# Can you swim? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204 "2011-01-19T15:38:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/21 "2011-01-19T17:17:29Z")
I was a lifeguard and on my high school swim team many years ago. My normal exercise swim, twice a week, is one mile in a pool. In the ocean, my longest relatively recent swim was at Acapulco, where I swam around a big rock that Google maps tells me is about 750 feet from shore. That was probably close to 2,000 feet round trip, because I stayed pretty far from the rock when I was on the open-ocean side of it, and I landed at a different spot from where I started. **Shagnasty** - I always used to say that if the water was over my head, I didn’t care if it was 10 feet or 10,000 feet deep. Then I went deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, about thirty miles from shore and in water 120 feet deep. I didn’t effect my swimming, but I was very aware of the immense volume of water under me, and the great variety of living things that were probably there. I got the heeby-jeebies in a way that I had never experienced before. ---
**Author:** ![MobiusStripes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@MobiusStripes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MobiusStripes)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/22 "2011-01-19T17:20:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I would probably be able to survival float. Don’t think I could swim a half mile without exhausting myself. It’s not a matter of being in shape (I can run distances of 10-15 miles just fine). I just can’t swim aerobically, for whatever reason. Swimming is very technique oriented. Certainly moreso than running or cycling. It was eye opening to me when I started to (re)learn how to swim when I wanted to do some triathlons. I figured if I could bike for 3 hours or run for 3 hours, surely a 30 min swim would be a cake walk. WRONG! Huffing and puffing galore. Given the 50 lb 8 years olds flying by me it certainly can’t be strength related! It’s all about technique. I’m still regularly outswum by folks of all ages. Open water swimming (non-pool) is certainly an eye opener as well. I lasted all of 5 min the first time I tried it. Total panic attack. I’m much better now and have done several 1 mile open water swims. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/23 "2011-01-19T17:22:09Z")
I’m not as strong a swimmer as I used to be, but as **Zsofia** and **Renee** say, I could swim a half a mile with little trouble unless the water was extremely cold or there were big waves. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/24 "2011-01-19T18:29:17Z")
One thing I like about MIT is that they have a swimming requirement for graduation. I already had my Swimming merit badge from Boy Scouts and had done the Mile Swim. A good thing about that, too. While sculling in the Charles River my oar came out of the rowlock and I went in. I was in the middle of the widest part of the river, but had no problems. I’m confident that I could swim to safety even today. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/25 "2011-01-19T18:34:56Z")
I would make it eventually, with the same presumption as everyone else - that the water was warm enough that hypothermia wasn’t a fear, but I sure wouldn’t be breaking any speed records. I’m not paniced by water, even exceptionally deep water, so I would just swim/float my way home. Slow and steady wins… well, usually nothing but it’s all I’ve got 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/26 "2011-01-19T18:38:52Z")
Half a mile isn’t that far. I’ve swum more than a mile, albeit in a pool. ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/27 "2011-01-19T19:49:58Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > I used to be a great swimmer when I was younger but now I’m fat and out of shape. But it makes me float better! So I guess a combination of swimming and floating to rest would save me as long as it wasn’t wavy cold water. I’m with you, **Rushgeekgirl**. I’ve got my own built in life preserver, so I can float on my back till the end of time, but any serious distance tires me out quickly. If it was life or death, I’d make it to shore… eventually… but If I had options, Id rather wait for rescue. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/28 "2011-01-19T19:58:18Z")
I could swim a hundred miles if my stamina let me. Unfortunately, I have the lungs of a three year old, so if the floating plan didnt pan out, I’d be effed. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/29 "2011-01-19T20:06:23Z")
If I was a half-mile from shore on a still, warm lake I could probably make it to safety using a combination of freestyle and floating on my back. Any opposing current or chop and I’d probably be a gonner within an hour. I’ve pondered this question many times on research cruises, and came to the conclusion that if in real-life marine conditions if I went overboard sans PFD and no one noticed within 60 seconds, I’d most surely die. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/30 "2011-01-19T20:12:17Z")
I can swim. I could probably even swim half a mile under good conditions if I had to, but I haven’t done it in a long time, so I pu tthe second option. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/31 "2011-01-19T20:15:39Z")
It would depend on the strength of the current, size of the waves, temperature of the water, etc., but I could swim if I had to. I don’t float very well, though. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/32 "2011-01-19T20:22:21Z")
Pretty sure I’ve swum that far in lakes; so long as the current’s not too bad and it’s not too cold then I’ll be slow, but I doubt I’d drown. If the current’s too bad, then drowning sounds like a plan. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/33 "2011-01-19T20:23:25Z")
I could do a half-mile swim just fine. Just not very fast or elegant… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/34 "2011-01-19T20:39:20Z")
My lifeguard certification is decades old, but I could swim it if I had to. Isn’t gonna be pretty, or fast, but I’d get there. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/35 "2011-01-19T21:13:39Z")
I’m a marginal swimmer. The biggest threat to being rescued is my propensity to panic in water because I’m not a strong swimmer. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/36 "2011-01-19T21:43:04Z")
If I fell into deep water, far from land, it would depend. Ocean? Lake? What’s the temperature? What am I wearing? How tired am I? What time of day is it? Can I spot the land? Are there waves? current? How panicked am I (panic attacks in open water aren’t fun)? What else is in the water with me? However, if I read in the paper that an eccentric billionaire made an offer that tomorrow morning at 9am, anyone who came down to a designated pool or manmade lake (free from motorized traffic) and swam a mile would get a million dollar prize, I’d get the prize money. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/37 "2011-01-19T21:54:15Z")
I can only swim a short distance, but float as long as it takes. My body density is great and I have no place to practice, but I would if possible. Not interested in pools with lots of greasy strangers. No room to swim in a hot tub with friends. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/38 "2011-01-19T21:58:50Z")
I can float indefinitely. Can also swim with an easy side or back stroke for however long is reasonably necessary, so I would expect to survive the OP’s scenario barring something like hypothermia or shark attack. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/39 "2011-01-19T22:42:18Z")
I’m not going to win any speed records, for sure, but I’m not worried by 1/2 mile. I swam competitively in school, grew up on the beach, and now live on a lake. Water is not frightening to me, and I tend to stay cool under pressure. I would not be worried. (I always have my shakes and panics AFTER I get out of whatever crap I was in - useful, if irritating.) Assuming no hazards (getting run over by boats, for instance), no freezing weather, and no fog/atmospheric crap to throw me off - 1/2 mile in the ocean? - that’s a bitch, but I’d do allright as long as the current wasn’t directly against me. 1/2 mile in a lake? Cake. Again, I’m not FAST any more as I’ve gotten out of swimming trim, but I’d make it eventually. Unless I cramped or something ate me or I got struck by a shark or lightning, I’d be fine. Tired as hell, most likely, but fine. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204/40 "2011-01-19T22:42:51Z")
I’m not a great swimmer, but 1/2 mile does not seem that far to me. I’d need to take occasional rests by floating, but I’m sure I could cover that distance well before drowning (assuming relatively calm and warm water). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-swim/568204.md?page=3)