After the 1972 olympics, (Mark Spitz), the Sonny and Cher Show had Mark Spitz on as a guest. They did several skits, and one of them involved Mark Spitz living in Venice, Italy, and getting around town by swimming everywhere.
I must have been about 13 or 14 at the time. I was just getting into swimming at the time; my family had just joined the local summer swim club. It affected me as more than just a comedy routine. Ever since then, from time to time, I contemplated what it would be like to be in a situation where my swimming ability would allow me to survive. I'd think about John F. Kennedy and the PT-109 crew in WWII swimming from island to island to survive. The movie WaterWorld came out. Then Titanic, and Cast Away... Then the Tsunami hit. And now, Hurricane Katrina.
I wonder how many of the deaths were due to drowning where even some rudimentary swimming capability could have made the difference between life and death.
I've actually considered piping up with this sort of thought in the triathlete threads. My swimming capabilities might save my life, but only in very limited circumstances. However the tri-guys would leave me in their dust if the ability to run were the saving grace.
I guess these sorts of disasters affect us all in different ways. Today Katrina has me waxing philosophical.
Former Member
Not much in the mood to discuss the hurricane but PT-109 is one of my favorite oldies!
Former Member
What about Open Water (the movie)? Reminds me of a medical practice I once worked in, but that's another story.
Former Member
Originally posted by Guvnah
I wonder how many of the deaths were due to drowning where even some rudimentary swimming capability could have made the difference between life and death.
In severe water conditions (water rushing and gushing around) and bad weather swimming ability will help you about as much as it will when you get caught in the riptide... that would be not much. Plus, it's not open water, it's water full of mud and all kinds of debree smacking you around, and probably panic all around you.
Later on as water calms down, it may be little bit helpful, but after a severe storm and spending the night or two on the roof, most people are expected to be very fatigured, dehydrated, likely injured, hungry, bodies not functioning at their sporty optimum level. Trying to swim your usual distance at half energy in unknown murky waters full of debree, gators, snakes and who knows what else... not a good idea, no matter how good of a swimmer you are. Plus, the water is terribly poluted, and one probably wouldn't just happen to have their goggles with them.
Where I think some rudimentary swimming skills might help a person is if they fell asleep on an inflatable raft in their home pool after a beer or two, jolted themselves after the beer can falling out of their hand and spilling in their belly and capsized the raft. One would most likely be able to thrash around enough to get to the edge of the pool, in calm waters.
IMO
My heart and prayers go out to our desperate neighbors to the south. As mentioned above, their situation wouldn't have improved with adequate swimming abilities but I hope they can hang on.
Former Member
BY the way, I highly recommend the book Isaac's Storm, which is about the Galveston hurricane of 1900. Many similarities to what happened this week on the Gulf Coast. It will definitely make you think twice before "riding out" a storm as many tried to do.
