For pretty much of the people, the main motivation to learn how to swim is so that they can enjoy their time when they go to the pool or the beach, not because it can keep them in shape or could save them if they suddenly found themselves in the water. Very few think of it as a means to keep their body in shape, since there are other ways to do it, like going to the gym or playing different sports, which is more convenient, especially for people that is far from any bodies of water. Usually, the people who would take swimming more seriously are those who do it as part of their job or if they are an athlete, but even they would not really think of swimming as a survival skill to learn. That said, it is undeniable how learning to swim can significantly increase the chance of people surviving when they are around bodies of water.
I was around 7-8 years old when I first learned how to swim, after my father registered me in a swimming program near the place where he worked during the summer season. For three weeks, I, along with other children, underwent focused training sessions to improve our swimming techniques, and on the last day, they held a swimming competition, which also served as a kind of graduation ceremony for us, with all of our parents present to watch. I did not place at the top of my peers, but I also did not perform poorly. I was a child back then, so I didn't really care about the competition and just enjoyed my time within the program. So, I have some confidence in my swimming skills, even though I rarely swim nowadays.
That said, when it comes to the situation where I found myself surrounded by water, knowing how to swim does not necessarily mean that I could survive the situation. For instance, swimming is an activity that requires a person to move a lot, especially the arms and legs, as well as a good lung capacity. So even if the person has the knowledge to swim, without the body fit to do the task, their chance to make it through will be smaller. Thankfully, I had that area covered, since I was working out and running a lot to improve the condition of my body. Swimming also consumes a lot of energy, so even though a person knows how to swim and has a strong body, he would likely not survive if he runs out of energy midway.
Well, there are swimming techniques that require little energy and movement to do, such as the survival backstroke, but that will only work if the water is calm. Let's say it was during a storm in the ocean, and the water is rising high. The water will just fall on you and likely break your form, not to mention your body's temperature can also significantly fall when exposed to the water for a long time, resulting in Hypothermia, which in itself can also be very deadly if not treated. So, I will still prefer it to get out of the water as early as I can.
So, what I'm really trying to say is that learning how to swim does not necessarily guarantee that a person will survive in the water. Even with a good body that can sustain long swimming, there are still outside factors that are beyond our control that could prevent us from surviving. That said, between learning to swim or not, it is still way better to learn to help increase our chance of survival.
Thank you for reading my post, and see you in the next one!
I love swimming because it is a very good form of exercise, although I never thought of it to save me someday. You must be lucky to have a father who has helped you learn how to swim at an early age. Your points are enlightening, and I agree with you that it is not about how to swim but the situation you may find yourself in.
I guess it all depends on a person's zeal to survive, I mean if skill alone can't get the job done, survival instinct should do.