Swimming in the Ghent-Bruges canal: “Forbidden on your own”
But swimming in a canal sometimes holds some surprises. That is why there are initiations and rescuers keep an eye on things. It will be scorching hot in the coming days and then the temptation may arise to go swimming on your own, but that remains prohibited.
Cold water
It is warm, but the water warms up slowly and then a wetsuit may be recommended for swimming in the canal. And those who are going to swim in open water for the first time, Beernem and Oostkamp organize an initiation together.
Swimming instructor Siemon Swimberghe: “Here you see 30 cm and it’s done. You feel things. You see nothing. And that can still cause a shock reaction in people. The fantasy runs wild.”
“It’s my first time,” says Ignace Bolle. “I’ve never done this before. I was even a little nervous, but it’s not too bad. It’s vacation, freedom.”
Diving is risky
The dead arm of the channel is a good five feet deep. So you can just stand upright, but the bottom is littered with stones. For safety there are lifeguards on the water and on the bank. Diving here is risky. It’s not a swimming pool.
Swimmer Jan Petralia: “It’s less boring in any case. It’s longer than 25 meters. And if you can’t swim very well like me, that wetsuit helps a lot.”
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Prohibited on its own
Beernem has received a permit for canal swimming from the Flemish Waterway, but only on Thursday evenings. But with the scorching hot days ahead, the temptation is great to dive into the channel on your own.
Jacintha Lambert of the Beernemse Zwem Club: “If you accidentally dive in and hit a rock on the bottom that you can’t see and there is no lifeguard to help you, it can be quite dangerous.”
Alderman of Leisure in Oostkamp Sam Van De Caveye: “Of course, we cannot be on every corner of the street. We try to discourage it as much as possible. But it is already possible for this group and in a good context, also in the warm days to come.”
The quality of the water is also measured every week.