In Deep Water

[Daisy]

I would guess that most of us grannies who learned to swim as children did so in their local indoor pool. All of the ones where I lived as a child were ancient Victorian relics, apart from one modern one, but most children went swimming at least once a week. My OH grew up in a seaside town and learned to swim in the sea - much more dangerous, and definitely colder.

But there's worries about some pools not being able to survive the financial hit that was Lockdown. This news article caught my eye as it features the pool where OH and I used to swim when we were first married. I also remember the frustration when years later a different local pool closed for about 3 years because of the unsafe structure. Just at the time when we'd have been teaching our children to swim and enjoy the water.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57205697

I hope we don't end up with a generation of children who never get the chance to learn to swim.

[Lizzie48]

I never learned to swim until DS2 was 3 years old, he was having lessons and I decided it was time I got to swim as well, DS2 was very young when he got his first certificate, my neighbour worked at the pool and it was a special speed course , she got him in and he did really well. In those years there was also school swimming but that stopped years ago, some schools do it but not many. Both boys followed lessons at the pool and are very good swimmers, DS1 played water polo for a few years in his early teens.

When the GD's were small I used to go to the mother and child group each week, they loved it and were both used to the water for when they started their lessons, they are both very good swimmers, GD2 being a stronger swimmer but she does swim more often as friends have a pool.

Since the lockdown no lessons are allowed and I did read here that there is going to be an age group that miss out on the essential swimming lessons. With there being so much water here it is essential that a child can swim.

I know my nephews son, he will be 10 now, he was having private lessons in the UK but it is the same as here, not been able to go for so long.

[Gemini]

We need public pools for children to learn to swim, for exercise and for fun for everyone.

Being in the water is weightless so suitable for most people, and there is just something about water which makes us feel better.
Let's hope there are not many pools lost.
GS2 has resumed his swimming lessons and both DDs 1 and 2 have taken the children to an outdoor (heated!!) pool in Harrogate this year.

[WeeGranny]

I didn't learn to swim until my early 30s when we lived in Holland. DS fell in one of the slotjes ( big ditches) and we took him to lessons in case it happened again. He'd gone to feed the ducks!! DD also learnt to swim in Holland. The British contingent of the British expat community hired one of the large pools every Friday morning and offered beginners lessons. So I went along there and got my certificate for swimming a length!

I had always loved the water and being in it, but Scottish coastal water is not inducive to swimming and the nearest baths were an hour away, so I never learnt as a child. I still enjoy swimming, but I'm a warm water swimmer now! No doubt I'll have to test the North Sea at Aldeburgh this Summer with GS......not looking forward to that.

When I taught the school had its own pool and all the teachers had to take their own class for lessons. We'd all been on a course. Some of my class couldn't touch the floor which was a bit hairy and I usually got in with them while the others were changing or getting ready for their turn. It's a shame that so many children are missing out on lessons though.

[Gemini]

I had some school swimming lessons in both primary and secondary school. I was very scared and never got beyond the beginners group who struggled to swim a width!
Then the summer I was 12 a neighbouring friend and I went to the swimming pool almost every day of the long holidays. I had lots of fun with her splashing and enjoying the water with no pressure to learn. I was soon swimming.
I love swimming now especially the sea and haven't any fear of water.
I'm totally self taught however, I think it's a sort of breast stroke, I don't go underwater and I cant dive. I can and do swim for pleasure though and I could save myself if I fell into water.

I took all my children to the swimming pool and they later had lessons.

[Nanto2girls]

Quite a few of us used to go to local swimming baths. Us northeners didn't call them pools.
Then when we came out,we would go to 77cafe next door.
Hubby used to go there as well,but we didn't know each other then.
We had our own pool at our secondary school.
I never really liked swimming though. Still don't.
I've got my third class certificate.

Hubby is a different matter. He still likes swimming.
At school he got all his certificates, and we still have his medals from when he did life saving lessons.
Eldest DS likes being in the water,takes after his dad.
Youngest DS is like me,he's not fussed about swimming.

[Daisy]

I'd always loved splashing about in the water, but school swimming lessons weren't very effective. In the end a friend and I went on a course - lessons every day for two weeks, with land-based practice every day as well, and we soon learned to swim. I went swimming every week at the grammar school - it was silly but you had to pass a test to be allowed to go!

Many years later a niece (one of the two we saw yesterday) OH and I all went to life saving classes together. I didn't take the exam though. I wasn't strong or fast enough to do the rescue in the required time - I was the smallest and lightest in the class, but it was fun, useful and good exercise. The fish and chips afterwards were good too!

Nanto - I think it was one advantage of living in a big city - rural areas weren't very big on public baths.

[Gemini]

We called them swimming baths too Nan2.

[Oma]

Nope couldn't get me near any water with a barge pole ,
I almost drowned when I was about 7-8 and never liked it since ,

We did take the GS's to the baths when they were small but I stayed in the shallow baby end , Ankle deep only , if they ventured further then B took them in .

I did try once but found I could only swim under water and couldn't float , I was so afraid I actually got out and had to dash to the ladies to be sick with fear .
Never again .
Both my children can swim as can my GC .
I will paddle in the sea as long as its no deeper than maybe 4-5 inches and I can see my feet .

[Plantaholic]

I love to be in water, especially exercising. We were taken to a local outside pool at Hampton Court with the school. I am not a sea swimmer but I used to swim in the Thames. I only do breast stroke with my head out of the water, no style really. Can't wait to get back to Aqua, such good exercise.
.

[Daisy]

I hadn't thought about the difference in words. Ours were called 'baths', apart from the outdoor pool, which was called a pool. There's an outdoor seawater baths near us now but I think it's also called a lido!! I never know how to pronounce that.

Plant, I should think swimming in the Thames was interesting! I learned doing breaststroke, and never got any good at crawl, but when I was going to lifesaving classes we had to be able to 'scull' and also do a sort of breast stroke kick on your back towing your 'victim'. Sculling was basically floating on your back using your arms and hands a bit like oars.

Oma - that must have been really frightening - it would have put me off as well.

Gem - it sounds as though, once the pressure of lessons were off you, you were a natural swimmer. Well done.

Nanto - one of my DSs is quite a good swimmer, but doesn't particularly like it.

WeeGranny - it must have been 'fun' having to take your class swimming!

[Oma]

My Niece is a Olympic swimmer she has amassed dozens of medals etc ,

She was to compete in the next Olympics but with the virus and not being able to do as much training at the ripe old age of 21 she decided to retire from swimming ,

After years of swimming at 4.30 am before school and up to 3 hours after school every day then same when she was working , she has had enough ,
Getting some freedom during lockdown she lost her love of it and now is training to follow her mother into her accountancy firm .

It must be lovely to swim but even sitting by a pool I panic and feel sick

Strange though I can go on a river cruise or a ocean cruise look over the rail and im fine ,
I wonder why ?

[Daisy]

Oma - you can understand your niece getting fed up with the discipline of competing at that level, especially with Covid making even this year's Olympics a bit dicey. Perhaps a cruise is ok because you are so much higher above the water? Are you sea sick at all?