Can you swim?

[digicig]

As a kid, i just assumed that ALL me friends could swim tbh. It never occurred to me that i might be excluding anyone when i had swimming related birthday parties etc

Not sure the summers were that much better when i was a kid (though growing up in Cornwall would definitely have helped them seem so ) or if if was just that they were more defined by the 6-7 weeks of school summer holidays, and of course that we could only take good photos when the sun was out - so they're the memories we refer back too

[Q]

Nobody in our family could swim and as a result I never could, but at 28 years old my first wife bought me a beginners course at the local pool, I took to it like a duck to water.
Now 33 years later I tend to only swim on holiday

[Pacer]

I ticked yes as a child, but doubt I would have the skill or power to get out of a rip current.

[sleedale]

I also learned at junior school, and did personal survival....pyjamas and the brick etc and simple life saving. As an adult, teacher training did some kayaking and canoeing which I loved. Now I'm much older, don't do either. But I have to agree with a few, a healthy respect for the sea, tides, beaches, rivers, lakes is a must. Son works in Pembrokeshire and has, on occasion, had to move people away from the sea front in huge storms. I can understand it's a spectacle, but I'd be blummin cross if he was lost saving a lemming! Swimming lessons should be provided for ALL CHILDREN from a young age and swimming pools and leisure centres should let them in for free. And a basic understanding of tides, beaches, waves etc might be useful too. But, even after all that, accidents will still happen, sadly and even skilled, talented, knowledgeable people can be lost.

[Bluefish]

I can swim to a fashion, lessons at school, not very good though due to the fact I don't float, however this means i am good at diving, even if the swim test to pass the course nearly drowned me lol