A few comments in other posts questioning if people swam got me thinking.  I guess I just took it for granted.  However, after searching the forum, I couldn't find the subject.

Several have mentioned an aversion to swimming while on canoe trips, or questioned why others did it so much on their trips.  I've never gone on a trip before Memorial Day, but if it's not raining and above 70 degrees (air temp), I'll probably take at least a dip.  If you can stand the initial shock, the cold water is great to relax sore muscles.  We typically swim/float around for 10 minutes if the weather isn't great, but have often stopped while travelling to enjoy a lunchtime swim in the sunny July and August days.  For safety and relaxation, we wear our PFDs.  Since we wetfoot portage, we just stay in our boots to protect against the sharp rocks and numerous rusty fishing hooks submerged around campsites.  

I float on my thermarest

Swimming just for pleasure? On a canoe trip? Not once and I don't think I've been on a trip with anyone else who has either and a few of them and I used to boat out to the middle of a nearby suburban lake on weekends and all don our PFDs just to toss a Frisbee around for a while. We were normally drunk though but/so/and that was like hard work.

I did considere going for a swim one really hot August day a few years back but I was solo and there was that annoying little voice in my head mumbling something about swimming alone so I probably took a nap or some photos instead.

If I really wanted to swim up there, Argo would be my first choice destination lake. Google: Peter Gabriel I Go Swimming Lyrics  [smiley=thumbup.gif]

The answers so far surprise me.  This needs a poll.  Swimming and cliff diving (read on before you flame me...actually cliff jumping feet first and only after carefully checking water depth) is a favorite every trip especally after a hot day (and even when not hot) or a long day sitting in the canoe fishing.  It is absolutely refreshing.  Risks?  I suppose I could drown, but I could drown at the local pool, or wading/fishing in the local river, or in two inches of water in a bucket for that matter, but I haven't in 47 years, so I guess I will assume that risk.  I could cut my foot.  That has happened.  You need to be careful and so far it hasn't been anything a good first aid kit couldn't take care of.  My vote?  Last one in is a rotten egg and who needs a bathing suit?!!

Well, I don't know if I'd really call it swimming.  On some days, "bathing" would be more accurate.  Nevertheless, I could probably count the number of tripping days I HAVEN'T been fully-immersed/submerged on half the fingers on one hand [and, no, I neither tip over in my canoe all that much, nor do I have several extra fingers!].

Every trip, every day, May through October, I'll spend time in bathing trunks over my ears in water.  I think it creates the illusion in my mind that I am getting myself clean.  It doesn't seem to matter to me if there is cold rain pouring down or what.  Heck, often the shallows near camp are WARMER than the cold rain pouring down overhead.

For me, the swimming/bathing is a camp ritual... kind of like coffee in the morning.  Half the time I do it just to get the OTHER slobs in my camp to consider cleaning up.....

Jimbo   8-)

The BW and Q are great places to swim!  I've swum alone on solo trips, but in the shallows or with my PFD.  Sometimes at the end of a long, hard, hot portage I just wade in and fall into the water for relief.  After sweating that much it's not like I'm getting "wetter".
One of our regular group of campers spends almost all her free camp time exploring the shoreline from a mink's point of view.  Swimming along and checking things out on shore when they interest her.
Plusses are: clean water, few weeds, nothing in the water to worry about.  We wear shoes so we can get in/out on slippery rocks without tearing our toe nails off!  If you do swim in weeds in mid-summer you might get an itchy rash from water fleas that live in the weedy areas - but nothing that will bother you much.   :D

Swim or bath daily on 90% of my trips, even solo. Grew up swimming in lakes & pools, so don't worry too much about it.

If I am with the wife or there are no other women in camp to offend... I go in my B-day suit... otherwise I will zip off the legs on my pants.

We have been surprised by canoe suddenly appearing close by when skinny dipping... I usually will just smile & wave...  ;D

We have also come upon others (men & women) partaking in a skinny dip or sun bathing. That could be another poll.

I responded as a birthday suit swimmer but in reality my swimming is a mix of birthday suit, shorts, and/or PFD depending on the situation.

I sometimes do as IC does at the end of hot, sticky portages.  I barely slow down as I shed the pack and just keep right on walking into the water.  Usually I remember that I have a knife and other things in my pockets that I don't want to get wet before I get too far, though.  If the need is dire, I walk back to dry land, shed the shorts (but not the BVDs since this is a portage) and head back in for a full immersion.  Other times I will stop short and just stick my head into the water...an amazingly effective cool-down without the total immersion.

In camp, if I'm swimming to get clean, it's b-day suit time.  If I'm swimming to just escape the heat, I usually wear shorts and will at least have the PFD handy in case I start feeling lazy.

Cliff-jumping?  Been there, done that, and will do it again if the opportunity arises.  It's not a must-do activity or anything, but if it's convenient and safe (and yes, safe is a matter of personal opinion) then it's just another way to enjoy the trip.

if the air temp is warm enough I'll wade in and splash around for a few minutes once or twice on a week long trip

Swimming usually becomes bathing as well, especially if I'm in an especially small tent in august!  I tend to swim in the birthday suit unless the situation requires more formal attire ;D

I alway think of the time I got fried doing the Border Route Trip in the BW... Was wearing shorts and thirty years ago our shorts were short and got pretty sunburned. Got to a beautiful island campsite on "Big Sag", tore off my clothes and jumped in. I didn't know it was possible but when my toes touched the cold water I literally walked on water to get back on shore. I love to swim... but I go in with care now. I think the water on Big Sag is as cold as Lake Superior. I've only done the rock jumping once (and made it into the water) on the Lake One Chain... It was a blast!

My trip report is one of the places this came up.  I "swim" every day, often morning and evening, and sometimes multiple times after getting to camp if it's hot.  The exception would be when the water is super cold, like in early May.  I put "swim" in quotation marks because it's usually more of a dip or soapless bath, but boy does it do me good.  David and I have even gone swimming in the pouring rain because it feels so good afterwards (and is also kind of cool when you're doing it, too).

When I was in college, grad school, and law school (I was a student forever) I used to swim for exercise, usually a mile a day.  I'm still a decent swimmer so on occasion I'll swim out to a little island or something, but mostly it's just a dip.

I would not take a canoe country trip if the weather was not warm enough so I could swim.

Occasionally.  We usually go in June, so how long I swim (and whether I do) depends upon the weather and the location.  Whether I wear anything depends upon if there appears to be someone around nearby.  Don't take a bathing suit, so it is either underwear or not.  Always swim from a campsite, and check out the situation carefully first.  Spartan1 doesn't care much for swimming and I usually can't get him to come in with me, so he serves as "lookout".

Our groups swims everytrip where frostbite is not an issue. Although we choose to wear our swim trunks. (I'm already listening to you snore and fart in our tent everynight. I do not need to see your bare arse.) We also enjoy cliff jumping. (After rock checks) Surprises me that people would not swim.

Quote:

(I'm already listening to you snore and fart in our tent every night. I do not need to see your bare arse.)

Another validation of the solo trip or group solo if I ever heard one ;D

solotripper wrote on Feb 15^th, 2010 at 4:06pm:

[quote] (I'm already listening to you snore and fart in our tent every night. I do not need to see your bare arse.)

At some point in life, it may become preferable (necessary) for each person to have their own tent or hammock. Now- back to swimming...

The only times I have not gone swimming are in early May or Later fall trips. Many times I will take a quick dip to refresh myself after a long portage---that is probably what most of my "swimming" consists of--more of just getting in and out. A few times on really HOT days I have been known to swim for quite a awhile or just put the life jacket on and float around.

T

I voted 'you crazy' based on swimming for the sheer pleasure of it. I'll wash my feet most every day so I don't offend myself and sometimes my face but that's about it. I might think differently if swimming on a trip was my only option. Although I do agree, darn nice place to do it.

Every time I see the title of this thread I can hear that (Peter Gabriel   (You need to Login or Register) baseline following his "...who's minds, are as healthy as their bodies... " intro in my head. Da Dum, da dum da... Better legs than the SpongeBob  SquarePants tune it often (and easily thank you) replaces in my head these days!

I think the craziness factor, for me, is dependent upon conditions.  Sometimes a swim is just to refresh when tired, dirty and sweaty and it is a quick dip.  But if you get a lovely beach, (admittedly rare) and beautiful sunshine (not as rare) it can be such a treat!

For me, what comes to mind is a July 3rd afternoon in 2005, the last full day out of our 11-day trip.  We had camped on the northern part of Loon Lake and awoke to a rainy morning.  We had intended to make a side trip to the Devil's Cascade, but decided to forego that because of the weather and we paddled the Loon River in what could only be called a deluge.  At times the rain was so heavy I (in the bow) literally couldn't see where we were going.

As we came into the south end of Little Vermilion Lake the rain suddenly stopped and the sun came out.  It was a very dramatic change.  We stopped at the campsite there, which has a sandy beach, and not much else to recommend it, and at first I said I didn't want to stay there, but as we looked at the possibility of getting everything dried out on the last night before the long trip back to Michigan it began to look like an OK idea.

That beach was wonderful.  The warm sun felt so good and I swam and swam.  That time I finally got Spartan1 to even come in for a short dip!  I remember it as one of the more pleasurable swims I have ever had in canoe country.

We had a resident spruce grouse for entertainment that afternoon, and a spectacular cloud show at sunset.  The next day we braved choppy waves and power boats across Crane Lake and hung around the Crane Lake area for the July 4th fireworks--which I would highly recommend if you are ever in the area on that holiday.

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I would not go canoeing at a time of the year when the weather was not warm enough for swimming.  Sometimes the water seems a little cold at first but once you are in it feels fine.  We always skinny dip, we don’t bring swimsuits, if I am in the wilderness, I’m not packing in a swimsuit and I’m not going to deal with a wet suit.  We start the day with a dip, the very first thing in the morning and we usually swim several more times during the day.

While paddling, I have seen small groups of campers, sunning on the rocks after skinny dipping and we just ignore them and they ignore us, no waving or acknowledgment, no big deal.

I have jumped from 10-15 feet into the lake (in the past), but the rules now is, never, ever, jump like that, because even with clear water there could be a rock that is closer than it looks.  Not my rule, I’d rather take a small risk, but, I go along with the others and their concerns about safety.

Rocky wrote on Jun 2^nd, 2010 at 1:59pm:

I have jumped from 10-15 feet into the lake (in the past), but the rules now is, never, ever, jump like that, because even with clear water there could be a rock that is closer than it looks.  Not my rule, I’d rather take a small risk, but, I go along with the others and their concerns about safety.

There are three factors to risk to consider, but many people only consider one of them.

The first factor is the likelihood of failure (in this case, hitting that rock).  Almost everyone considers this when assessing risk.

The second factor is the consequences of failure (in this case, the severity of damage which might result from hitting that rock).  Certainly, not everyone gives this it's due consideration.

The third factor is the possibility that we may erroneously estimate either the likelihood of failure and/or the potential severity of the consequences of failure.  Very few consider this element of risk.

I used to be a cliff-jumper when the opportunity presented itself.  In recent years I've decided the risk/reward tradeoff is no longer acceptable to me.

Yes in my PFD, but not wearing it like I'm paddling.  Turn it upside-down and wear it like shorts.  Then you can float around while sitting down.  It keeps you about shoulder level with the water.  

Toss around a ball.  Nerf floats & is light.  Just don't bring the howler versions.
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Swimming is a great way to pass the time.  Very theraputic.  Allows the spine to relax and unravel.  Cools the body.  Cleans the grime off.

I'm not a jumper, but could be if the peer-pressure is right.  Not a fan of heights.

I also go swimming when I'm messing around in the canoe.  Heel it over, push the limits, try some new strokes, practice rescue.


Quote:

I would not go canoeing at a time of the year when the weather was not warm enough for swimming.

You're missing some of the best tripping.  Open forests.  Quiet solitude.  The smell of fresh growth & decay.  The colours of autumn.  The fishing, oh the fishing!  Imagine a portage without sweat.  No bugs.

Swimming trunks and Snorkel/Facemask go on every trip. We swim for fun, for snagged lures, for clams, for site seeing, for other peoples snagged lures, for lost poles and for fish finding. New fishing spot? Go for a snorkel recon. Almost never loose a lure unless a fish breaks it off. Adds an entire new dimension to the trip.