When I was a teenager, I went to a big lake with some friends. I never learned to swim. My buddy said the bank of the lake goes down gradually, and told me to walk out and when it got too deep, to turn around and walk back. Unbeknownst to him or I, there was a big drop off. I was thrashing about like a fish out of water, in total panic mode, making it worse. He pulled me out and I refuse to go near deep water again.
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That is so unfortunate.
I enjoy swimming. We used to take our boat 12 miles off the seashore and jump over the side of the boat. We snorkeled around reefs. The fish would come up to you 3 feet away. Swimming is about confidence. Even the U.S. Navy requires you to swim even if you never go into the water.
I also like to know I can jump in and save someone from drowning, if needed. Also canoeing and kayaking is fun. Even dogs can swim. Too bad man cannot swim by instinct.
I enjoy my pool. Time to jump in. To each his own to live how they want. 
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Similar thing kept me from learning how to swim. Growing up we used to go up the river to a natural pool with a high rock above, where all the kids would jump off and learn how to swim. Here I was trying to learn to swim when one kid much older than me, jumped right on top of me taking me down under water. I swallowed good amount of water and got pulled out by my older brother, who at the time was an excellent swimmer. Ever since I think twice before going in.
Funny enough, I’m not afraid to get into a boat or kayak. Love my kayak at the lake on a calm morning.
Never go into a vessel without a PFD though.
That is up for a debate. Has been observed that babies that are born in a water try to swim as they spend the first nine months of their lives in water. Apparently we forget.
When my daughters were young I took them to swimming lessons. Both of them are certified life guards. They are professionally trained to save people from drowning.
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Indeed.
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I think I was born with fins 
In my youth I would spend all my summers swimming in a lake, a pond but mostly in the Delaware river. When I was a “Navy Man” I would swim in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific, South Pacific and the Indian Oceans. In the South China Sea swimming off the coast of Vietnam you had two thing to worry about, bullets and sea snakes. 
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That is a great story. Glad you had the foresight.
My most unusual swim was in the Dead Sea, early last year. The water was so salty you couldn’t sink. It is the lowest place on Earth at 1400 feet below sea level.
Now I just swim in my backyard pool. If it rains, I cannot touch bottom in the deep end.
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The one placed I didn’t like swimming was off the coast of Kenya, the water was like a hot bath. I retreated to the hotel pool to cool off.
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My pool is like that in the middle of Summer.
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The guy in the picture sued Nirvana. Did he ever win?
How could he? Born loser.
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I did swim in a hotsprings pool in Canada. I figure it would be too cold otherwise (for a Southerner).
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Apparently it’s an ongoing legal matter as of last December (at least according to Billboard). 
This seems like a good reason to visit Iceland.
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Thought about it. Very expensive I hear. Hawaii was expensive enough and the weather was nicer.
Dunno about now. I considered it years ago when I lived up north and Icelandair had sub-C-note fares from MSP.
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At my cottage the water is cold except two weeks in August. That is the only time I go in chest deep. I know my shoreline and it doesn’t drop anywhere. Also, I don’t like cold water (not born Canadian).
On the other hand one of my neighbours, born and raised in northern Ontario goes in even in late spring. Brrrrr!
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Anything under 70°F (21°C) is too cold for me. Born Floridian.
Even that I would consider cold 
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Outside the pool could be in mid 80s, so that helps. Pools cool down at night.
If you ever get a chance to visit Salt Lake in Utah, or visit the Dead Sea in Israel, you most likely cannot drown in these lakes. Salt content is too high. Went in the water at the Dead Sea when it was 103 degrees Farenheit. I wanted to go in at Salt Lake but the brine files were too bad and the water felt cold. Dead Sea is 9 times saltier that the ocean.
Beware, these are non-AI images.
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