STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

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General Mackevili
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by General Mackevili »

PSD-Kiwi wrote:I find the claims that he couldn't swim hard to believe, prior to Kampot he was living and working on an island also.
I assume a lot of people who can't swim work on islands. Islands are dry. Continents are just big Islands.

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Duncan
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by Duncan »

General Mackevili wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:10 pm
phuketrichard wrote:anyone that cant swim, has no reason to go into the open water. with or without a life-vest/water wings etc without adult supervision.

see how long u cant float on ur back, bet its not more than 10 minutes in open water
to get my dive master u need stay afloat 30 minutes in open water, ( staying in one place without swmining), it was NOT easy
Pardon my ignorance, but what happens after about 10 mins? I assume if you're floating, you'll stay floating, no?

I got my Open Water cert. I learned a bunch of nothing, and can't wait to get the next one, as I hear it's a lot more serious.

One of my scariest near death moments happened in a river.

We were "diving" through underwater tunnels where you just had to hold your breath, go under, and let the current push you through. Some were easy, and some required you had to at least navigate a little.

After going through a bunch that were super easy, I decided I'd try the one in the deeper faster currents. Made it through a bunch of times, and I thought I saw another tunnel down there and decided I'd give it a try.

Went down, swam hard to the left where
I had seen what I thought was a "tunnel of light", but when I got up to where it was, it was a hole way too small for my melon

head. So there I was, trapped between 2 flat rocks with my head jammed and current pushing the rest of me in the WRONG direction. I panicked. I realised I couldn't go forward, so the only hope I had was to grind along sideways/backwards to the regular exit. Luckily adrenaline kicked in though. I know you're wondering if I lived or died...Well, I lived! Made it back to the main tunnel and got pushed out. That breath of air was orgasmic. I waited a long while and finally went through the normal way again just to make sure I hadn't scared myself away from the water.

Water, especially one with a current, is nothing to take lightly, even if you're a good swimmer, but to get in a river without being able to swim is just asking for big trouble.



Well while we are all telling stories , did I ever tell you about ,,,,
I had seen what I thought was a "tunnel of light", but when I got up to where it was, it was a hole way too small for my melon[/b]
And I was only in a spa with a girl .
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by John Bingham »

General Mackevili wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:03 pm
PSD-Kiwi wrote:I find the claims that he couldn't swim hard to believe, prior to Kampot he was living and working on an island also.
I assume a lot of people who can't swim work on islands. Islands are dry. Continents are just big Islands.

I think it's strange that he couldn't swim. Everyone I grew up with knew how to swim by the age of 6 or 7. We used to have swimming lessons every Friday in school for years. I'm not sure with budget cuts whether these still exist in the UK, where the unfortunate lad was from though.
What I find weird is the amount of local people who can't swim, and they often live near or even on water. It's a pretty wet country. What I find even more amazing is that many fishermen can't swim. There is some sort of superstition that learning to swim will tempt the spirits and cause the boat to go down. I'm ok at swimming, so I'm not particularly scared of a quick dunk. If I couldn't swim there's no fucking way I'd be out in the Gulf of Thailand on a boat at night on a choppy sea.
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by Duncan »

For what it's worth, I have to admit, I cannot swim, even though I lived my childhood near a big river and not far from the ocean.

I put it all down to the agreement I made with the fish that live in the water. If they end up on land, I will eat them. If I end up in the water, they will eat me .

Besides that, I always found that the water is too wet.
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by John Bingham »

Duncan wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:08 pm For what it's worth, I have to admit, I cannot swim, even though I lived my childhood near a big river and not far from the ocean.
Well for what it's worth big rivers and oceans aren't always the best places to learn to swim. I learned in a heated swimming pool. You can deal with waves, currents, obstacles and cold/ dirty water later.
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by cptrelentless »

I don't swim in any water I can't see through a decent ways. Jaws and bilharzia being my childhood fears, cholera and faeco-forms my adult ones. I said this the last time a tourist drowned in that river in the rainy season, there's waterlogged branches, slimy tendrils, lianas, fence wire and all sorts just below the surface ready to grab you and not let go. Just takes one big gulp of water to your lungs and you're gone, the river's deep and fast flowing at time of year.
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by phuketrichard »

Just random stories

living on an island i taught my daughter to swim when she was 1 and she grew to love the sea and hated to get out

We have drownings at least a few times/week in the off season here, mostly Chinese and drunks

When i lived across the bridge in PP, i knew an American that would go swim every day in the tonle sap against the current, Only got out when he couldn't stay in one place

As far as fears go, you must respect the sea. After the tsunami, i did not go into the water for over 6 months and than the next 6 would never turn my back to the open sea. It took over 2 years till u would see local thai's even on the beach again.
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by General Mackevili »

PSD-Kiwi wrote:I find the claims that he couldn't swim hard to believe, prior to Kampot he was living and working on an island also.
Hmmmm, I just reached out to one of his coworkers on Koh Rong, and he says he can definitely swim and he knows this because he's swam with him.

Maybe his father doesn't know him very well, or maybe he only recently learned to swim?

Something is amiss.
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by John Bingham »

General Mackevili wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:00 pm
Maybe his father doesn't know him very well, or maybe he only recently learned to swim?
It's certainly possible that someone who could barely swim (or had just figured out the basics) was suddenly able to access lots of warm water, played around and got over-confident. It's also very possible that they didn't tell their friends that they hadn't got something that is a basic skill for many.
Way back in 1990 me and a couple of friends decided to go for a swim in Hampstead Heath, we lived nearby. The edges of the pond and the bottom are well muddy and sticky, so there's a jetty to swim off. So myself and the chick dive in and swim about a bit, then look back from 10 meters away or so. My mate jumps in, it's not so deep, maybe 2.5 meters. Then he starts jumping up and down and flailing his arms around doing crazy moves.
We thought it was hilarious, he was a prankster sort of guy. Then after laughing for a bit it dawned on us that he was actually drowning, so we had to swim over and save him. After we'd dragged him back on the jetty he admitted he couldn't swim. Nice one fucknutz.


BTW I am still on good terms with both of these people.
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Re: STEVEN GRIFFITHS (British Backpacker) Drowns in Kampot River in Cambodia; Family Says He Can't Swim

Post by jaynewcastle »

You just assume everybody can swim, just like everybody can ride a bike

Its something kids learn naturally as they grow up
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