Can you swim?

[Mark]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11172054

Interesting article on BBC News here about many people in America not being able to swim. As far as I know it's still compulsory teaching in the UK - Plus my Dad was keen on scuba diving so thought it important I learned to swim as soon as possible.

Can you swim? If not then why not? Did you get taught it at school?

[Easy Drifter]

Yes.
During my teens probably swam at least a mile a day. Could also stay underwater for over 2 minutes.
Today forget the underwater stuff.
Learned on my own.
Gary Magwood, a former professional diver as well as a heck of a race driver, and I were the only people who could swim upstream through the whirlpool in the Devils River behind turn 1/2 at St. Jovite.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I have not tried to swim for over 3 years and the last time I tried I was not a very strong swimmer.

We had swimming lessons at at school until we were 12. But I don't think schools like doing swimming after that age because only some of the boys have hairs and only some of the girls have breasts.

[tannat]

Yes-I can.

I find it amazing that it is compulsory in the UK. Do you mean to tell me every school in the UK has a pool, or is the Thames a convenient bus ride from anywhere?

There are many, many communities in the US where a private swimming facility (never mind a public or school facility) does not exist.

If it is true that all schools, or at least most schools in the UK have a pool-I'd say you are a very fortunate lot...

And your administrators have their heads on correctly...

[Alfa Fan]

Ever heard of bus journeys? If the school doesn't have a pool then its simply a trip to the nearest one that does!

[MrJan]

Yes-I can.

I find it amazing that it is compulsory in the UK. Do you mean to tell me every school in the UK has a pool, or is the Thames a convenient bus ride from anywhere?

There are many, many communities in the US where a private swimming facility (never mind a public or school facility) does not exist.

If it is true that all schools, or at least most schools in the UK have a pool-I'd say you are a very fortunate lot...

And your administrators have their heads on correctly...

We do have more than one river in England And compared to the US everything is a convenient bus ride away

My old primary school has it's own pool, back when I was there it was open air and chuffing freezing but now it has a roof over it. My secondary school didn't have a pool but was about 15 minutes walk from a public pool. I never really learnt at school though, my parents made me do other lessons one evening a week. At the time I absolutely hated it but now I'm very grateful as I'm a confident swimmer

[Brown, Jon Brow]

We do have more than one river in England And compared to the US everything is a convenient bus ride away

My old primary school has it's own pool, back when I was there it was open air and chuffing freezing but now it has a roof over it.

Soft southerner!!!!

My local pool when I was growing up was a Shap in Cumbria. As you may know Shap is one the the highest and coldest points of the M6 and we had an open air pool.

[tannat]

Ever heard of bus journeys? If the school doesn't have a pool then its simply a trip to the nearest one that does!

That would be a very, very long trip for many primary schools in the US, AlfaFan.

This country is too damn big...

[Easy Drifter]

Not very many schools in Canada have pools. The only pool in Orillia is at the YMCA. 4 high schools and numerous public school but no pools. The proposed Orillia rec centre will have one. Orillia is on 2 lakes though.
When I went to school in Scarborough (now part of Toronto) there were no public pools.
I learned to swim on my own at my parents' cottage. Neither of them were good swimmers. All of our crowd of about 15 (male and female) could swim and all were good but we spent the summers at the lake.
Actually the one who was closest to me in power was at one time my girl friend. She was the only one who had taken lessons.
Later she was a member of Canada's Olympic Triathalon team!

[00steven]

No I can't. The old bag who was training me stuck my head under water and I was afraid to swim for my entire childhood. I never picked it up afterwards either.