I didn't know that. That was very interesting, but most of all important. Thanks for sharing, Rosemary.

I'm glad to see this going around the Internet.

I almost drowned in a swimming pool with two people swimming just feet away from me. They didn't have a clue. I couldn't call out, couldn't wave. I accidentally scratched one of them as he swam by and he came back to see why I had scratched him, and then he pulled me out of the water.

They knew I didn't know how to swim, but they thought I was okay on my own while they raced each other. No one standing around the pool was aware either.

Thanks for sharing, Rosemary.

that's why i taught my kids early on how to swim..we lived in san diego with a pool in every backyard...

boaters should be more aware than others, to always have safety pfd on every child no matter how good a swimmer they are...the sad thing are day picnic'ers here in the detroit area...we've had several drownings around the lakes and rivers because of currents...it happens every year...

this will be sent to my kids...

Wow - scary story!

Thanks for sharing! :)

Thank you, Rosemary....from a Grandma who often goes to the ocean or a water park with young'uns.....

Love your blog, by the way.

Thank you so much for sharing this important information.

I know from my experience at age four that it is true. I did not splash or struggle, and felt disoriented rather than fearful.

Fortunately, someone noticed that I had slipped below the water's surface and pulled me out.

An 11-year-old I knew was not as lucky. He was at the lake with his family, and nobody guessed he was in trouble until it was too late.
R.I.P., Rudy.

Thanks Rosemary! That was very informative.

Thanks for posting this. My DH recently acquired a small boat that the older kids will use also. I want them to read this!
It brought back memories when I almost drowned in a hotel pool that had a drop-off. All of a sudden I sunk below the water. I didn't know how to swim, and found myself in panic mode. There were people all around, someone must have seen my trouble, and pulled me to the side. Still scared of deep water to this day.

When I was five or six, I went under a wave at Virginia Beach. My father thought he had a good hand on me, but the wave swept me out of his grasp. I remember - as Petaloid said - feeling more disoriented than anything.

Next thing I knew, my father yanked me up out of the water.

I thought this was one of the best articles I ever saw on the subject.

Really good info. I am going to relay this to my DS, who is a lifeguard at the town pool. Wonder if they teach this to the guards. I know they have all sorts of drills they do at inservices.

I saw this on a couple of boat websites just recently. Very interesting. My sister had this experience in the wave pool at a water park last year. She had a child with her (Chloe's friend) who couldn't stay afloat, and she was trying to keep the child up, but ended up going under herself. She said she couldn't signal to the lifeguard, who was nearby.

Luckily, the lifeguard noticed and stopped the waves, and my sister was fine.

Rosemary, thanks for posting this. I am sending it to my entire email list. The fact that you shared this story might very well save someone's life!

Scary story, I know what you mean about TV. On shows the victim always hollars and boibs up and down 3 times. My niece nearly drowned in an above ground pool when she was a kid. Luckily my sister (her mother) saw she was in trouble and was able to jump in and save her. My sis reported that the kid was thrashing and beating on her in panic when she got to her,Luckily she was able to grab her hair and pull her head up.

Very important info! Thanks!

I read this same article, but thank you for posting this! When we go to our neighborhood pool, I am shocked at the parents who sit around and chat/text on their phones, read a magazine etc and BARELY watch their kids. Little beginning swimmer kids! Yes, there are lifeguards but usually they are high school kids that I put no faith into. My DH thinks I'm paranoid as I am always right next to my kids, but it only takes a minute!!

I grew up in Hawaii so EVERYONE learned how to swim. We also were taught no to fear, but have a healthy respect for water and how powerful it can be.

What concerns me is the number of people here suggesting that knowing how to swim prevents drowning. It can help, but common sense tells us otherwise.

Another thing to point out is in this part of the country a big concern is exposure, not so much drowning. People think that if someone dies in the water, it was a drowning. Several friends of mine were in a boating incident many years ago. Everyone thought they drowned but I said nope, I don't believe it. They were all expert swimmers, all athletes and in perfect health. But when you get into 40° water, you have but minutes before your body shuts down. They were going camping on an island and there was a big storm brewing. Seven total and the boat could handle 4 plus gear so 4 went across and one came back to get the rest. Not much was thought about since Gary said if the weather gets worse they'll stay on the other side until morning and come across then. The boat was found upside down with the anchor rope wrapped in the motor. It took nearly two weeks to find the bodies. None drowned, they all died from exposure. One was in three feet of water - that close to making it to shore. Two were found together, it appeared one panicked and the other tried to help him. Which of course brings up another thing, emotions. People who panic (and especially if they panic easily) will have more problems.

If this wasn't sad enough for everyone who knew these guys, can you imagine what one 20 year old girl was going through? She lost
1) her brother;
2) her cousin;
3) her fiance; and
4) the man who was to be the best man at her wedding.

One show I really enjoy watching is called Deadliest Catch about the crab fishermen. They make it clear how dangerous water can be from exposure.
I've spent a lot of time in and around the water. I grew up being taught to enjoy it for sure but to show a healthy respect for it.

Also remember a word called undercurrents...

There were three separate drownings in pools in the Greater Torontto area just today. Two children and a sixty year old. So many more drownings this year that a provincial inquiry has been called. One of the children is now conscious. A good sign. Years ago, when I worked in emerge, if a drowning victim didn't come around quickly, the prognosis was not good at all. Hopefully there is now more hope. The sixty year old has died. The four year old is still critical.