Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-03
TIMELY CAUTION
FOR SWIMMRSS
EXPERT DWELLs ON DANGER
ATTENDING SUMMER SPORT.
xpert Gives Suggestions to Over
come Danger-It's Nearly Al
ways the Poor Swimmer Who Gets
Into Trouble AS He Takes Too
Many Chances.

Never a year passes that the local
lakes do not claim victims among the
many bathers who seek their cooling
waters. The season is early yet, but
the boys and girls are already enjoy.
ing the refreshing sport. No cas-
ualties have occurred so far this year,
and words of warning are in gooo
time. A swimming expert has this to
volunteer:
"The first advice I would give the
bather is don't get too far from the
Shore" Swimming is one OF the
hardest exercises in the world,
and a man must be well used
to it. No matter whether he is as fit
as a fiddle and can do Picnic Point
handily, let him be careful how far ne
tries to swim. Every muscle is used
when a man is swimming, many OF
them that are never brought into play
in any other way. This is the main
reason why so many fellows get into
trouble every year. They feel good
and strong and when they get into the
water they swim and swim until they
get tired. Then, when they try to
swim back again, their strength plays
out. The next day the newspapers
have another account of an expert
swimmer drowned
Getting ratified is another thing to
guard against. Nine times out of ten
it has more to do with people getting
into trouble than anything else.
Whatever you do and wherever you
are, keep cool-keep your nerve. A
man can stay afoat long time if he
won't get ratified, no matter what's
the trouble with him.
Don't be afraid of cramps is an.
other thing that all swimmers should
remember. There has been SO much
said and written about cramps tina
people are scared to death when th-
feel little cramp coming on in u
hand or toe. Then they lose tbs
nerve altogether and give up. We
by keeping cool, they could
made their way to short in So
Lots of the pleasure of bather-
taken away by this fear. l won'i j :.
that cramps are not slightly danger
Gus, but they are never. so bad that a
swimmer can't take care of himself
Swimmers with any kind of ability
ought to be able to swim any reason
able distance with any kind of cramp.
The ones who are not good swimmers
should hug the shore and not take
any chances.
Cramps are brought on by swim
ming. So when you feel one coming
on stop using the leg, or arm where it
is located If you turn on your back
and float awhile that will give the
cramp a chance to go away, but even
if it doesn't it won't prevent yon
from swimming slowly and getting
back to shore
FMost people think cramp spreads
gradually until it goes all over the
body from little cramp in the toe.
This isn't SO. It is always confined
to the leg or the arm where it starts.
This is proved by the fact That it
goes away when you quit using the
leg or the arm.
Whenever you hear cramp stories
some one is sure to mention stomach
cramps. They are supposed to be the
most dangerous kind You hear
where people are doubled up like
jackknife and then sink like stone.
Now, as a matter of fact, in all my
experience have never mad a stomach
cramp nor ever saw a person with
one.
"It's nearly always the poor swim
mer who gets into trouble, for he is
the one to take the greatest chances.
Good swimmers should travel in pairs,
so they can aid one another in case
Of trouble. But, after all, the safest,
surest course is to swim moderately,
near shore unless a boat is kept along
side.''