Has anyone 'Never' swum?

[morsey]

Maybe an odd question, but I've heard people claim to have 'never' swum a few times and it has always been followed with seeing the person paddle and assess that maybe they've always been on easy, for them, water. One person claimed it once and I thought, okay, fair enough. The areas they said sounded about right for good paddling, but saw them years later on a fairly easy waterfall section and we bombed them, and one of our group had never done falls before so we stopped, got out and faffed rather than just running the falls as normal. I can't help but think that perhaps it is a bit of a false chalice. I mean setting yourself up as 'never swimming', is pretty much setting yourself up for a swim. I say this, not because 'if you're not swimming you are not trying', or out of any jealously (good on you, I say) but because literally every single top end paddler I've ever met has swum at sometime. Sooner or later there will be a scenario when you are tugging the deck release.
Or have I got it wrong? Is the mythically claimed kayaking 'No swims' legend status in fact a real badge* of honour? and if so, who claims it?


*obs not a real badge! Not like a 3 star badge, now that is a real badge.

[Rdscott]

It was 10 years of paddling before I took a swim, Paddled grade 4 prodominatly with the ocassional section of 5, but had a bomber roll, and used to be able to hold my breath for a rediculouse length of time,

Then one low water day on a spean gorge,(having paddled it lots of times before)I had a close encounter with a rock and my shoulder,and the saying once you pop you just cant stop seems to be appropriate in 2 ways,my shoulder and my deck.

[cathalferris]

In my ~20 years of paddling, and ~12 years involved in the university club, I've known people that have been a ridiculously long time between swims, but everyone swims at some point. One guy in the club has been about 5 years since the last swim, including a full summer in the Alps. I went about 4 years without a swim, then had a lovely epic lung-filler on the Bourg-St-Maurice national slalom course at 42 on the dam gauge and slate grey water. I don't like swimming, but I'm not afraid of having to if I really need to.

Most of the paddlers that I've known have pushed their paddling carefully and without being stupid about how far they are pushing, and generally don't get into bad situations. I've known a good few of them to be intelligent about portaging if necessary.

[DaveBland]

Not this week.

[Mark Dixon]

Its so often how discussions about trips go something likke this:
How high was it? Did anyone swim?
Swimming should be no big deal and I've learnt not to talk about too much, so try and discuss positive points instead. As soon as swimming comes into discussion it brings doubt into peoples minds.
As for swimming I went for about 20 trips before I swam on white water in grade 2, got complacent with an Island and shat myself.

[davebrads]

I don't know anybody that has never swum, but I have a friend who went a long time without a swim.

So it was very satisfying when he did. He was caught in a closed in stopper on the Roy, and no-one could fail to be impressed with how many times his Magic Bat was looped while he resolutely stayed in his boat. He had to give up in the end though, and suffer the ignominy of being pulled out on a rope.

This was at least ten years ago, but I love to remind him of it every now and again, especially since he has seen me swim far more often and usually with far less excuse.

[Wadhamite]

My boyfriend claims he never swims 'because he's bored of swimming', by which I think he means he hasn't swum in about the last four years - but he isn't tackling anything bigger than grade 3/Olympic course, because he doesn't have buddies to do really gnarly stuff with. He has a saying that you won't learn to roll properly until you're really fricking bored of swimming, because then you actually start trying to stay in your boat to avoid the faff!

[Yew]

I swam! A couple of weeks ago actually. I kept getting worked in the tardis at HPP, after 6-7 rolls I was just like 'f**k this' an pulled my deck.

Turns out my trip surfing in newquay means I have forgotten how to get off a hole, and loop practice at the intet gate means I get back up too quickly to be flushed out on a roll.

[Kayak-Bloke]

Before I took up WW I only paddled in the sea and I swam once in 8 years of paddling.
When I made the transition into surf and WW I think I swam about five times on my first session!
Everyone swims. But people tend to reach a plateaux of comfort zone and rarely move outside of that hence reduce the likelihood.
It's all relative. I know a few really good playboaters that can roll instinctively from every angle but when I follow them down stuff , even CIWW, they sure capsize a lot!
No doubt I swim more than them…But not swimming doesn’t make a good boater.

Mark hit the nail on the head, we make way too much of it and it’s not at all helpful. We’re always asking about swims and hardly ever about the true skills of boating did you make the line you wanted? How often do you capsize by accident (e.g. not when playing).

I’m minded of a trip to the Alps I went on. Seven boaters:
3 that swam (myself included).
1 that bounced off everything but stayed in his boat.
1 that quit early due to nerves.
2 that made all their lines and did not capsize once.

The latter 2 were the ones that earn their living paddling…..

[Cha0sSt0rm]

I know people who rarely swim, but I don't think I know anyone who says they have never swum.

I also reckon that the people who do rarely swim because they are good paddlers, when they swim it's an 'epic' simply because the feature (should) be a challenging one.

Everyone is between swims if you ask me (or before their first, provided they don't quit paddling).

[Mark Dixon]

You are right Chas, my lad swam twice last year, 1st time his boat travelled 12 miles and was found in a farmers field 15ft above normal river level and 2nd time he ended up in hospital with a shoulder injury. Both times on Upper Dart in extreme conditions. The 2nd time someone else also swam doing a solo run as his mates opted against paddling, good paddlers push hard so its normal they will swim occasionally, unfortunately the consequences of a swim are highly likely to be worse and that lad also had injuries.

I am not a believer in taking a booty as everyone swims regardless of ability ( though I did find it ironic that a Palm boot was found lieing next to my lads boat in the field)

[garya]

Surely a capsize test one of the first things you do when you learn to use a spray deck as a beginner ??

Anyone who has never swam probably doesn't have a BCU one star as I am sure its part of the syllabus.. ;-)

Gary A

[Bod]

Swims are like buses, you don't have one for ages and then two come along almost together.

[Richard Gunton]

Everyone swims some times I seem to do it every time I get in a boat these days

I am not a believer in taking a booty as everyone swims regardless of ability

The trend for drinking a booty paints a picture, its cool to drink alcohol. Well its a highly addictive toxic drug which kills
. I would say sooo uncool.

[alexpethybridge]

Everyone swims some times I seem to do it every time I get in a boat these days

I am not a believer in taking a booty as everyone swims regardless of ability

The trend for drinking a booty paints a picture, its cool to drink alcohol. Well its a highly addictive toxic drug which kills
. I would say sooo uncool.

Nobody is forcing you to join in.

[DaveBland]

I really don't think anyone genuinely laughs at swimmers or thinks any less of them for it.

Sure, taking the piss is obligatory, and booty beers can be part of the fun, but any paddler knows it's a fine line between a swim and staying in. If a swimmer is feeling ridiculed by others taking the piss, it's probably more down to their own embarrassment than the piss taking.

My average was once every five years or so, but recently it's increasing steadily. Certainly one a year. Just got 'this season's' out the way early on day 3, [so I suspect my average may rise again]. As long as I get away with it, I don't mind. To be honest I get more upset about having to roll of cocking my line up. I certainly didn't feel embarrassed about it, just glad to get out safely.

[Richard Gunton]

No and I wont, Ive learned my lesson.

[Tom_Laws]

My Mum. She's paddled the Nile and everything.

[Nick_]

Swimming's under rated! I managed a couple of years sans OBE, then swum once and haven't really stopped since! I feel a good ratio is 1:1 to rivers paddled.

[hardy]

Morsey , a mutual friend had not swam for 14 years some time ago . Then you took him to Norway and taught him how !
Look after him in Italy .

I have a friend who says he has not swam ...

For myself , inconsistancy is the problem , doing well on hard stuff , then cocking up on the silly things.

[happykayaker]

Can't remember my last swim, but I have walked out of the Olympic course.

[edhunter]

Comments about not focusing on swimming because it points to negatives i can see the merit of if with new and improving paddlers. However ribbing your mate you've paddled with for years for swimming on something you styled is all part of the fun right? (and visa versa)

[Adrian Cooper]

My wife. I've told her it's my job to ensure she never gets wet and she gets out whenever we get to anything which looks like a hard grade 2.

[Randy Fandango]

I haven't swum yet today but it's not yet lunchtime and I've a gnarly flat water session still to go....
Swimming is a weird one and try as you might it does mess with your head.
I had a five year period including umpteen trips to the Alps, Scotland, the Himalayas, Wales, Devon, etc. without swimming then swam nineteen times in the next two years.
Go figure.....
I suspect that part of the problem was me moving from doing lots of surfing and (awful unskilled) playboating during which I would roll many many times as a matter of course and river paddling in boats like Inazones where again rolling would feature fairly frequently to basically just paddling rivers in creekboats where staying upright for the entire trip was much more normal and I feel strongly that my re-active skills have suffered as a consequence.
Giles

[DaveWortley]

Chuck Norris tried to swim but the water ran away.

[quicky]

I don't swim, I just float in the water.... with style.....

I usually find you end up swimming on the most gentle pieces of river and usually when doing the simplist things. Sort of a Sods law.

[Cha0sSt0rm]

Chuck Norris tried to swim but the water ran away.

Jesus can walk on water, but Chuck Norris can swim on dry land.

[hardy]

Randy Fandago wrote :

"I suspect that part of the problem was me moving from doing lots of surfing and (awful unskilled) playboating during which I would roll many many times as a matter of course and river paddling in boats like Inazones where again rolling would feature fairly frequently to basically just paddling rivers in creekboats where staying upright for the entire trip was much more normal and I feel strongly that my re-active skills have suffered as a consequence."
Giles[/quote]

Snap : I reckon that explains my recent swims to .

[mark62]

Swam many times, but I will say you're not going to swim if you're sat in the eddy watching the others play on the wave. And you're not going to have so much fun either.

[EZ]

Why is everyone on here confessing their swims to Morsey? He'll just make you do a shoe beer the next time he sees you. The man clearly asked if there was anyone who has NEVER swum?

I usually find you end up swimming on the most gentle pieces of river and usually when doing the simplist things. Sort of a Sods law.

I really wish that was true! I don't want to stereotype but I'm guessing that you might be middle aged and an open boater?

I once met this German guy in the Alps (possibly called Hans the mighty Zoechensclakenbauer) who claimed he'd never taken a swim. He was huge, looked like a Viking, had arms bigger than my legs, had a ribbed buoyancy aid, an ace helmet and used his kayak as a drinking vessel. He shouted in his big loud german voice that he'd rather die with honour than pull the gay bar. I'm 90% sure he was talking about swimming. I was also mixing genepe with everything at the time so I might have imagined some elements of this story............?