Foster and drowning

[penguin]

Sorry, but reading all the comments on the Post Bulletin articles finally got to me and I had to vent. People are calling for them to put more fill into the lake to make is safer and shallow all around so you can just stand up in it. Are they just ignorant? Let's see, tragedy yes. Darwinism, definately. If you can't swim, don't go outside the boundaries. I wish people wouldn't make such hasty suggestions and think about what they are saying. How deep is Foster anyway? I never Vexed the middle this winter, but I never found anything over 25 while out there.

Again, sorry for the soapbox.

-Penguin

[Meaney]

Yea, I feel the same way. Sad to hear someone died but they chose to swim past the ropes and ignore the warning signs. Instead of filling it in and spending how many thousands to do it...they should just put up a sign that says the number of people to drown past the ropes "FOSTER ARENDS: 5 drownings past the ropes, swim at own will" or they could just put alligators in there and I bet nobody swims in there anymore

[ikeslayer]

or they could ban booze out there and for every person caught with booze they could fine them the amount of a lifetime license and then have a drawing every year to see which lucky angler wins a free lifetime license courtesy of some drunk. i like it

ike

[Meaney]

I did not hear all the details..Was this guy drunk when he was swimming?

[smg04]

i think he was, but lets not ban the bevrage! i'v done my share of partying out there in my younger days and i'v swam from shore to shore and all over that place and never had a problem, it's kinda like saying guns kill people, beer doesnt drown people stupid people with beer kill themselves! and the spoon is responsable for making rosie o'donnel fat!!

[ikeslayer]

the paper did not say if there was alcohol involved or not i just know in the past and in most drowning incidents alcohol is involved. ike

[Meaney]

shawn I totally agree with you a million percent!

[nathan1105]

Almost every time I'm out there fishing there are people, often drunk people, jumping into the water outside the swimming zone. There's signs all over the place saying not to, even threatening a $1000 fine. But, when the police make their rounds through there they just drive through the parking lot and leave. Maybe if an officer got out of the car every once and a while and passed out some of those $1000 fines and perhaps some public intoxication tickets, people would be less hasty to swim outside the zone. The city could also pay probably less than $100 a day to put a lifeguard out there. Just some thoughts.

[ikeslayer]

if i am not mistaken there was life gaurds out there once upon a time. I don't know why they ever got rid of them but i am assuming that it would be more like baby sitting and babe watching that lifegaurding plus that is a huge area to watch that many people. Just some thoughts, i am suprised as well that this never happens out at chester? ike

[DWestphal]

When I was in high school (late 80's) I want to say that there were life guards out there.

[Meaney]

maybe there can be a C.J Parker look-a-like for a lifeguard at fosters!

[Lew]

Quote:

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Just some thoughts, i am suprised as well that this never happens out at chester? ike

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I can't verify a connection, but consider this; Fee to visit Chesterwoods = No Drownings, No Fee at Foster Arends = Sad News day. Is there a connection?

[Meaney]

I am pretty sure it has happened at chesterwoods... Last one that I can think of to drown at CW was maybe 8-9 years ago

[crazyice]

I agree with lew, just more oppurtunities at foster since it has no fee and is more readily available for more people. I am sure that if chester didn't have a fee like it does, there would be more people out there then there already is and thus more accidents like what we have seen at foster arends. I don't think that there will be any easy answer to fixing this problem, I just wish that more people would use common sense when in the water, respect the swimming boundaries of the lake and know what you are capable of doing in the water as well.

[Bugman]

If the cops can't even enforce the swimming outside the ropes boundries who thinks the would enforce the drinking out there out there.

[penguin]

Quote:

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If the cops can't even enforce the swimming outside the ropes boundries who thinks the would enforce the drinking out there out there.

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Kind of like if the game wardens can't enforce the slot and posession limit out there.....but that's another topic all together.

[Coach Dog]

There was a kid from Lewiston back in about 1997 that drowned in Chester Woods. He was about 17-18, a year behind me at the time.

[Meaney]

yea, That is the one I was thinking of...

[Coach Dog]

Actually, I think it was 1996. I'm from the Lewiston area and knew who the kid was, but didn't really know him personally.

[frydaddy]

I think a key difference between Chester and Foster is water temp.........Foster is COLD, deep spring fed (trout water right) and Chester is a warm res.

[hanson1287]

frydaddy i think you hit it right on. its not the fact that these people cant swim...they could be some of the best swimmers out there, but what they dont realize is when your body swims through the cold springs coming up it will lock your body up and start cramping and you cant swim anymore.