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July 14th, 2016 
Awake Goy It is always sad to read of deaths by drowning so commonplace in summer. Many such deaths are due not so much to drowning as to lacking the basic skills that would otherwise save their lives. Even poor swimmers stay afloat for days, so why do some perish within a few minutes of getting into difficulty? Many swimmers panic when they realise they have overstretched themselves. Typically it is those who swim out too far or have been pulled out. In trying to rescue themselves they quickly become exhausted and Darwin’s Law deals with it.
Water education should be as much a part of a child’s upbringing as is road safety. The first priority is to know one’s limitations. If you want to test yourself swim along the shoreline and not away from it. Be aware that undercurrents are fast moving underwater eddies. It is possible to escape them if you hold your nerve. An undercurrent will tug at your legs. By using the backstroke you will bring your legs to the surface.
It is difficult to see a person’s head from a boat’s deck. Always take with you a brightly coloured flotation aid, bandana or hat. Even if you are unconscious you will be spotted more easily.
When in trouble our first instinct is to swim to the nearest shoreline or riverbank. This tactic is needlessly exhausting if to reach shore you need to swim against a current or tide. The water’s movement will usually safely deposit you on or near the banks. What do you want to do? Die in a vain attempt to reach nearest shore or stroll back from a point one mile down river? All you need do is make sure you stay on the surface and go with the flow. Flipping over on to your back is almost as good as wearing water wings. Tip: clothing such as an all-weather jacket can gather pockets of air and so the jacket you discarded was also a buoyancy aid.
Swimmers, especially those in trouble, needlessly struggle to keep their heads free of the water to breathe. It doesn’t matter if your face is immersed in the water 55 seconds in every minute: you need only 5 seconds to replenish your essential air supply. Conserve your strength and consider your options.
Remember fresh water is not as buoyant as salt water. More effort is needed to stay afloat in freshwater rivers and lakes. Lakes can look inviting on a hot day but a little way out or just beneath the surface it is as bitterly cold as it is on a winter’s day when you wouldn’t dream of going for a swim. Heat loss impairs muscle movement and induces heart attacks. This is why people drown in placid lakes.
If your legs become entangled in underwater weeds you can usually free yourself by propelling yourself downstream using your arms. Familiarise yourself with the location before you do anything foolish.
You wouldn’t run around a road wearing a blindfold so why leap or dive into water when you cannot see what lies below the surface? Every year people die or are crippled by plunging into underwater hazards. Check the water’s banks and walls and avoid places where you cannot clamber out. Never swim without an exit strategy. If you are a parent, teach your children by example so that water safety becomes as natural to them as does road safety. One last point: make sure every youngster reads this advice. Follow it up by asking him or her questions that this article answers. They do love their little tests of knowledge.
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Source Article from http://www.renegadetribune.com/dont-drown-ignorance/
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