As a marina owner, I am often asked for family boating tips. One question I get (and wish I was asked even more often) is “Can I swim at the marina?” The answer is a definite no.

There are many reasons that you should NEVER swim at a marina. Here are five . . .

1. Electricity. This is probably the most hazardous of this list. The marina is all tied together to a common electric system, and a short on any boat goes to every boat, and every boat has an out-drive that goes down into the water and is putting current out into the water. So at every marina, you have a shock hazard. The shock is probably not going to kill you directly, but it will knock you out and then you will drown.
2. Mechanical. When you jump in to go swimming there are going to be mechanical hazards. There are lots of cables that keep the marinas from floating away. You can’t see them well, but they are definitely right under the surface and you can hurt yourself very seriously jumping onto those cables.
3. Props. There are lots of boats zipping in and out of marinas with props all the time. Those are basically spinning blades in the water. You don’t want to be anywhere near them.
4. Carbon Monoxide. Speaking of motors, both outboard motors and generators produce carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide will stay at about 6 inches above the top of the water, right where your head will be when swimming.
5. Entanglement. Many, many fishing hooks have been lost at marinas (you should never fish at a marina without permission). There are lots of fishing lines and other entanglement hazards that can hold you down under water and drown you.

If you want to go swimming, crank that boat up and head out on the water. Don’t swim inside the harbor. We can’t stress this enough. All of the above marina hazards have resulted in loss of life or limb at many lake marinas.

Have more hazards to add? Let us know in the comments.

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