Swimming in the canal

[magpie patrick]

Yip, That was at the 11th lock on the Grand Canal Mainline at Clondalkin. It was a popular 'dare' - swim through the open gate paddle. Madness!

 

Thanks Martin, someone else knew the story as well!

[Giggetty]

In Dawley, they say that Captain Webb, the Dawley man, would train for the Channel by swimming along the old canal that took the bricks from Lawley. I think that this preceded the invention of the Thetford cassette.Didn't do him any harm, did it?

[WJM]

"the republic compared to the north"

 

In Britain it is called 'The Police Force', in Ireland it is called (translated) 'The Guardians of the Peace'. That tells you all about the difference in attitude.

[capnthommo]

well i have to say i hopped in the canal last year. but it was to find an almost brand new marples chisel i had accidentally knocked in. no way on earth was i going to walk away from that.

in the process of feeling around in the sludge with bare foot (for sensitivity you understand - not some bizarre perversion) i got a nick on the sole. not a bad one at all, but it took about 5 weeks to heal.

next time i will find a net.

cheers

nigel

[Keeping Up]

well i have to say i hopped in the canal last year. but it was to find an almost brand new marples chisel i had accidentally knocked in. no way on earth was i going to walk away from that.

in the process of feeling around in the sludge with bare foot (for sensitivity you understand - not some bizarre perversion) i got a nick on the sole. not a bad one at all, but it took about 5 weeks to heal.

next time i will find a net.

cheers

nigel

How about Canalworld.net?

 

OK before I get my coat I'll mention the Nene. Last time we went down the Nene, trying to empty a lock (for anyone that doesn't know, the Nene locks have guillotine gates at the bottom end) the kids stood around and watched until we lifted the guillotine by a foot or so, then to impress the girls the boys dived in so as to be swept underneath it by the current from the emptying lock. Of course we didn't dare try shutting the gate because (1) it is very slow to do that and (2) it would risk trapping them. Emerging unscathed they shouted about how brave they were - until we pointed out that there was a snake swimming towards them, they were screaming-scared in their efforts to get out of the water and the girls were laughing themselves silly about it!

[blackrose]

I swum in the Thames near Reading a couple of times - it looked crystal clear, but I wouldn't be swimming in the stagnant ditches.

[Chertsey]

I've swum in the Middle Level. I'm fine, but I must go and get my algae trimmed soon.

[Catrin]

I swum in the Thames near Reading a couple of times - it looked crystal clear, but I wouldn't be swimming in the stagnant ditches.

 

I remember a very drunken picnic on the Thames (near Hurley), some 30 years ago - we were all swimming happily, but a large percentage of the contingent didn't make work the next day because of stomach upsets and the like. However, I remember it rather better because I tried to drown OH (slightly before he was OH - my excuse was that I didn't know he couldn't really swim).

Cheers

Cath

 

PS - he can swim now!

[Guest]

I remember a very drunken picnic on the Thames (near Hurley), some 30 years ago - we were all swimming happily, but a large percentage of the contingent didn't make work the next day because of stomach upsets and the like. However, I remember it rather better because I tried to drown OH (slightly before he was OH - my excuse was that I didn't know he couldn't really swim).

Cheers

Cath

 

PS - he can swim now!

 

Ok right - so the bad bellies were all down to the canal and nothing to do with the copious amounts of alcoholic consumed...

 

if he'd drowned - where would I get the info. I need on my future purchase if it has a BMC 1.8??

[Catrin]

Ok right - so the bad bellies were all down to the canal and nothing to do with the copious amounts of alcoholic consumed...

 

if he'd drowned - where would I get the info. I need on my future purchase if it has a BMC 1.8??

It wasn't THAT much alcohol.

 

If he'd drowned....

OMG!!!!!!

 

Goodness, my life would be different now.

Cath

[Guest]

If he'd drowned....

OMG!!!!!!

 

Goodness, my life would be different now.

Cath

 

after 30 years of marriage I'm sure I know what you mean...

 

 

 

Better to wait after you get married, the life insurance payout is wayyyy better,,,,

[RLWP]

It wasn't THAT much alcohol.

 

If he'd drowned....

OMG!!!!!!

 

Goodness, my life would be different now.

Cath

 

You could have had that glittering career as a free fall parachutist and Femme Fatale that you always dreamed of

 

Richard

[MoominPapa]

You could have had that glittering career as a free fall parachutist and Femme Fatale that you always dreamed of.

Hmmm, unfortunate combination..........

 

 

MP.

[capnthommo]

hi again

another little memory here.

many years ago, in the peak district, we were walking and certain of the party drank the crystal clear water tumbling down the small mountain stream. a little further up the hill we discovered the dead sheep in the brook. by the looks of it it had been there about 4 or 5 days.

cue for members of party to grow very pasty of face and look worried.

all was well though - a few good healthy beers saw them right.

cheers

nigel

[Guest wanted]

I went swimming at Brentford leisure centre a while ago, not so sure it was cleaner than the guaging lock!

 

I canoe on the Thames and have been known to fall in a bit! all ok so far..........

[Giggetty]

You don't even have to be swimming - one of the community boat scheme managers that we know told me about someone who was really into showing off by doing loads of eskimo rolls in the kayak and warned him to stop. He didn't. He contracted Weils.

There was an outbreak of Weil's disease in the W Midlands in ?1983. The only case I knew of had been swimming in the Stourbridge canal at Wordsley. The public health gave out that the hot summer and low water levels (concentrating rat urine) were contributary causes.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Giggetty

[Mick and Maggie]

 

Is this one of those "weirdo wedding" photos?

[Kentboycamper2]

My general rule of thumb is if it flows then you can swim in it!

 

Hence rivers yes, canals no.

[Josher]

Manchester Ship Canal Swim

 

- saw him do it too (albeit from the deck of a Mersey Ferry Peel Holdings had hired for the occasion).

[FadeToScarlet]

http://www.thameswater.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/.../hs.xsl/883.htm Read the last paragraph...

 

http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.u..._Thames/?ref=eb Etc. etc....

 

 

I've been on that bit of water, and you do have to take precautions. Any cuts or grazes have to be cleaned and covered; drinking Coke if you swallow anything is encouraged, as it kills any wee beasties.

[Matthew Knowles]

I've been on that bit of water, and you do have to take precautions. Any cuts or grazes have to be cleaned and covered; drinking Coke if you swallow anything is encouraged, as it kills any wee beasties.

 

I second the Coke thing. We (my wife and I) are members of an endurance raft racing team and I always try to drink a Coke following every trip out on the river. If I don't I often end up with a slightly unsteady belly for a couple of days afterwards.

[Guest wanted]

We paddle around isleworth so far alright, maybe I'll switch to rum and coke afterwards!

[WJM]

I have often heard the Coke thing - but could anyone lend any logic to why a sugary drink with flavourings could do any harm to a micro-organism that can already endure gastric acid? Methinks the Coke thing is urban myth!

[RLWP]

I have often heard the Coke thing - but could anyone lend any logic to why a sugary drink with flavourings could do any harm to a micro-organism that can already endure gastric acid? Methinks the Coke thing is urban myth!

 

I think it is an urban myth too and have just spent ages looking for a link to prove it. Theory is "its's very acidic and burns the nasties up". Bloody bad idea if that is true as it would destroy the natural bacteria in your stomach and you digestion will be in big trouble.

 

There's a nice "army" variation where you must only drink the coke flat. Why????

 

Richard

 

Can't find a credible source, although I can find that particular myth repeated on many sites along with the usual myths about dissolving teeth

[magpie patrick]

I think it is an urban myth too and have just spent ages looking for a link to prove it. Theory is "its's very acidic and burns the nasties up". Bloody bad idea if that is true as it would destroy the natural bacteria in your stomach and you digestion will be in big trouble.

 

There's a nice "army" variation where you must only drink the coke flat. Why????

 

Richard

 

Can't find a credible source, although I can find that particular myth repeated on many sites along with the usual myths about dissolving teeth

 

 

Well, Pepsi got it's name apparently as it helped in cases of dyspepsia, however I can't see that either would kill off weil's disease.

 

If, however, you have stomach trouble, such as dysentry, what both coke and pepsi do is give you enough sugar and minerals to keep going for a while, without making the condition worse.

 

Russian's swear by vodka with peppercorns in it