How not to drown in a river or lake

What bodies of water can you swim in?

The simplest and most effective safety rule is to relax on specially equipped beaches. And it is better where there is a constantly working rescue service. But in summer, many people often go out of town, to nature, to plunge into a forest lake or clear waters of a river. There, as a rule, there are no equipped places for swimming.

The reservoir, which you see for the first time, is worth exploring with special attention. And in order to have a pleasant vacation, it is worth remembering a few rules.

1. Settle down on the shore with a gentle slope to the water. Better don't swim in a lake or river with steep banks. In a safe reservoir, the water should be transparent, and the bottom should be clearly visible.
2. Choose a reservoir with a flat bottom of sand, soil or pebbles. It is better not to stop at the lake, where a thick layer of silt lies under the water. It will be difficult for you to assess the depth, and you can get bogged down in the silt. Do not swim in waters with a large amount
   instagram viewer
   algae: It is easy to get confused in these plants.
3. Stay away from polluted rivers or lakes. Make sure the bottom is free of sharp-edged rocks, concrete beams with protruding rebar, driftwood, scrap metal, and other debris that could be hazardous. Even if you know the reservoir well and have never seen anything dangerous at the bottom, the situation may change. For example, the day before, someone may leave a broken bottle near the shore. Or throw unnecessary reinforcement or a ball of barbed wire into the water. Unfortunately, this happens. That's why check before swimming even a familiar place.
4. Swim in waters where there are no strong currents or whirlpools. Athletes can specifically choose fast-flowing rivers for organized training. But ordinary vacationers are better off going to a lake or a calm river. Not worth it swim near bridge supports or other man-made structures. Perhaps the current will be more active there, and this will be an unpleasant surprise for you.
5. Choose a lake or river with warm water. Swimming for adults safe, if the water has warmed up to 18 ° C, for children - up to 19-20 ° C. If you don't have a thermometer and the water seems too cold, don't go for long swims. Otherwise they may to appear convulsions. In this case, a person often has a panic, and this is the most dangerous thing that can happen.

When is it best to stay on the beach?

Almost everyone can relax by the water. But swimming is not for everyone. Here are the states in which it is better not to try to swim.

1. Chronic or acute illnesses. Doctors often forbid swim at rheumatism, epilepsy, some heart diseases and other serious disorders. Therefore, if you have some kind of disease, you should go to the doctor before the start of the beach season. It is better to make sure that everything is in order with you in advance than to get a sudden aggravation during the rest. You can not swim in acute conditions - for example, with fever or symptoms of poisoning.
2. Alcohol intoxication. This state dangerous, because even after two or three glasses of wine, people can inadequately assess the situation. They tend to exaggerate their abilities. For example, drunk man can decide that he can easily swim to the opposite shore of the lake, although in a sober state he would never have decided on such an adventure. And in the middle of the lake, he might run out of strength. Therefore, it is worth choosing in advance: either alcohol or bathing.
3. Strong fatigue. It seems that water will help to refresh and wash away fatigue. This is true, but with overwork, you can also overestimate your strength. The decision to take a dip near the shore can be the right one. But trying to arrange a long swim can take strength and lead to trouble.

The main rule is to act according to your well-being and bathe when this process is a pleasure.

What not to do while swimming

After a long rest in the sun, you should first wipe yourself with water or at least splash and splash in shallow water. Immediately rush into a lake or river, and even more so dive not worth it - it can lead to shock. For the same reason, one cannot suddenly push person into the water.

Well, now about what not to do in a river or lake. Here are some rules to remember.

1. Do not swim near boats, steamers and other water transport. Some tend to get closer to the riverboat to ride the waves. This is dangerous because currents and whirlpools appear near the side, which can pull the swimmer under the screw. In addition, you do not know how the one who controls the boat will behave. Noticing a person dangerously close to his ship, he can become confused, nervous and make a dangerous maneuver.
2. Don't go near the whirlpools. Some swimmers try to organize competitions and check who is able to swim closer to the funnel, and then turn around and move away from the current. This is dangerous because you don't know how far away from it you can no longer resist the force of water movement. Better to stay away from such places.
3. Do not dive if you do not know anything about the state of the bottom. It seems that they even know about this rule pupils. And adults, especially, will not jump into the water from an unfamiliar shore. But many people forget that you should not dive from a boat or raft - even in the middle of the lake. Maybe it is under your swimming facility that a dangerous object or a shallow that you did not suspect will be found.
4. Before you jump into the water, make sure you don't run into anyone. If the river or lake is equipped beach, and you jump from the tower, dangerous objects do not threaten you. But you can get injured when colliding with other people. Therefore, do not jump if there are swimmers below.
5. Don't stay in the water if you get cold. In the first half minute, the water always seems cold, but then it becomes quite comfortable. If you continue to freeze or feel chills again, go ashore.
6. Don't swim far from shore if you're not feeling well. Perhaps you are healthy, and doctors do not limit you in anything. But you could overheat in direct sunlight or just be tired. In this case, it is worth swimming near the shore in order to return if you feel malaise.
7. Do not move away from the shore on mattresses or circles if you do not know how to swim. You may be caught in the current and difficult to get back to shore. And if the mattress suddenly begins to deflate or burst, you will be in danger. You can move away on swimming facilities only to the distance that you can easily overcome yourself, without anyone's help.

And one more thing: it is better not to swim in unfamiliar reservoirs and not to arrange extreme swims even in a studied place alone. It is better to have people nearby who will be able to help if necessary.

What to do if something went wrong in the water

The main danger is to succumb panicswallow water and inhale it. So the most important thing is to stay calm. Remember that a person can always stay on the surface of a lake or a calm river. If he won't panic, then it will not sink.

Do this in dangerous situations.

1. Once in a strong current, try to move to the side. Do not fight against the current and swim against it - this way you will only lose strength. It is better to move with the flow, trying to gradually move diagonally away from the flow. Choose a direction so that you gradually swim to the nearest or most convenient shore, and conserve your strength.

2. In the whirlpool, first let the current pull you into the funnel, and then also go to the side. In the first seconds, while you are still on the surface, you need to dial in lungs more water. Then, once in the funnel, you need to dive into the water and make a sharp jerk to the side. Try to actively work with your arms and legs to get away from the dangerous place. And then swim to the surface.

3. If caught on algae, do not make sudden movements. So you can get even more confused and lose strength. You need to try to lie on your back and carefully discard the algae from your arms or legs. If that doesn't work, take them off with your hands. Keep your head above the water at all times and try to breathe evenly.

4. If you lose direction and do not understand where the surface is, let some air out of your mouth. This happens if a person fell into the water or dived unsuccessfully and for a moment lost consciousness. In such a situation, you need to freeze for a short time and exhale. Air bubbles always rush up - that's where you need to swim.

5. For cramps, use a pin. This is the easiest and fastest way to help yourself. It is suitable for both experienced swimmers and those who are not very confident on the water. Therefore, it is worth attaching a pin to a swimsuit or swimming trunks in advance. If it is not there, you can try to pinch yourself hard or bite if your hand is brought together. Try not to strain other muscles more than necessary, so as not to cause new cramps.

6. If something goes wrong, take the float position. To do this, take a deep breath, then pull your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around them. You pop up back up and will bob on the water like a float. In this position, a person will always stay on the surface and will not go to the bottom - the laws of physics will not allow. You can hold your breath, and then raise your head and take a deep breath again.

"Float" can help when you are tired, and far from the shore, and when you suddenly have convulsions. The main rule is to try to relax as much as possible and breathe evenly.

Remember: in this position, you have enough time to rest or help yourself with cramps. You can move slowly towards the shore, assuming a float position each time you need to recuperate.