The Drowning Thread

[Admin]

Bull sharks, btw, have been spotted as far as 700 miles up the Mississippi river. Interactions with humans in fresh water are evidently very rare.

They're common in Aussie rivers, and I'm pretty the only reason there aren't more attacks is only insane people go swimming in Aussie rivers.

[Di Wundrin]

Bull sharks, btw, have been spotted as far as 700 miles up the Mississippi river. Interactions with humans in fresh water are evidently very rare.

They're common in Aussie rivers, and I'm pretty the only reason there aren't more attacks is only insane people go swimming in Aussie rivers.

The rivers in the NT are fairly safe from sharks, the crocodiles eat 'em all.

I'm wondering if we lost a tourist here this arvo, there was a chopper flying around over the river from the swimming pontoon down to the mouth and back for about half an hour this arvo. Didn't hear any sirens though so they mustn't have found anyone. ( or else whoever was missing was found sleeping it off in their car or something)

[arthwollipot]

Bull sharks, btw, have been spotted as far as 700 miles up the Mississippi river. Interactions with humans in fresh water are evidently very rare.

They're common in Aussie rivers, and I'm pretty the only reason there aren't more attacks is only insane people go swimming in Aussie rivers.

Years ago I was on holiday in Fiji, and we did a boat trip up a river to a waterfall, which was quite nice. Then we went back downriver on a bamboo raft that the guides had cut down and constructed on the spot. I was amazed that I could dangle my feet in the water with absolutely no concern because there was just nothing dangerous in Fijian rivers. It felt very weird to do that, and I absolutely would not have been able to do that in any Australian river.

[grayman]

Sad.

11 people have died in rip currents in less than two weeks along Gulf Coast

https://www.yahoo.com/news/11-people-di ... 45654.html

[Admin]

Seems a lot, but not when you consider USA has 60 times more people than us, and I'd say we lose a good 20-30 a year in rips and your annual total is only 70.

Maybe we should teach kids not just how to swim, but when and where to swim, and what to do if you get caught in a rip. The problem is usually that they fight it and end up exhausted. Once you're behind the breakers, the idea is to stay afloat, not try to swim, because unless you're competition standard you won't be able to swim that far, and through the surf.

We get some really severe ones here with the same type of coast as you.

[arthwollipot]

I was taught how to deal with a rip, even though I grew up in an inland city. Are kids not being taught that in swimming classes any more?