Grabbing some popcorn for this one.
I’ve traveled to many countries and never had such swimming restrictions. They really need different rule for foreigners since they can actually swim. Most kids you see in shallow ocean have zero aptitude at swimming.
Well, your popcorn won’t save you from drowning. Even swimmers drown and so there’s a reason why beaches have lifeguards.
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If I have enough of it in a bag…it will.
You are aware that most of these drownings are from people that should not be in the water because they don’t know how to swim?
I’ve been in a riptide before, just stay calm and let it move you and eventually you swim to shore. Then again I learned to swim at 2.
Found this bit of information. Sort of like with seatbelts. You’ll never truly appreciate them until you need them. That doesn’t mean they’re perfect. You’re just increasing your survival rate.
SO, WHY DO GOOD SWIMMERS DROWN?
- Swimmers can drown because they are overconfident in their abilities
- Strong swimmers are less likely to be supervised which increases their chances of drowning
- Experienced swimmers are more likely to take risks when involved in water-based activities
- Open water also poses a variety of dangers that often lead to drowning
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Maybe, but I’d suspect that most can swim, but got in situations requiring more ability than they have.
And it depends how far you get swept out, how wide. And of course you may not be able to control the “just stay calm” part of the equation. I’d easily put someone who can swim a hundred meters in a pool and tread water for a couple minutes in the knows how to swim category (but isn’t great at it) that can easily get in trouble in a riptide.
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The only rescues I ever made as a lifeguard were of NCAA athletes on swim teams during competitions/warm ups for competitions. Seizures, asthma attacks despite no history of it, unexplainable medical emergencies that I don’t know the result of because it was my job to get them out of the pool and to a medical professional, not to diagnose their sudden sinking to the bottom of the pool.
Don’t be stupid.
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I’m not clear because there are some different opinions on this thread: are the dangers of swimming in Taiwanese waters objectively the same as the dangers of swimming in Californian waters? Or are they objectively more dangerous? By objectively dangerous, I suppose I mean more dangerous for someone who can, say, swim a couple of hundred metres in a swimming pool with no great problem.
If you go to Fulong and venture to the left of the main beach, in front of the dunes and towards the power station, you can swim there without any lifeguards.
But, a friend did get caught in a riptide there once and floated out and back in. He was already prepared mentally for it.
I don’t know but waters can be very deceptive and you might be in mortal danger long before you realize you’re in one.
Or even stuff like sharks and jellyfish. Swimming skills won’t save you there.
On the planet, about 12 people a year are killed by sharks.
Not a consideration.
It’s covered in another thread but the 12 are those that survive a jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. Sorry @Taiwan_Luthiers , I couldn’t resist.
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@MalcolmReynolds ? All my ocean swimming experience in Taiwan has not felt dangerous, but I guess there are real dangers at certain beaches.
Well if the beach is staffed by a life guard then you can be reasonably sure it’s safe to swim there, but the waterways in Taiwan are either dirty or unpredictable or both, so it’s understandable that swimming is not allowed.
The key point to this is, as someone else stated earlier, “Don’t be stupid.”
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Also brain eating amoebas… I’m sure the waters full of those.
Aside from a handful of places to swim, I would venture to say that the waters in Taiwan are objectively more dangerous than in California, with some crazy currents running past this island and (at least on the east coast) deep waters very close to shore.
Guy
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Was thinking the same thing. there are. have been for ages. Unlike many countries. my parents had to teach us and pay out of pocket for extra safety (first aid etc). The issue I see here is like most classes, they are dumbed down and impossible to fail.
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I still think people are missing the issue. The % of population that learned to swim is very low. Even my wife said she can swim, but I learned a long time ago from a Taiwanese girl I dated -who couldn’t swim and said she could, well wife and I went to pool and she considered swimming 10ft on her back swimming. Insane.
I still think about the story of parents that saved their kids in Taiwan river only to lose their lives. Totally could have been avoided had they not gone in without learning to swim first.
replace swim with drive and the root of the problem will become that much more apparent 
luckily, it is exceptionally easy to avoid drowning!
There is definitely real danger at certain beaches during certain times. The key is to know your abilities and limitations and most importantly to know the beach very well beforehand.
The main problem is that Taiwanese can’t swim, generally speaking. But, they think they can or they see us doing it and believe that they can do it too.
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