Asklemmy

Yes, because I grew up in an area where private pools were very common.

Yes, I went and learned as an adult, even. I figured the world is 70% water and I really needed to have a chance in case of a surprise encounter with it.

Yeah, sort of. I can do 2km, but pretty slowly.

Yep.

Part of schooling in NZ.

A lot of kids also get extra lessons, because well it's NZ.

note: the furthest from the coast you can get in NZ is 119.44 km (74.22mi)

No. I don’t feel comfortable being in situations where I’d learn. I’m pretty sure I’m to skin and bones to even float properly.

I lived on an island in the North Pacific for years. I worked on the ocean in a floating house and working on aluminum catwalks a few feet above the water all day.

If course I don't know how to swim. If I don't have a floater coat on, I'm fucked. If I do, I bob and hope for rescue. But have your lines in place if you're out in weather because the ocean does not give a fuck. In the North Pacific, your lifespan is the water is measured in "well fuck"s.

I lived near a lake as a child. I could hold my breath for so long. I dove a lot. Never learned to swim.

Swim lessons were expensive and we were poor. Swimming is essentially a pastime of the privileged and we were not. Same with skiing. Same with hockey and football.

Meh.

i learned to swim by puking so hard that the puke leaving my mouth propelled me through the water