If I’m an adult who wants to experience splashing around and wading round the pool, but whose swimming capabilities extend as far as doggy paddling to safety and floating on my back - what can I even do to have fun at the pool?

What do you do at the pool?

Bonus round: kind of out of my budget to pay for swimming classes, and available friends & family are nil. :c
But I borrowed a life jacket from a coworker, and could buy cheap floaties or a pool noodle.

  • @ccunning
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    101 month ago

    most Western people will float above the bottom of their nose

    Is that true of salt and fresh water? I’m pretty comfortable floating around in salt water but have grown paranoid with age about fresh water.

    • SolidGrue
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      1 month ago

      People are more buoyant in salt water because it has higher molar mass. Humans on average are about 90% density of water by mass so about 10% of your frame would float above the surface, which is generally enough to expose your nose. Of course you can articulate your neck, float on your back, tread water…

      Salinity also matters. Salty water you might be up to 3% or 5% more buoyant, pound for pound, compared to fresh water.

      Really, it depends on how fat and how salty, but generally the difference is less than 5% by mass.

      • @[email protected]
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        201 month ago

        My grandfather was an old-skool, wiry, dirt-farmer. He was unable to float above the surface in Utah’s Great Salt Lake.

        I aspire to be that compactly muscular.

        • SolidGrue
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          61 month ago

          That … That’s baller. I’m “doughy” at best, and its all I’ll ever be.