Humboldt Pools
Here's the second big pool problem I've read about up here. College of the Redwoods' pool is leaking millions of gallons of water each year. Last time we heard of something similar it was Eureka High School's pool that was leaking. I believe it was the Arkley's that donated money to fix Eureka High School.
I don't know that I'd be that concerned about the chlorine leaking out, as some seem to be. Chlorine will evaporate over time when exposed to air, assuming it would eventually reach the surface. That said, the last time I was in the C/R pool it was heavily chlorinated.
I took at least one swimming class there decades ago. Those funky swimming goggles were pretty much a necessity and everyone wore them to protect their eyes from the chlorine. They used to give me a headache, though.
One day I decided not to wear my goggles. Seems to me the water burned my eyes a little, but it was after I got out of the water the problems really started. My eyes really started burning even though I'd gotten out of the chlorine. My eyes hurt so bad it was hard for me to see well enough to drive myself home. Lasted for hours. Last time I went in that pool without goggles.
On the upside, I imagine not many bad things survived in water with chlorine that strong. Think where that pool water's been.
Well, maybe that amount of chlorine could cause some problems if it leaked out and ended up on something that wasn't used to it. But, I think I'd be more concerned about simply wasting water and the associated costs than the chlorine itself.
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Speaking of Humboldt water, how many of you know how to swim? I was surprised, when I first moved up here how it seemed many local people couldn't swim.Having come here from coastal Southern California, I just expected the vast majority of people learned how to swim at an early age, as I did, but that didn't seem to be the case with Humboldt County.
I haven't noticed people not being able to swim for the last couple decades, so maybe it was just coincidence that non- swimmers were the first locals I'd run in to up here. With the exception of one guy I know of now, I think everyone I know up here swims. Then again, I haven't bothered to ask and haven't been in the position where I would know if they could swim, or not.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:01 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
My daughter swims regularly in the CR pool with no ill side-effects. The chlorine is too hard on me, and I have had ear infections after swimming there, so I don't anymore.
I took some swimming lessons as a kid growing up in Chatham, MA. However, I stopped, because I had symptoms of something "biting" me in the water. The swimming lessons were held in Oyster Pond, a salt water pond. I didn't get the "biting" sensation in swimming in other salt water areas, just Oyster Pond. Later, we realized that perhaps it was related to the close proximity of the town's sewage treatment plant. Maybe my skin was too sensitive.
Now when my grandparents retired to live on Cape Cod, they had access to a private beach on a fresh water lake. Cape Cod was formed during the last big ice age, which left behind granite deposits, as well as ice. The ice melted leaving fresh water ponds and lakes, hence the name, Kettle Ponds. Anywho, I spent a lot of time swimming in Grandma and Grandpa's lake. I can swim but am not a strong swimmer.
I consider myself as having used to be a strong swimmer, but not anymore.
Even when I was still a relatively strong swimmer I still had an experience that made me a bit nervous.
It used to be I could float with almost no effort at all. Then, back in the early 80s, I started working out with weights more and more.
It's certainly true that muscle weighs more than fat. While I wasn't really trim at the time, I probably had more muscle on me than any time earlier in my life when I took that last C/R swimming class.
I was really surprised when I jumped into the pool that first time. I went straight to the bottom and was dense enough I seemed to stand on the floor of the pool (underwater) rather than just bob around floating.
Made me a bit nervous as it was the first time in my life I couldn't float effortlessly. I pretty much had to keep my arms and legs moving all the time to keep my head out of the water. Almost scary.
I'm probably the same weight now, but don't think I have the same muscle mass.
We enjoy swimming in the Van Duzen and Mattole rivers in the late spring and early summer. Later in the summer the rivers get too low and mossy. South Fork of the Salmon in the summer has great swimming holes, but it is a long ways away.
All pools lose some water due to evaporation. These people don't seem to have a clue. And since when to you get advice about swimming pools from a Senior Geologist? No wonder this school is in so much trouble.
Hmmmm. Muscle sinks. Blubber floats. I'm sure it's a coincidence but when I took scuba lessons years ago, I had to wear an 8-pound weight belt to keep neutral in the water. When we were required to swim three laps under water, they had to be content with me keeping my head down; my butt kept floating to the surface no matter how I tried. I can swim. It's not pretty, no form but I CAN swim.
It's OK if the chlorinated water leaks out, as long as it doesn't contain flouride!
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