While it helps, being able to swim won’t necessarily save you. Water too cold? Hit your head on the way down, or can’t tell which direction is up because you were drinking or it’s dark and the water’s murky? You’re still dead even if you can swim. If you’re in a damned boat, wear a lifejacket and think twice before jumping out of the damned boat.
(In other words, I sympathize with the loved ones of both the Papineau Lake and the Cobourg/Lake Ontario drowning victims, but I wouldn’t be surprised if poor judgement on the part of the victim turns out to have been a contributing factor to the events at Papineau Lake. We’ll have to wait for the police to put out a more complete report.)
While it helps, being able to swim won’t necessarily save you. Water too cold? Hit your head on the way down, or can’t tell which direction is up because you were drinking or it’s dark and the water’s murky? You’re still dead even if you can swim. If you’re in a damned boat, wear a lifejacket and think twice before jumping out of the damned boat.
(In other words, I sympathize with the loved ones of both the Papineau Lake and the Cobourg/Lake Ontario drowning victims, but I wouldn’t be surprised if poor judgement on the part of the victim turns out to have been a contributing factor to the events at Papineau Lake. We’ll have to wait for the police to put out a more complete report.)