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I'm from New Zealand, and I'm shocked at how bad some people are at swimming. I'd understand somebody in Kansas or the middle of Australia being bad at swimming

I'm from New Zealand, and I'm shocked at how bad some people are at swimming. I'd understand somebody in Kansas or the middle of Australia being bad at swimming, but New Zealand is an island nation, 75% of the population lives within 10 km (6 miles) of the sea. A significant proportion of people couldn't swim 250 m or tread water for 10 minutes.

bane 8y ago
The first time I went to the Caribbean, I was utterly flummoxed to find out many of the locals couldn't swim at all. I've known people who volunteered to go to various islands to teach basic swimming skills who also haven't been able to quite figure out why either. https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/2017/0824/Most-Grenadians-don-t-know-how-to-swim.-But-one-woman-is-changing-that https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/2017/082... https://alexischateau.com/2016/11/08/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-jamaica/ https://alexischateau.com/2016/11/08/10-things-you-probably-...
- toomanybeersies 8y ago
  I have a friend who worked as a diving instructor on the Gili Islands in Indonesia for a few months. He said that a lot of the local guys who would drive the boats couldn't swim, they also obviously didn't wear life jackets. It just seems bizarre to me.
Freak_NL 8y ago
I'm always surprised to learn that learning to swim isn't the norm in other developed countries. Unfortunately, ill-advised budget cuts mean that even here in the Netherlands (a country with a lot of surface water) swimming is no longer a standard part of the school curriculum in some municipalities (it used to be pretty much mandatory).
seszett 8y ago
Well, I'm always surprised at how people seem to assume that just living by the sea should somehow make people learn to swim? I probably went to the sea (the Atlantic, in France) and played in water every other day or so during summer and autumn for most of my life until I had to move away as an adult, but that didn't magically teach my how to swim. I had to learn later. And I still hate swimming.
- toomanybeersies 8y ago
  I don't think that living next to the sea would make you magically learn how to swim, but rather that everybody should be taught to swim to a competent level. If you live next to the sea, you're going to be spending time around and on the water. It follows that you should learn how to survive in the water if something goes wrong. What if you get caught in a rip, or if someone else gets in trouble in the water and you have to help them? What if you're in a dingy and it capsizes?
cardiffspaceman 8y ago
The college I went to required students to demonstrate the ability to tread water for 5 minutes and do a few lengths of the pool (form didn't count). They strongly urged a remedial class in swimming for those who failed this test in freshman year.
- brg 8y ago
  Tsinghua?

bane 8y ago

The first time I went to the Caribbean, I was utterly flummoxed to find out many of the locals couldn't swim at all. I've known people who volunteered to go to various islands to teach basic swimming skills who also haven't been able to quite figure out why either. https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/2017/0824/Most-Grenadians-don-t-know-how-to-swim.-But-one-woman-is-changing-that https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/2017/082... https://alexischateau.com/2016/11/08/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-jamaica/ https://alexischateau.com/2016/11/08/10-things-you-probably-...

toomanybeersies 8y ago
I have a friend who worked as a diving instructor on the Gili Islands in Indonesia for a few months. He said that a lot of the local guys who would drive the boats couldn't swim, they also obviously didn't wear life jackets. It just seems bizarre to me.

Freak_NL 8y ago

I'm always surprised to learn that learning to swim isn't the norm in other developed countries. Unfortunately, ill-advised budget cuts mean that even here in the Netherlands (a country with a lot of surface water) swimming is no longer a standard part of the school curriculum in some municipalities (it used to be pretty much mandatory).

seszett 8y ago

Well, I'm always surprised at how people seem to assume that just living by the sea should somehow make people learn to swim? I probably went to the sea (the Atlantic, in France) and played in water every other day or so during summer and autumn for most of my life until I had to move away as an adult, but that didn't magically teach my how to swim. I had to learn later. And I still hate swimming.

toomanybeersies 8y ago
I don't think that living next to the sea would make you magically learn how to swim, but rather that everybody should be taught to swim to a competent level. If you live next to the sea, you're going to be spending time around and on the water. It follows that you should learn how to survive in the water if something goes wrong. What if you get caught in a rip, or if someone else gets in trouble in the water and you have to help them? What if you're in a dingy and it capsizes?

cardiffspaceman 8y ago

The college I went to required students to demonstrate the ability to tread water for 5 minutes and do a few lengths of the pool (form didn't count). They strongly urged a remedial class in swimming for those who failed this test in freshman year.

brg 8y ago
Tsinghua?