It seems like we’re getting closer to breaking free from the daily routine of watching 11:00am updates and finally being able to soak in the beautiful spring sun accompanied with the smell of a freshly chlorinated pool.

With high hopes that we’ll be returning to our somewhat ordinary lives, we stumbled across the Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report 2021 and felt a mixture of feelings both positive and negative.

There were a total 294 drowning deaths which is a 20% increase from 2020.

According to Royal Life Saving Australia, the following largely attributed to the impacts of COVID on increases in drowning deaths:

1. Increased drowning risk among Australians visiting unfamiliar locations. COVID has seen more people seeking out remote places to escape crowds, swimming outside of patrolled hours, taking more day trips to isolated beaches, rivers or lakes and holidaying domestically at unfamiliar locations.
2. Increased drowning risk around the home. Complacency can often seep in when people are exhausted from working from home, home-schooling, and restricted time in confined spaces, sometimes resulting in distractions or unsupervised children around water.
3. Australians lack the swimming skills necessary to enjoy the water safely. COVID has seen children missing out on swimming lessons, adults and teenagers with reduced pool access who are no longer swim fit and/or lack confidence in the water leading to increased drowning incidents in open waterways.

Being born and raised in Australia, my parents thought it was absolutely necessary that we learnt how to swim in the hopes that we’d one day be able to rescue them if we went on holiday. Of course, we always wanted to win the blue ribbon at the yearly school swimming carnival even if it was during the novelty races.

What can we take away from this?

Register to swimming lessons!

Swimming lessons aren’t just for school aged children. There are lessons designed and catered to everyone! So, with an easy resolution available, don’t procrastinate because there is never a perfect time to start. It really is now or never.

Together we can help to bring the increased number of drowning deaths down as it should.

Not only are you keeping yourself safe, but you can also save a mate with your swimming skills necessary to enjoy the water safely.

Anna Yang
Area Manager
United Swimming