Swimimng amongst moorings

[ChrisE]

Last weekend I came back into the river where the boat is moored to be greeted by a swimmer amonst the trots. The nature of the river and the moorings is that you sometimes need to move from one side of the river to the other in between moored boats.

If I'd have to have moved that day there would have been one less swimmer in the world, no sign of him until we rounded the stem of a moored boat roughly where I'd have turned. We saw another one a bit further down the river.

I was thinking of a Darwin award for these two ....

I'm all for people having fun but swimming amongst moorings in a busy river seems to be not a smart move.

 

[seumask]

Having swum out to my mooring last weekend I was only too aware of the need to keep a strong look out for other boats moving about in the moorings, you feel very small in the water as a swimmer and its likely that they were fairly aware of the potential issues. Then again that's maybe because I am a yachtie already! Usually only an issue in good weather and slack tide, but then I don't hope to be on the Darwin award scheme if I can help it.

 

[onesea]

Not certain what the Col Reg's say about swimmers

If I was swimming around boats I would try and dash from one boat to next look both ways then go for next.

If swimming for pleasure I would just stay near my boat...

 

[Blueboatman]

I suppose one could always go to neutral for a moment or two as you go past his head..being a kind and considerate chap n all. And there's all the paperwork and mess to clear up at the end of a nice day

 

[Garold]

Clearly not so unusual.

I was approaching Saxon Wharf on the Itchen at the top end of Southampton water on Sunday and had a small rib off to the right, and a dory overtaking, when I noticed a guy swimming across the river with his dog beside him. Unexpected.

Fortunately we were all doing no more than 6 knots and so stopping dead wasn't a problem and we didn't run into each other. And the swimmer waved to acknowledge our action, as he and his labrador swam across.

I have no problem with it, but it did seem a bit dangerous. He was visible and it is a fairly uncluttered bit of the river but there are some jetties, and mid river pontoons and so I didn't actually see where he came from and on a less sunny day one could easily have missed him so low in the water.

I also later noticed a stand up jet ski guy, ride his machine past the same spot at about 15 knots or whatever it takes to stay upright on one of those crafts. So not everyone is going at 6 knots (speed limit on that part of the river).

So, I'm with the OP, in that it seems a bit of a dangerous activity and the swimmers need to be very alert because they may not be easily spotted by everyone in a moving boat.

Cheers

Garold

Ps I stopped dead and held still because about 50 yards behind him there was another guy in the water, swimming across the river, following his mate in a kayak. Don't know what to expect next on sunny days!

 

[[70521]]

Don't know what to expect next on sunny days!

Let us know if it is streakers!

 

[prv]

Let us know if it is streakers!

Sorry, too late! The World Naked Bike Ride (in various cities including Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton) was about a month ago

Pete

 

[DanTribe]

I saw a group of swimmers going through a dinghy race start / finish line yesterday.
Unfortunately there were no protests but it would have made an interesting hearing.
1/ Can you call for water if a swimmer or group of swimmers is an obstruction?
2/ Is a swimmer a "vessel" and if so who has to give way?
3/ Would a swimmer exonerate themselves with a 360?
4/ Would they hear "I'm racing" through all that splashing?

 

[prv]

I saw a group of swimmers going through a dinghy race start / finish line yesterday.
Unfortunately there were no protests but it would have made an interesting hearing.

I guess a swimmer is an obstruction.

What if a whale had surfaced just in front of the line?

Pete

 

[DanTribe]

I guess a swimmer is an obstruction.

What if a whale had surfaced just in front of the line?

Pete

When my kids were sailing in the Cadet Nationals in Plymouth years ago, a very large basking shark appeared at the windward mark. This caused mayhem, but again no protests followed, which was a pity.
This is starting to get like A P Herbert's Misleading Cases.

 

[Alfie168]

I guess a swimmer is an obstruction.

What if a whale had surfaced just in front of the line?

Pete

When I was 19 I was sailing my Enterprise on Derwentwater, and had not sailed for three or four years so I was rusty, but so what..nice sunny day, nice breeze..no other boats to bump into...then bug*er me.....a flippin sub aqua diver broke the surface dead ahead and too close for comfort. It was the last thing I expected and it threw me, though we did miss him, I did wonder if there were any more. No float and flag, no dinghy..no nuffink.

I did wonder what damage an Enterprise dinghy at 4-5 knots might do to to him had we impacted him nose on...and I concluded I might easily have killed him.

I have to say I was totally unprepared, but did tack as quickly as I dared to clear him. The nervous young lady I had taken out for her first sail was not impressed, though she still speaks to me occasionally 40 years later.

Tim

 

[Corribee Boy]

Our moorings are expanding to occupy space off a beach that's been used for swimming for many years.

It's a thought that perhaps people need to be aware it's not necessarily the yacht who should have priority, a bit like a pedestrianized zone with vehicles.

 

[snowleopard]

When entering Plymout Sound from the East you round the Shagstone which is the tip of a reef. It is steep-to so people often round it less than a 'biscuit toss' off. This week there was a RIB just off the rock and as we got close we saw a diver's float in the water. When about 10 yards away we realised that the RIB had an 'A' flag but it must have been sitting in a manky locker because the white part was completely brown with rust. A couple of years ago we saw another dive boat with an A flag where the white was covered in advertising text. (he was also showing standard steaming lights and it was after sunset.

I can understand a holidaymaker not realising the danger but surely divers should be aware of the risk they are taking.

 

[Poignard]

The only time I went swimming amongst moorings was off Hardway, Gosport in October. I had capsized the dinghy. Can't say I'm keen to repeat the experience.

 

[clyst]

We even get tw*ts swimming in the marina !

 

[SimonFa]

A couple of weeks ago I was leaving Lulworth Cove when two snorkelers entered the water from the rocks by the west entrance. Fornuately I had someone on the bow but he lost them. It was a bit hairy because going in to neutral is not fun given the cross tide at the entrance.

They surfaced some distance away and I suspect that they were never in danger and knew what they were doing, but you just can't take the risk.

 

[snowleopard]

This got me thinking so I've just posted this on one of the Dive forums...

We sailors don't want to plough through a group of divers but if we are to avoid you, you have to give us a sporting chance by letting us know what you are up to. I've had a couple of close calls in Plymouth Sound.

In the first instance a powerboat was crossing a main channel after sunset showing only normal steaming lights. We followed colregs correctly but as we passed someone came out of the cabin and pointed to a flag, barely visible in the half-light. It resembled an 'A' flag but the white part was covered in advertising.

This week there was a RIB hovering off the Shagstone, the main turning point into the Sound. Only when we were close were we able to see a diver's float in the water. The RIB had an 'A' flag but it was lower than the helmsman's head and so old and rust-stained that the 'white' part was dark brown.

So please - show your dive flag high where it can be seen from a distance, make sure it is big and not defaced by writing or stains and if there isn't enough wind to make it fly, arrange to hold it out or use a painted board.

We really don't want to kill you, help us keep clear!