[kaoD]

I can confirm the article. Almost drowned once in a river: I let myself go with the current and, once I tried swimming back, realized I accidentally went into strong currents.

I tried swimming harder, but eventually got tired and sunk. Despite my friends being about 20/30 meters away from me, they didn't realize I was drowning. I couldn't scream for help nor do anything but trying to stick my head out and breathe. I couldn't stay afloat long enough to cause any water splash either.

Fortunately I touched a rock that was sticking out from the bottom with my foot and stood there for a bit to recover and go back.

Be careful this summer!

[qrybam]

Ditto. I remember my drowning in a swimming pool very vividly. I was around 9 at the time, couldn't swim and was sitting on one of those foam floats. A friend of mine (he didn't know about my lack of swimming ability) pushed me off the float right in the middle of the deep end. This is where the article's description really hits home with me:

1. I wasn't able to stay afloat in my vertical position (as described)

2. I tried to scream for help, but ended up with a mouth full of chlorine water each time

3. No adults/kids were reacting to me at all

4. I accepted (3) and decided to take matters into my own hands

5. Took the biggest breath I could (wasn't very big), stuck my head underwater, opened my eyes and "swam" as hard as I could to the edge of the pool ... I blacked out on the way

6. An adult found me unconscious underwater, holding onto the side of the pool, blue in the face

7. CPR

8. I'm here to tell the tale \o/

(edit: formatting)

[Filligree]

Doesn't sound like the drowning reflex kicked in for you, there.

[tomsaffell]

I can offer some advice on swift-water river safety.

1. avoid swimming in moving water unless you know it and everything downstream of it very well

2. if you're boating (canoe, tube, etc) on swift moving water always wear a personal flotation device. no exceptions.(a)

3. if you find yourself in moving water, swim lateral to the flow - never upstream

4. the safest orientation of your body is lying on your back, feet downstream (though this isnt the most effective for moving laterally, so this is best used through rapids, for example)

5. swimming across eddylines can be difficult. the easiest way is to do a torpedo stroke, which is like an alternating front crawl stoke / back stroke, with your body rotating around its long axis with each stroke. I would link to a video of it, but I cant find one...

a) - i've swum in tame swift-water in downtown Denver w/o a PFD, and I've swum (accidentally) in raging swift-water with a PFD. The former was far more unpleasant, and resulted in more swallowed water.

[gmrple]

Try searching for corkscrew stroke, here's a kid trying it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVLTXKGE7TE

[pcrh]

I had a similar experience... At about age 11, I decided to swim across a river and 3/4 the way across I got cramp (or something) and panicked. While I was dipping below the surface, a motor boat even circled around me without doing anything. Luckily my older sister was nearby and called for help; two guys then dived in from bank and pulled me out.

[crescentfresh]

Glad you made it. I had a similar experience, in strong currents. It was a long time ago but I cannot think of it without my heart racing and panicking all over again.

[chetanahuja]

This. Strong currents in natural bodies of water (rivers, ocean... even close to the beach) will overwhelm even the strongest swimmers/divers. Overconfidence will kill you, literally.