This can't be dismissed surely?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61803635
Need to make some more Darwin Award medals....................................
I did wonder - drowning deaths in Scotland are 3 x higher than in England and Wales. Wild swimming (i.e. screwing up the fishing) is not a "right" in England.
The price of being a sozzled nation.
Most of the drownings from boats and kayaks seem to be alcohol related (as well as a lack of life jackets).
I'd guess that the most common category of drowning is the drunk young ned that jumps into cold water on a warm summers night.
Wild swimmers are a pain in the arse, but I doubt many of them are drowning. 99% of 'wild swimmers' just paddle about the shallows taking instagram photos. The few that do go swimming in open water tend to be properly equipped with wetsuits and floats.
Oddly as a non-drinker that never even occurred to me Ian. It's been so long since I had alcohol I had forgotten what a destructive part it plays in Scottish society.
On some of the forum outings we used to have to the Crask or similar it never failed to amaze me how much some people would drink, sitting up half the night then suffering half the next day and wearing it as a badge of honour. ::)
Quote from: admin on June 25, 2022, 04:39:16 PM
Oddly as a non-drinker that never even occurred to me Ian. It's been so long since I had alcohol I had forgotten what a destructive part it plays in Scottish society.
On some of the forum outings we used to have to the Crask or similar it never failed to amaze me how much some people would drink, sitting up half the night then suffering half the next day and wearing it as a badge of honour. ::)
Never a truer word said Fred, It'd quite incredible how our lives revolve around the demon. Celebration? drink, Feeling down? drink, good weather? drink.....and on, and on..... I used to feel a wee bit awkward telling folk that I don't drink, I now don't feel that way, and note that peoples reactions are very interesting indeed, from assuming that you used to have a problem to openly telling you that they wish they could abstain too!.
I suppose having more coastline and water than than many other countries is a factor too. I knew of two 16 year olds who died in a local reservoir at the end of the summer 5 years ago, they'd been swimming in there most days without issue, diving off the tower. One dived in and didn't come back up, his pal dived in after him and met the same fate, was tragic. Cold water shock was the explanation at the time.