Tourist dead, 7 arrested - India

[Bob DBF]

They were surprised how much I was against them even getting in the water much less diving when as they put it, "the jackets would hold them up & help them swim. Plus, there is supervision so of course it's safe."

For a long time, when I was a kid, my parents would not allow us to use anything that floated while in the water until we showed proficiency swimming. I was pi**ed because everyone else was using inner tubes, balls, water wings, and so on. Eventually I got it through my head that a lot of drownings in our area had to do with relying on an artificial device and taking chances you would not if you had to rely on your skill swimming. Having an objective opinion of your own skill is one of the best life saving devices you can have.

As an old Bosun's Mate once told me "It's OK to brag, but don't ever believe your own bulls**t".



Bob
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And yes, my daughter was not happy with that rule either.

 

[dmaziuk]

Apparently when my mum enrolled me in the swimming school, they threw everyone in the "tadpole" pool (small, 30C+ temp., not shallow enough for 6yos to stand) and kids who would not let go of the wall and dog-paddle around did not get in.

 

[WetPup]

We had a pool in our backyard when I was a kid. My dad (admittedly a qualified lifeguard) had the whole "throw your kids in the deep end and watch them sink or swim" philosophy. I was on a surfboard in the ocean at 4 years old. It's very easy to forget that not everyone gets that. I was baffled to learn I work with someone my age (mid 30's) who lives in the Australian tropics near the beach, and with a backyard pool, who can't swim.

Regarding Indian cultural norms, I only spent a few weeks in India on a work trip, but I can understand the comments regarding the context of cultural expectations. I had looked into going diving on a weekend off, but wasn't confident in any of the operators in the area.

 

[Marie13]

I think cultural norms have a big impact on what everyone considers safe or acceptable. Even in my own country, I was shocked to find out that my uncle was "taught" to swim by being thrown in the middle of a deep pool when he was very young. He came close to drowning, but this was acceptable back in the day in PA. It was not normal or acceptable when I was growing up in NJ.

Not sure how old you are. I'm 47, and when learning to swim about 1981 at the local Y, it was standard practice for the instructor to throw a student off the low diving board into the deep end (another instructor was treading water below diving board with a bunch of kick boards floating about) at the end of the first lesson. I recall very clearly the struggle I had with the instructor at the end of the diving board. I ended up being forcefully pushed into the drink. Contributed to a life-long fear of pool deep ends (even though I can swim) that I've only recently gotten over, wholly due to diving. I'm still much more comfortable at the bottom of the deep end than on the surface. (This was never an issue with lakes, just pools. Weird).

 

[DandyDon]

Not sure how old you are. I'm 47, and when learning to swim about 1981 at the local Y, it was standard practice for the instructor to throw a student off the low diving board into the deep end (another instructor was treading water below diving board with a bunch of kick boards floating about) at the end of the first lesson. I recall very clearly the struggle I had with the instructor at the end of the diving board. I ended up being forcefully pushed into the drink. Contributed to a life-long fear of pool deep ends (even though I can swim) that I've only recently gotten over, wholly due to diving. I'm still much more comfortable at the bottom of the deep end than on the surface. (This was never an issue with lakes, just pools. Weird).

I never heard of such abuse in a swimming instructor, and I have been around a lot longer than you.

 

[Wingy]

Understand the cultural side of it, but a person of that age still should have the mental capacity to make their own decisions, and be aware of their own capabilities, and/or lack of them (i.e. swimming).

Marketing. Its not uncommon for some SEA destinations to promote DSD with you dont even have to know how to swim! Scuba is for everyone! Also the general profile of an Indian traveller would possibly be of a higher socio economic bracket particularly a male who has a false belief that money and mobility buy ability.

Ive seen Malaysian tourists doing a DSD being pulled along by a DM trailing a rope behind him they were all hanging on to. Not saying this is the case in this incident but the mindset is there and the operators vying for business in tourist hotspots are often reluctant to turn a group away knowing that they will walk down to the next store with a tout out the front.

 

[NYCNaiad]

Not sure how old you are. I'm 47, and when learning to swim about 1981 at the local Y, it was standard practice for the instructor to throw a student off the low diving board into the deep end (another instructor was treading water below diving board with a bunch of kick boards floating about) at the end of the first lesson. I recall very clearly the struggle I had with the instructor at the end of the diving board. I ended up being forcefully pushed into the drink. Contributed to a life-long fear of pool deep ends (even though I can swim) that I've only recently gotten over, wholly due to diving. I'm still much more comfortable at the bottom of the deep end than on the surface. (This was never an issue with lakes, just pools. Weird).

I just turned 44. I started swimming at age 4 or 5 around 1976 in NJ so earlier than you. (My mother wanted to make sure we didn't drown & that we were taught by a professional so we also went to the local Y.) But maybe the difference is age & as well as location in the country. My uncle said it was very normal to be thrown in when he was growing up in PA. My uncle is around 54. I was appalled.

 

[stiebs]

I'm 42, and cannot remember a time when I couldn't swim. I grew up in a land locked city (Johannesburg), but we had a pool in the backyard.

A few years ago on a liveaboard in the Maldives us guests were throwing each other off the deck while we were at anchor. We jokingly went to pick up one of the crew and he was terrified! Despite the fact that he works aboard a liveaboard 6 months of the year, he can't swim and is petrified of the water.

 

[DandyDon]

My uncle said it was very normal to be thrown in when he was growing up in PA. My uncle is around 54. I was appalled.

Not normal. Some may get away with that stunt, but it's not acceptable.

My mom was petrified about water because of my uncles scaring her as a kid, so she never got in, but she took us. We stood in chest deep water with close support & instruction as they taught us how to move our heads, breath, pull with our arms, etc. before we moved on to being held while we kicked - the best I can remember after many decades. We were taught carefully, as anyone should be - and anyone can learn now, carefully, however old.

 

[NYCNaiad]

Not normal. Some may get away with that stunt, but it's not acceptable.

My mom was petrified about water because of my uncles scaring her as a kid, so she never got in, but she took us. We stood in chest deep water with close support & instruction as they taught us how to move our heads, breath, pull with our arms, etc. before we moved on to being held while we kicked - the best I can remember after many decades. We were taught carefully, as anyone should be - and anyone can learn now, carefully, however old.

While I completely agree it's not acceptable, it was normal when & where my uncle grew up in PA in the 1970s . This literally happened to every single one of his friends. Sadly, it resulted in him being absolutely petrified of the water.