Fishermen and Boaters–Do You Know How to Swim?

There are some surprising figures regarding fishing/boating and swimming.  Did you know that a large percentage of anglers and boaters don’t know how to swim?  And do you know that fishing guides and boat captains who hold U.S. Merchant Marine licenses are not required to know how to swim?

Swimming isn’t hard, and there are courses that teach folks of all ages, including toddlers, to swim.  Many are taught at YMCAs and summer camps, and others are taught by private instructors.  One example is Brookins Swim School in Chiefland.  Brookins Swim School has been teaching people to swim for over 20 years. The school runs 8 consecutive weeks from the end of May through mid July and teach 150 students on average every summer. They offer four, two week sessions. Each session begins with a new group of students. 4-6 students are in a 30 minute class with an instructor and assistant. They also offer parent/toddler classes–the parent gets in the pool with their child up to 36 months of age.