Con rule for swimming in the river?

[Valkyrie542]

I'm sure most con-goers, and people in general, have enough common sense to stay out of the river; but should con staff start including a con rule in the booklet and the website that tells con-goers to stay out of the river near The Red Lion?
 
For those of you who don't know about the incident on Day 2, some kid jumped into the river and - to my knowledge - hasn't been found yet. To add more to the tale, my folks (who were staying in their hotel room) heard some kids running across the roof of the hotel and saw them jumping off and into the river as a makeshift diving board. They don't know if one of those kids was the one that went missing, but it didn't sit well with them.
 
I also found out that it's ILLEGAL to go into the water; yet the local kids (as I see them swim off the dock every year at con) still swim in it anyway - despite it being against the law and the potential danger it poses. Furthermore, I looked around the dock area and realized that there is no chain/rope that discourages people from going onto the dock and there is no lifeguard tower or a life preserver. This indicates that swimming is discouraged but there are no safety or preventive measures in place.
 
At any rate, as a future reference, please...PLEASE stay out of the river! It doesn't matter how good of a swimmer you are or what time of the year it is; it's a very big, very fast body of water - don't underestimate it.

[iBubbleTeax3]

There is a sign by the stair case leading to the dock that says do not swim. i remember one of the patrols stopping by during the FREE! photoshoot to tell us that we couldn't go swimmimg. This happened on Day 3 as well, but even so, I saw mostly young to older adults jumping into the river and literally, one of the patrol guards just shrugged it off and didnt do anything.

I do understand wanting to enforce the whole not swimmimg rule but it seems people dont really care D:

that was my experience recently but i cant go into major details since im using my 3ds to type this lol

[Valkyrie542]

That's understandable, there are going to be people who will be like 'F*** the police, I do what I want!'.
 
But, it also never hurts to warn people, at least I can sleep better at night now knowing that the few who read this thread will be that much more aware and more careful from now on.

[Nitecrawler]

Its illegal to swim in the river? I swam across on Sunday out to Hayden Island, and I definitely wasn't the kid who got lost. Good thing I didn't get in trouble.

[Valkyrie542]

Its illegal to swim in the river? I swam across on Sunday out to Hayden Island, and I definitely wasn't the kid who got lost. Good thing I didn't get in trouble.

You're lucky you didn't drown; that's what's most important.
 

[superjaz]

http://www.kptv.com/story/23319958/search-resumes-for-man-presumed-drowned-along-columbia-river

*Don't let the "vancouver bc" fool ya they made a mistake on the header*
Here is the full story, and (not that makes it any less sad, but for clarification)

[DarkStar]

There are no laws prohibiting swimming in the Columbia River, however property owners can prohibit river access from their own property. A lot of municipalities prohibit swimming from city or county owned boat docks as they could be injured by boats coming and going.


If the con was going to have any position on this, it should be "No lifeguard on duty."

[veraca]

Water is surprisingly dangerous. The river may look still and safe on the surface, even without a wind going, but there is still a current to it. There's a "no swimming" rule posed here at the mouth of the Columbia and you never see anyone in the water here. The Coast Guard would be called on them instantly. (as I personally witnessed when someone was a trained diver in the bay in front of my house was called on because the locals thought he was in danger of drowning.)

People may do it, but it really isn't safe. If you're going to jump in, at least have the safety gear prepared in case you need saving. You don't know what'll happen, and a person can drown quickly.

[Titus_Love_Doll]

Due to heavy currant it is not safe to swim in at all the water is ick as well and due to the high boat traffic it isent safe becucse you tisk of getting hit or drowning

[DarkStar]

If you're going to jump in, at least have the safety gear prepared in case you need saving.

As someone who has swam in the Columbia River (off of a boat), expect the Coast Guard or the local sheriff patrol to stop by and verify you have the proper flotation devices on-board. Otherwise, they've always told us to have a good time!

[Prinz Eugen]

If the con was going to have any position on this, it should be "No lifeguard on duty."

Agreed.
 
Just because something is not inherently safe does not mean it needs to be illegal or banned by policy. A warning for persons unfamiliar with the width, depth, and current of the Columbia, followed by"Use/do/go at your own risk; we certainly do not encourage this" is sufficient. Let free people make their own adult choices.
 
None of the Oregon Trail pioneers needed their society's permission to just walk away from excess nannyism, government baby-sitters, regulations, taxes, etc, but certainly they traveled at their own risk; no bridges or guard rails included.
Obviously, many made the trip.
 
It's your own risk and responsibility - but it sure doesn't hurt to remind people that many who didn't take this seriously were found eventually, miles down the river, with a new name.**
 
 
(**As in: 'Bob,' 'Sandy,' or even 'Sandy Duncan' [dunkin'.]
Old joke I heard in [our] County Search & Rescue and yes we *did* have to go out looking for dock jumpers and tweakers who just walked off into the river...)