3/4 mile too far to swim?

[Lil' Irish Temper]

I had a diver tell me, he wants to do a shore dive, but the spot he wanted to dive is 3/4 of a mile off shore, and wanted to swim out to it, then dive it, and then swim back. He said he was a strong swimmer. I thought "Get a Boat" but sometimes I forget thats not an option for everyone.

I could see someone doing it in perfect conditions, but even then I think it would be tough.

But I only drift and boat dive, I maybe have shore dove 2 times.

I told him that to me that seemed a little extreme to me, and I think it would be too much.

I know the spot he is talking about, it never gets deeper then 25 ft. in Lake Erie

But like I said, I really don't know, and was wondering from the shore divers, if I steered him in the wrong direction, or is 3/4 of a mile really not to extreme?

 

[jonnythan]

That's over a thousand yards.

How long do you think it would take you to surface swim the length of an entire football field? 5-10 minutes? Think you'd be tired?

Now do it 20 times.

The swim out alone would probably take well over an hour..

This is one of those dives that you need to call well before you ever get near the water. Get a boat.

 

[redacted]

While it may not be too far to swim for some, it's probably too far to rescue for most.

 

[Lil' Irish Temper]

That's over a thousand yards.

How long do you think it would take you to surface swim the length of an entire football field? 5-10 minutes? Think you'd be tired?

Now do it 20 times.

The swim out alone would probably take well over an hour..

This is one of those dives that you need to call well before you ever get near the water. Get a boat.

That's what I thought. I don't dive that spot anymore (zebra mussels took it over)

Now I have a clean conscious about telling him he shouldn't do it.

My big problem was by saying "No, I don't think you should", that I could ruin someone's dive, when I didn't know the right answer.

 

[Divingnthedark]

I told him that to me that seemed a little extreme to me, and I think it would be too much.

I know the spot he is talking about, it never gets deeper then 25 ft. in Lake Erie

But like I said, I really don't know, and was wondering from the shore divers, if I steered him in the wrong direction, or is 3/4 of a mile really not to extreme?

YUP, that is a bit extreme! I could swim there and back with a mask and fins but I would definately not want to do it with scuba gear unless my life depended on it...too much drag...by the way 25 feet is way over my head by 19 feet 8 and 1/2 inches so I couldn't walk back if I got tired =(. I would not attempt anything over 500 yards from shore but that's my opinion ymmv...
Loretta

 

[jonnythan]

It's most likely *possible*, but that's besides the point. If your buddy embolizes, do you want to tow him for two hours back to shore? What if a thunderstorm rolls in while underwater? Or you have a nice stiff wind blowing you away from shore?

Is it really worth it?

 

[Kim]

I did a couple of shore dives in Hawaii from the North shore that were maybe 400 yards swim out. I have to say that I really didn't enjoy them because I was too exhausted! Both needed the same swim back after the dive and on the second one a current had developed while we were UW. I did make it back.....just.....but I could hardly stand up and walk off the beach afterwards. I would never try that again.

 

[Rick Murchison]

is 3/4 of a mile really not too extreme?

Only if the weather stays nice and you can guarantee no one will get hurt.
Rick

 

[jonnythan]

Also depends on water temp and exposure protection.. you can plan to be in the water for 4+ hours.

 

[Lil' Irish Temper]

That's the thing about swimming out that far in Lake Erie, I've went under when it was sunny, and I've come up in huge waves and rain, but it has always been with a boat.

Too me it seems like a total different monster, I can diffently see why so many ships went down it it, and a human trying to stay afloat swimming back to shore in Erie wouldn't have that good of end results. JMO