers and let people know your plans;
- Don’t swim across ferry routes or busy sailing/boating/jet ski areas or around ferry jetties – boats are often not expecting swimmers in the water and may not see you;
- Local knowledge – find out good swimming spots (you are generally NOT allowed to swim in reservoirs). Local swim clubs or triathlon clubs may be able to offer some advice;
- Ideally you should have a kayak or support boat with you;
- If the lake has boat users your support boat should display an Alpha flag (blue and white), so other boat users know you are in the water and they should alter course;
- Finally, remember to pack your common sense, check the water depth before jumping in, be careful of sharp objects, be aware of tides at sea, strong currents in rivers, access issues (trespassing on private land), fishermen (don’t swim over for a chat), fabled water creatures like mermaids or the Loch Ness monster … have fun out there.
Safety
Take a common sense approach to your safety – and take on board the crucial factors that will enable you to stay safe while swimming in open water.
One of the first issues to consider is how clean the water you want to swim in is. Rivers in the UK are now cleaner than they've been for over a century. The Environment Agency rates the cleanliness of water and can provide detailed information about most places in the country. The cleanliness rating system runs from A to E – it is not recommended that you swim anywhere rated D or E. Find out more at:
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
The best and safest approach is to try and swim where other people swim. Find this out by doing a quick search on the Internet. It’s also worth checking if it’s actually legal to swim in the area you plan to. For ideas, check out the Swim Map Tracker feature in this section of the site.
And always swim with someone else or have someone following you on the bank or in a boat.
If you get into difficulty – through cramp, hypothermia, anxiety or tiredness – you may need urgent help from someone else, either in the water with you, in a boat beside you or even on the bank nearby.
A wetsuit will certainly help with both buoyancy and keeping you warm and comfortable. Some suitable swimming footwear is also a good idea in rivers and areas where it’s easy to tread on something sharp.
Another person can also help out if you have trouble maintaining a comfortable visibility level.
Joining a swimming group is often an easier and more enjoyable way to keep safe.
You always need to be aware of possible currents and always try to stick to the shallows and ensure you know the places where you can get safely in and out. Never jump into the water – even if you can see the bottom as anything may be hidden underneath (such as sharp tree branches).
It can be difficult for others to see you in the water, which is why a bright swimming cap will help you be seen.
However, it’s likely that there may be other users of the stretch of water you are swimming in, such as other swimmers, different watersports enthusiasts and even boats, meaning you need to seriously consider your safety.
The prevailing weather conditions will also have a big impact on your safety.
Swimming in reservoirs is best avoided as they are too deep, too cold and too big – and their automatic suction systems can pull you down and their steep banks can make it hard to get in and out!
Here are some specific issues that can affect your safety:
Strong currents – ensure you know as much about your chosen stretch of open water as possible. Strong currents can drag you into all kinds of trouble and should be avoided at all cost. Some normally benign rivers can be dramatically affected by heavy rain – and swollen rivers will always be far more dangerous than they might normally be. The water can also become muddy or darker as well as faster;
Weirs and waterfalls – do your homework on the stretch of open water you plan to swim in and avoid anywhere with a weir or a waterfall;
Weeds – take extra care in areas of heavy vegetation as plants and weeds can trap you;
Pike – these large, predatory fish are common in many rivers and can be stimulated by the movements of fish, so take care not to cause too much disturbance in areas where they are known to be as they can pack a nasty bite;
Fish hooks & rubbish – these hazards can be a major feature of some rivers and other stretches of open water. Wearing good swimming footwear will cut out the prospect of a bad cut;
Boats – be aware of other water users. Sometimes they may not be able to see you clearly, which is why it’s always a good idea to wear a bright cap. Also, stay vigilant while in the water and don’t assume you’ve been seen;
Rope swings – theses can be a dangerous means of getting into the water. Be very cautious if you do plan to use one and, at the very least, ensure you’ve seen someone else safely use it first.