[ghaff]

No. I'm going to say you can't always avoid getting into water. So at least minimal (with an emphasis on that word) skills are important.

[gandalfian]

"No. I'm going to say you can't always avoid getting into water."

True but accidentally ending up in water is rare. Deliberately putting yourself in water because you can swim is common. I'd still rather swim personally, but if I stayed out of the sea I would be safer.