From learner to squad: what competitive swimming asks of a family
Thinking about the competitive squad. The hours, costs, early mornings and meets involved, from parents who have done it.
Lakes, dams and waterfalls: monsoon water safety near Pune
Every monsoon Pune’s hills fill with day-trippers at dams and falls. Why strong swimmers drown there, and the rules our coaches follow.
From July to September, Pune’s weekends move to the water. Khadakwasla, Pawna, Mulshi, Bhushi dam and the waterfalls along the Sinhagad and Tamhini roads draw thousands of people. Every year some of them drown, and many of those could swim. As a swimming academy, we would rather say this plainly before the season.
A pool is not a lake. Our water is clear, still, warm and lined with walls you can touch. Open water in the monsoon is cold, brown and moving. You cannot see the bottom, depth changes suddenly from knee-deep to well over your head, and dam water can rise or flow without warning when gates open upstream. Cold water takes the breath away and tires the arms within minutes, even for a strong swimmer.
Our own rule for staff and squad swimmers is simple: no swimming in dams, lakes, rivers or under waterfalls during the monsoon. Paddle at the edge with your feet on the bottom, stay out of moving water, keep children within arm’s reach and never step on wet rocks above a fall. Do not go in after alcohol. Watch for local warnings and police barricades, and respect them.
If someone is in trouble, do not jump in after them unless you are trained. Throw something that floats, such as a bottle, a bag or a dupatta tied to a stick, and shout for help. Learning to swim makes you safer near water. It does not make deep monsoon water safe.
