Swimming in the Potomac

[Anonymous]

Anywhere I can do this?

[Anonymous]

When I took my kids to Purse State Park the Potomac there was wide and calm, with a sandy beach. I would definitely not do it anywhere close to DC.

[Anonymous]

About 5 hours upstream, on the MD / West Virginia border, the water should be somewhat safe to swim in, but Giardia infections are still common there.

The Potomac in the DC area is unsafe, and includes the risk of attack by aggressive Bull sharks.

[Anonymous]

https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/westmoreland

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:About 5 hours upstream, on the MD / West Virginia border, the water should be somewhat safe to swim in, but Giardia infections are still common there.

The Potomac in the DC area is unsafe, and includes the risk of attack by aggressive Bull sharks.

You're being alarmist. There have been some bull sharks right near the mouth of the Chesapeake but none up here near D.C.

[Anonymous]

My teens like to swim at Scott's Run, although not strictly legal.

[Anonymous]

The river near DC is notoriously treacherous. There are drownings every year from people who underestimate it. I wouldn’t swim anywhere in the river without a life jacket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My teens like to swim at Scott's Run, although not strictly legal.

I hope they’re just wading and messing around by the waterfall and not going out into the river proper!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teens like to swim at Scott's Run, although not strictly legal.

I hope they’re just wading and messing around by the waterfall and not going out into the river proper!

Yes, they are just wading around. They don't go out into the river proper. But it's a nice place to hang out and cool off after a hike.

[Anonymous]

Ask Lorde. Didn't she go swimming in the Potomac?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The river near DC is notoriously treacherous. There are drownings every year from people who underestimate it. I wouldn’t swim anywhere in the river without a life jacket.

I think this is both true and an exaggeration. the river is quite treacherous after heavy rains, but is totally swimmable at other times. I have swum in it many times (near cabin John) but I only go in when and where there is very little current.

Lots of people swim in the river, we just kind of keep it hush hush.



https://www.chesapeakebay.net/news/blog/riverkeepers-seek-to-lift-a-50-year-old-ban-on-swimming-in-d-c-waterways
https://www.npr.org/local/305/2022/03/23/1088192692/time-to-lift-the-ban-on-swimming-in-the-potomac-and-anacostia-rivers-advocates-say

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The river near DC is notoriously treacherous. There are drownings every year from people who underestimate it. I wouldn’t swim anywhere in the river without a life jacket.

I think this is both true and an exaggeration. the river is quite treacherous after heavy rains, but is totally swimmable at other times. I have swum in it many times (near cabin John) but I only go in when and where there is very little current.

Lots of people swim in the river, we just kind of keep it hush hush.



https://www.chesapeakebay.net/news/blog/riverkeepers-seek-to-lift-a-50-year-old-ban-on-swimming-in-d-c-waterways
https://www.npr.org/local/305/2022/03/23/1088192692/time-to-lift-the-ban-on-swimming-in-the-potomac-and-anacostia-rivers-advocates-say

This is hubris. Sure, this person will almost certainly be fine. That doesn’t make it a smart thing to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The river near DC is notoriously treacherous. There are drownings every year from people who underestimate it. I wouldn’t swim anywhere in the river without a life jacket.

I think this is both true and an exaggeration. the river is quite treacherous after heavy rains, but is totally swimmable at other times. I have swum in it many times (near cabin John) but I only go in when and where there is very little current.

Lots of people swim in the river, we just kind of keep it hush hush.



https://www.chesapeakebay.net/news/blog/riverkeepers-seek-to-lift-a-50-year-old-ban-on-swimming-in-d-c-waterways
https://www.npr.org/local/305/2022/03/23/1088192692/time-to-lift-the-ban-on-swimming-in-the-potomac-and-anacostia-rivers-advocates-say

This is hubris. Sure, this person will almost certainly be fine. That doesn’t make it a smart thing to do.

Want to add if you are going to do it, going with a group from Riverkeepers is a very good idea. Just waiting for a dry period and eyeballing it is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The river near DC is notoriously treacherous. There are drownings every year from people who underestimate it. I wouldn’t swim anywhere in the river without a life jacket.

I think this is both true and an exaggeration. the river is quite treacherous after heavy rains, but is totally swimmable at other times. I have swum in it many times (near cabin John) but I only go in when and where there is very little current.

Lots of people swim in the river, we just kind of keep it hush hush.



https://www.chesapeakebay.net/news/blog/riverkeepers-seek-to-lift-a-50-year-old-ban-on-swimming-in-d-c-waterways
https://www.npr.org/local/305/2022/03/23/1088192692/time-to-lift-the-ban-on-swimming-in-the-potomac-and-anacostia-rivers-advocates-say

This is hubris. Sure, this person will almost certainly be fine. That doesn’t make it a smart thing to do.

I don't think it's hubris. I think it's sad that we have become such an anxious risk-adverse people. A century ago people swam in the Potomac all the time. My mother grew up swimming in the Mississippi River! Now that's dangerous!

[Anonymous]

https://chesapeakebaymagazine.com/man-drowns-on-potomac-during-attempted-swim/
https://chesapeakebaymagazine.com/father-son-swimming-off-boat-drown-in-potomac-river/
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/in-light-of-drownings-dc-authorities-remind-public-not-to-swim-in-potomac-anacostia/3120335/?amp=1