I swim...well actually I dog paddle and tread water.

I actually do know some people that can't swim. They're deathly afraid of the water.

I’m American. I was a community pool lifeguard through high school and college summers.

I don’t believe I’ve ever known an American adult who couldn’t swim.

Hi Crystal Fairy, yes in my town, during summer vacation from school from June to September, all the kids took swimming lessons at the school pool..and by the by, why are the most beautiful women, in Zeeland>? <3 !!

Wait a minute!

I questioned this thread because I have met so few compatriots who could not swim. It was either just like Scoobert mentioned (a petrifying fear), or a lack of opportunity.

Just fishing around Google (not cross referenced or verified) the top hits were indicating that nearly 1/3 of Americans could not swim 24 yards (apprx. 1 lap in median size pool).

Can this be so???? I couldn't imagine!!!

actually i can believe that number beach. just with those un taught for lack of easy access, those that fear, and those that can't or won't take the time to keep up with it.

but crystal just what were you watching that prompted this thread?

Thank you

See... And somehow it doesn't surprise me. Seems to be even more than just 1/3, I found this from the Red Cross:

Almost Half of America Can't Swim, Survey Says. Only 56 percent of Americans can perform the five core swimming skills, a recent survey conducted on behalf of the American Red Cross said. May 20, 2014

I cannot remember now, haha. It was a series where someone fell in the water and couldn't swim so he nearly drowned. SOmeone living close to water, like in a town near a huge lake.

Over here the number of people and kids that can swim and/or swim well (enough) is going down
Especially among the more poor people, lower educated, and of course people like refugees the numbers are low.
We do have an increasing amount of poor people so kind of logical. But apparently many parents don't see the importance of it (anymore).
Isn't that weird? To me it was vital that my kids learnt to swim. One diploma at the very least, as they'd also get to swim with clothes, full set of clothes for the 2nd diploma.
It wasn't even an option for my kids. Doing a sports like dancing, judo, horse riding, those were optional. Not swimming. So I really cannot understand a parent not making sure their kids can swim. Even for my own peace of mind, just to know that they knew what it felt like to fall into water with clothes on and still being able to get out of it without a problem. We had these huge, 14-16 meter deep canals in the town we were living at the time, and my kids endeavored out on their own at a certain age.
If they hadn't known how to swim I would've kept both kids on a leash in the garden, hahaha

i think the two biggest new contributors are chasing the almighty buck doesn't leave as much time for it. and the wrapping of kids in cotton and video games.
when i was growing up us kids rode our bikes everywhere without close supervision and we spent nearly every waking hour out and about playing with friends. so the nearest beach or pool was fair game. these days the fear of crazy peeps keeps kids watched much more closely so if mom or dad doesn't have the time to get to water it doesn't happen

i've been swimming longer than i can remember, so that's well before the age of three.

Think most folks down here can swim, it's just we find it safer to walk on water. Gators, snakes, and flesh eating bacteria. On a serious note; we lost a family of six a couple years ago. One slipped in and the others jumped in to save him and all couldn't swim. sadly true story.

don't let them fool ya, Op, they don't swim, that's what we call floating

and some can't even do that without gadgets

ain't that the truth