Originally Posted by
nsherry61
I am somewhat intrigued by the controversy and history of swimming the Kennebec.
1) The exaggerated fear shared in this thread and others about becoming hypothermic and drowning in cold water is not surprising, but it is substantially exaggerated. Once you get past the initial shock of cold water immersion (cold water shock, which can certainly lead to people drowning), no healthy, non-panicked person will become disabled by water that is near freezing in less than two minutes. It takes about five to 10 minutes. And yes, I like swimming in cold water, including glacial lakes with ice floating in them - especially on hot summer days.
2) Any experienced swimmer should be able to swim the width of the Kennebec in less than five minutes as long as they don't waste energy trying to swim against the current. And yes, I also like swimming rivers as long as there is good runout below me so I don't get carried into a dangerous area downstream. And yes, you might get carried 1/4 mile downstream.
So, to have swimming the Kennebec be dangerous to an experienced swimmer, the swimmer would have to either panic, fail to manage the initial cold-shock, foolishly try to swim against the current to avoid being taken downstream, or be trapped or injured by rocks or other obstacles downstream. Of course, at high water, especially flood stage, the likelihood of being trapped by branches or trees in the water can be horribly high.
All these risks can be responsibly assessed in most cases. I would be significantly put out if someone told me I could not use my own knowledge and judgment to decide whether or not to swim the Kennebec. Also, if I died after choosing to the swim the Kennebec, I would be very unhappy if anyone tried to blame anyone else (or the river for that matter) for my death. It was my decision. I made the choice. Please let me take full responsibility for taking the risks I choose to take. I think I'd rather risk swimming the Kennebec than drive in downtown Boston!