River Safety - Swimming

Swimming in a river is different from swimming in a pool or in the sea. The pressure of moving water is constant and can be powerful even if the river looks slow moving and calm. Swimmers can be pulled under the water by the current. Swimmers often underestimate the power of the river or overestimate their own abilities.

The river bottom is irregular and can change from day to day and it is often difficult to tell how deep a certain part of the river is. Many people are seriously injured each year jumping into water that is too shallow. Even a brief period of unconsciousness from a bad landing can result in drowning.

The best swimming spot is one that has

• only a weak current
• a good place to get in and out of the water
• an even bottom (that you can see), without submerged trees or other snags
• a good runout if you are carried downstream. This means that there are no rapids or other hazards immediately downstream.

Avoid any swimming spot that

• has man made features within 400m upstream or downstream, e.g. wires, and reinforcing steel
• is immediately upstream or downstream of a bridge
• is being fished or has boats passing through it
• has debris flowing through it or submerged trees in it.

What could go wrong and why when swimming in rivers?

• You can be washed away ... if the current is too strong.
• You could get dragged under the water ... by the weight of wet clothes.
• You can get into difficulties ... by overestimating your swimming ability or fitness.
• Your swimming ability can be affected ... by the cold.
• You could get hypothermia ... if you are not able to warm up.
• You could get trapped or tangled ... if there are objects beneath the surface.
• You could injure yourself ... by jumping onto solid objects under the surface of the water or into an area that is too shallow.
• You can become tangled in debris ... if debris is floating downstream.
• You could trip over ... if you are wearing the wrong footwear during a river crossing.
• You could be caught on or injured by rafts or boats ... if they are travelling through the swimming spot
• You could get into trouble ... if you are pressured by your friends to do something that you are not comfortable doing.
• You could drown ... .

How can you prevent things going wrong?

• LEARN SWIMMING AND SWIMMING SURVIVAL SKILLS.
• Always swim as part of a group.
• Always swim in swimming togs or appropriate gear like wetsuits.
• Check for hazards both where you are swimming and downstream.
• Stay out of the water if there is debris coming down.
• Move to shallow water when rafts or boats come through.
• Do not mix swimming with alcohol or drugs.
• Check out any jumping spot thoroughly before jumping. Do this by getting in the water and physically checking the depth and the whole landing area. Do this every time you visit a jumping spot to check that nothing has drifted into the landing zone since you were last there.
• Do not pressure others or be pressured yourself into doing things that you do not feel comfortable doing.

How can you be prepared if something does go wrong?

• Have warm clothes and a warm drink close at hand:
• Be trained in First Aid including emergency breathing and CPR.
• Tell someone where you will be swimming.
• Have other people with you.