ever dive farm pond?

[cummings66]

It's funny, but as a young kid I used to swim in those farm ponds every single day and loved it. We didn't have pools nearby so what choice did you have, it was either the river which was a few miles away or the local ponds right out back. Of course we all knew what leeches looked like and had our various tricks to getting them off. You can't do much swimming in ponds without a leech attaching.

Yup, I saw snakes and got scared a few times after nearly stepping on them. Even had one chase me in the pond, lucky for me I was nearly out and stood up and managed to beat him, of course my friend helped by shooting the snake with a 22 which slowed him down a mite.

I did a lot of skin diving in those days, and I'll tell you this much. I ain't a gonna git in that dare pond agin. I'm older, arguably wiser and want to live to a ripe old age.

To be honest if I did it now it would be in a drysuit with drygloves, dryhood and with a FFM. And then I'd hose it off before getting out of it.

 

[midnite135]

I had similar experiences wading around in my grandfather's farm ponds in East Texas. We also used to take the 22 out and shoot at the snakes and turtles, well I did. He used a shotgun, the cheater.

 

[cummings66]

There's a lot of things I did as a kid that I'm lucky to still be around afterwards, and then there's a few things I should have done but didn't.

All things considered I'm happy where I'm at and have few regrets. Water was one of those things you grew up around and it didn't matter where you found it, it was swimmable for the most part. At the very least you could wade in it an cool off, AC was as prevalent back then either and that's probably why many of these things got called swimming holes. That's about all they were.

Now some streams were very nice, clear and almost as good as a pool, but that was a rare treat. Thinking back about farm ponds I wonder how I managed to stay as healthy as I did, the things that must have been in it are unthinkable.

 

[stevensondrive]

wow you guys are really on a snake kick!! :shakehead

I have fished at these ponds for years. I have never seen a snake. are they there? probably.

it was fun to watch you guys digress :lol:

oh, I am from central Illinois. the pond is also in this area. we do not have rattlesnakes around here.

Steve

 

[DivingCRNA]

Oh yuck, I didnt think about that, but thats just gross. Well, that answers that!!

DO NOT DIVE THE POND!!! Ick.

Everyone is hung up on snakes enough that we are forgeting our good friend the SNAPPING TURTLE.

You do not want to meet him in the pond. Those suckers ARE mean.

:LOL:

 

[fisherdvm]

I found that our pond's blue dye reduces visibility to almost nil, as it block sunlight to kill pond weeds. The michigan government ban a couple of pond dyes due to safety issue (can't find a drown swimmer if you cant see).

Our neighborhood association complained to the state that "visibility and safety" is a non issue. However, once you dived in a dyed lake, you realize that it would be very hard for rescuer to find a drowning victim if he has zero visibility.

 

[cummings66]

Doesn't matter much, they'd drag a pond anyhow. So I'd agree with your NA and say it's a non issue as well.