https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUoQC0C5r8s

Well, that's an extreme sport, popular in the Soviet times. But I mean normal summer weather)

“Your mission is to attack and destroy the Apple Computer manufacturing plant. You are allotted 35 bombs and 60 lasers." - the game "attack" ? One of the funniest and most weird games ever and a very early one !

Checkout 'wild swimming' (or at least thats what it's called in the UK), there are still many open air/sea pools in UK still in use (even in winter, nutters o.0).

Coming from Greece I can tell you me make fun of tourists who choose to stay in their million-star resort swimming pool instead of taking a couple of steps to enjoy the sea.
Many of us (and of similar Mediterranean countries that I can talk about) are deeply attached to the sea, it's engraved in our lifestyle.

Just got back from a holiday in the northern part of Australia and we swam in the ocean daily - very common here! We saw small sharks, sting-rays, and sea turtles right off the beach but it didn't put the kids off to my surprise!

Thans for the answers ! Sorry again for a strange offtopic)

I've read somewhere in the Internet that in Germany i'ts forbidden to approach water objects like rivers and laces (I think it's fake), but that moment I decided to ask the people that question, I have been thinking of since 1997 when we've been to Turkey.)

ANd for myself - this summer I have a lot of work - in office with scanning my grandfather's archive and on weekends with photography - So I'm getting tired of the city, good only one week till vacation is left...)

I'm from germany and I can tell you that while there are lakes in which it is forbidden to swim like drinking water lakes, in most of te lakes and rivers it is allowed 😀

ScoutPilot19 wrote:

I know, that I'm strange and sometimes write strange thing on forums. But I want to ask question to people in the Western World - Europe and both Americas. Do people swim in water objects like lakes or rivers, or ties with Nature are lost and people swin only in concrete pools nowadays ? I always thought of it, looking at tourists , being in Turkey, Spain or Portugal that Western people come to resort and swim in a pool, not in the sea or the ocean, which seam insane to us...)

Well, in the 90's in this southern Turkey resort there was some industrial plant a few miles away that dumped their sewage in the ocean. Our guide reminded us not to stray too far from the beach and try to avoid ingesting the sea water. But yeah, I always consider those public beaches filthy and the sea is mostly a dump for ships and industry so not really my cup of tea. I mostly swim at my summer place as it's a lake with only a few neighbors around. The water is clear and you can see a lot of small fish swimming there and also a few clams so I know it's fine.

Eleanor1967 wrote:

I'm from germany and I can tell you that while there are lakes in which it is forbidden to swim like drinking water lakes, in most of te lakes and rivers it is allowed 😀

I see... I also had been an ideological Tolkienist in my youth - so I dreamed about living in peace with Nature, while living in a big city. And when in 2006 I went with artistical team (so called AgitBrigada) from the Biology University to Anapa, south Russia and first on my life was sleeping in a tent, eating food, made on fire and drinking water, that came from nature, not from a shop it seemed about a miracle. After I returned to Moscow, I was AFRAID to fall asleep for few nights - after sleeping in a tent, on the Earth itself, as then I felt 40 meters of EMPTYNESS below me in a 20 storey concrete bulding(

I know, I'm a too much romantical person, I sacrifice and idealise many things, common person won't even notice - but classic computers are one of that things, so I came to that forum.)

sf78 wrote:

Well, in the 90's in this southern Turkey resort there was some industrial plant a few miles away that dumped their sewage in the ocean. Our guide reminded us not to stray too far from the beach and try to avoid ingesting the sea water. But yeah, I always consider those public beaches filthy and the sea is mostly a dump for ships and industry so not really my cup of tea. I mostly swim at my summer place as it's a lake with only a few neighbors around. The water is clear and you can see a lot of small fish swimming there and also a few clams so I know it's fine.

I see. I think it happens in all the world, I've seen it in Russia and Brasil. Although in one place in provincial Brasil there was a very fine town in a forest, where emigrants from Finland lived and it looked like Finland, with lake and waterfall, too, I saw a lot of polluted territories there. (My brother lived in Brasil from 1999 to 2006 and I've been there 4 times, in total of about 1.5 a year )

And we always try to swim far awar from public beaches - because for me it's important to watch the sea life - (I always use a water mask). I never forget one episode, it was in 1996 on the Maiorca island - I could dive and take breath for long then - so I aproached bottom and saw what I thought was a camera, dropped by someone. And suddenly on that object - an eye opened - just like human one. I was terribly afraid ! It was just an octopus - I've never seen one before in it's natural enviroment.

spiroyster wrote:

Checkout 'wild swimming' (or at least thats what it's called in the UK), there are still many open air/sea pools in UK still in use (even in winter, nutters o.0).

Talking about this last weekend with my mate (Another Aussie in London) We just don't get it.
Not camping in a campground isn't "wild" camping, that IS camping!
"Wild" walking is just a hike
"Wild" swimming in natural water

We do understand there aren't many public areas where you can just set up camp or go for a walk without technically trespassing, but at least UK still has free beaches to swim in and wouldn't call it "wild" swimming.

OP's question.
I've Lived in Australia, Canada, UK, Italy and gone swimming in natural water with locals in each country.
I've visited many other countries and gone for a swim, Including the Nile in Egypt which we were told is safe up stream of the major cities
But my favourite and most surprised was Munich, Your in the middle of a large city and the river in the park is full of people and crisp clean water.
I've seen plenty of people in the rivers that run though Bern and Zurich, (Zurich does this especially well, with multiple swimming locations) but had broken foot so couldn't jump in 🙁

chinny22 wrote:

Talking about this last weekend with my mate (Another Aussie in London) We just don't get it. Not camping in a campground isn't […]
Show full quote

spiroyster wrote:

Checkout 'wild swimming' (or at least thats what it's called in the UK), there are still many open air/sea pools in UK still in use (even in winter, nutters o.0).

Talking about this last weekend with my mate (Another Aussie in London) We just don't get it.
Not camping in a campground isn't "wild" camping, that IS camping!
"Wild" walking is just a hike
"Wild" swimming in natural water

We do understand there aren't many public areas where you can just set up camp or go for a walk without technically trespassing, but at least UK still has free beaches to swim in and wouldn't call it "wild" swimming.

OP's question.
I've Lived in Australia, Canada, UK, Italy and gone swimming in natural water with locals in each country.
I've visited many other countries and gone for a swim, Including the Nile in Egypt which we were told is safe up stream of the major cities
But my favourite and most surprised was Munich, Your in the middle of a large city and the river in the park is full of people and crisp clean water.
I've seen plenty of people in the rivers that run though Bern and Zurich, (Zurich does this especially well, with multiple swimming locations) but had broken foot so couldn't jump in 🙁

... I've been to England twice - in 1991 and 1996. In 1996 we've seen not only London, But, also, Ayelsberry, a town not far from it. We were renting a room in cottage from one Italian gentleman then. I wish we would see more "non touristic" England. Ad alas my photographic skills were poor in 1996. I think it's interesting to see places far from big city, like town or village, or just wilderness, in another country far from "tourist's route". I've seen it, though a lot in Brasil - where I've been to man provincial towns and palces, unkommon for tourists.

Then the TEchnological museum and the Cutty Sark impressed me very much. Saddly I missed Victoria and Albert museum in 1996.(

In the UK here.

We swim in the sea, and in purpose-built swimming pools. I personally never swam in freshwater lakes or rivers or canals except in scuba diving gear; but then the lakes I've come across tend to be unsuitable - very muddy; full of ducks; given over to fishing or boating or windsurfing; or marked as dangerous [steep slippery sides and deep bottoms].

What I find odd is when you're at the seaside and there are purpose-built concrete pools for people [probably mainly children] to use. I guess that's because the sea in those places is regarded as dangerous in some sense.

chinny22 wrote:

Talking about this last weekend with my mate (Another Aussie in London) We just don't get it. Not camping in a campground isn't […]
Show full quote

spiroyster wrote:

Checkout 'wild swimming' (or at least thats what it's called in the UK), there are still many open air/sea pools in UK still in use (even in winter, nutters o.0).

Talking about this last weekend with my mate (Another Aussie in London) We just don't get it.
Not camping in a campground isn't "wild" camping, that IS camping!
"Wild" walking is just a hike
"Wild" swimming in natural water

We do understand there aren't many public areas where you can just set up camp or go for a walk without technically trespassing, but at least UK still has free beaches to swim in and wouldn't call it "wild" swimming.

OP's question.
I've Lived in Australia, Canada, UK, Italy and gone swimming in natural water with locals in each country.
I've visited many other countries and gone for a swim, Including the Nile in Egypt which we were told is safe up stream of the major cities
But my favourite and most surprised was Munich, Your in the middle of a large city and the river in the park is full of people and crisp clean water.
I've seen plenty of people in the rivers that run though Bern and Zurich, (Zurich does this especially well, with multiple swimming locations) but had broken foot so couldn't jump in 🙁

We are so far removed from nature, given any body of water in England there is a high probability its polluted, looks nasty or is owned by some bigoted tory land owner who keeps people off the land or phones the fuzz because they say 'they don't want to be liable in case of injury', but really its because they don't want their view spoilt or to see a pleb.

Walking and camping you just got to find something that looks wildernessy, wait for the rain, wind and clouds to come, and then you get the 'experience'. If you want to go swimming outside, you have to plan unless there is somewhere on your doorstep. It at least needs to look nice, water visibility greater than 3cm, and not leave you with weil's disease or something.

As a result I think a subculture has had to develop, there are books available and not only do they review places for 'wild' swimming, but also tend to give an indication of water quality. There are some gem locations still in England (not just costal) but you have to know them (quite a few in the south west, UK). Most of the water sports I have been interested in at some point in my life, certianly couldn't be done in a pool.

If you really want to 'get lost', this can only be done in Wales or Scotland. You never 'get lost' in England, just hampered by bad weather.

ScoutPilot19 wrote:

I always thought of it, looking at tourists , being in Turkey, Spain or Portugal that Western people come to resort and swim in a pool, not in the sea or the ocean, which seam insane to us...)

What better way to spend a holiday with an entire sea all for myself, lets keep the insanes inside the concrete bunkers where they can spend all eternity (for what I care) all together, bunched up in a clump of crowded happiness.

I'll take an isolated sea for my self any time, thank you 😀 (provided the weather isn't too cold or polluted or whatever).

ScoutPilot19 wrote:

sf78 wrote:

Well, in the 90's in this southern Turkey resort there was some industrial plant a few miles away that dumped their sewage in the ocean. Our guide reminded us not to stray too far from the beach and try to avoid ingesting the sea water. But yeah, I always consider those public beaches filthy and the sea is mostly a dump for ships and industry so not really my cup of tea. I mostly swim at my summer place as it's a lake with only a few neighbors around. The water is clear and you can see a lot of small fish swimming there and also a few clams so I know it's fine.

I see. I think it happens in all the world, I've seen it in Russia and Brasil. Although in one place in provincial Brasil there was a very fine town in a forest, where emigrants from Finland lived and it looked like Finland, with lake and waterfall, too, I saw a lot of polluted territories there. (My brother lived in Brasil from 1999 to 2006 and I've been there 4 times, in total of about 1.5 a year )

And we always try to swim far awar from public beaches - because for me it's important to watch the sea life - (I always use a water mask). I never forget one episode, it was in 1996 on the Maiorca island - I could dive and take breath for long then - so I aproached bottom and saw what I thought was a camera, dropped by someone. And suddenly on that object - an eye opened - just like human one. I was terribly afraid ! It was just an octopus - I've never seen one before in it's natural enviroment.

An octopus won't hurt you, it's probably more afraid of you than you are of it. Now a Humboldt squid....those mofos are bad news. Beak the size of a dinner plate and won't hesitate to take a chunk out of you. They are known man-eaters.
And they are intelligent, unlike sharks. Octopus and squid have been shown to use tools and have rudimentary problem-solving skills.

But to answer your question: yes, we swim in lakes and rivers all the time. Although I prefer to swim in a sandy or rocky bottom lake or the ocean as opposed to a mud bottom lake. No rivers around me suitable for swimming, but I'm sure if the opportunity presented itself I'd be up for a dip in the river.

Saw an Interesting program [one pf Jeremy Wade's "River Monsters"] on a possible killer octopus - the Pacific octopue? grows to 12 feet across? - perhaps living in a huge network of caves and tunnels in so,e tropical islands. A kid disappeared swimming in one of these holes the octopus seemed to be regarded as the enly viable predator. THere's also that footage of an octopus grabing ans killing a shark in a US public aquarium.

Add to that the confused vegatarian "ball biter" in another of his progams. it ain't dafe to go in the water....

snorg wrote:

An octopus won't hurt you, it's probably more afraid of you than you are of it. Now a Humboldt squid....those mofos are bad news. Beak the size of a dinner plate and won't hesitate to take a chunk out of you. They are known man-eaters.
And they are intelligent, unlike sharks. Octopus and squid have been shown to use tools and have rudimentary problem-solving skills.

I know, an octupus is harmless and are clever - in 1990s my passion was biology, all my youth I thought to become a biologist and used to read books and articles on biology, especially about the nerve system, brain of human and animals. But I didn't expect it to be near me - as it totaly merged with the bottom - I didn't notice anything but sand - and SUDDENLY an eye opened on bottom the Midditerenian - I was very afraid for a second - then I remembered that an octopus' eyes look a bit like human )!

here I remembered one joke -

a sailor is being interviewed -
-Oh you look to be such a brave man, but anyway, have you ever been struck by fear ?
- Yeah, there was once an incident... Our ship had a cargo of 5000 dolls, I mean childrem toys. An in a storm the ship suddenly heeled and all the 5000 dolls opened theit eyes and said "mama" - that moment I put some shit to my pants...)))