open water swimming in Emmerentia dam?

[Palaeodom]

I've swum there too as part of my Rescue Diver scuba qualification. Was fat and unfit back then and had to swim 400m, I remember having to hang on the buoy halfway to prevent myself from drowning. Eish.

 

On the plus side, the water is reasonably clean - its just a bit far to drive from Northern JHB.

 

 

Where is Bass Lake (Henley)? I'm a stones throw from Emmerentia so hoping its good enough. Otherwise I suppose there's linden public pool.

[1hill@aTime]

those extra body parts take a month or two to form...

[kennyg]

I wouldn't go near the dams in JHB...

 

Now imagine this.... all the sewage leaking in Northcliff, Melville,Bergbron, etc, eventually ends up there. May as well train in Harties if you ask me.

 

Sure the high rainfall is great for washing it out, but it washes more stuff in.

 

I use Buffels, or the vaal.

[Joker]

Hi, Joined the club last year. The water is clean. It gets tested regularly.

 

Regards,

[tombeej]

Those people who say "you wouldn't catch me dead swimming in Emmarentia dam" are people who've never made use of that body of water before (i.e. making comments on a subject they have no experience in).

 

Emmarentia dam is one of the cleanest dams in Gauteng, arguably the cleanest.

 

1. Do yourself a favour and walk upstream from the dam into the botanical gardens and tell me what you find. 3 small dams/ponds full of lillies and reeds is what you'll find. The water flowing down that stream from its source in the Melville koppies gets filtered 3 TIMES before it eventually makes its way into the dam. In winter you can often see right to the bottom if paddling in a canoe.

2. The canoeists who paddle that dam cause a circulation effect that constantly oxygenates the water.

3. Ask the fishermen who catch all the different types of fish in that dam - healthy, fat and numerous.

 

In 10 years as a paddler at Emmarentia, I never heard of one single case of poisoning from the water. People get little cuts all the time from falling out of boats, etc. (esp when learning to paddle) and these cuts never get unduly infected. Little kiddies play around all day in the shallows in perfect safety (I'm sure gulping lots of mouthfuls in the process).

 

If you want to swim in Emmarentia, go for it! In fact, the only danger you'll face is canoests.

[flex]

Hi, Joined the club last year. The water is clean. It gets tested regularly.

 

Regards,

Which club is this? Do you know who we can contact to see the test results?

[Palaeodom]

Thanks all for yor input.

 

@ Tombeej, in your opinion as a paddler when is the best time to swim to avoid the dangers of fibreglass through head syndrome.

[tombeej]

Three times during the week are completely out: Thursday evenings (time trial), Saturday mornings (long paddle), and Sunday mornings (social time trial).

During the week there's always someone paddling early morning and evenings are quite busy.

 

If you work (i.e. not a student and have to earn a buck), there's really only 1 time during the week that might be ok - Friday mornings. That's because everyone is resting after Thursday night time trial and the usual piss-up afterwards. Normally only about 2 - 3 boats on the water then.

 

Then on the weekends:

Saturday: once all the paddlers are off the water, it can get very quiet. Note that Saturdays is usually when people like to get in their long paddle of the week, so it will only get quiet after 10h00.

Sunday: the social time trial runs from 08h00 to 09h00. From about 09h30 on a Sunday is a great time to swim.

[Thug]

Thanks tombeej.

 

As part of my ironman training, my coach requires a 1.5km ows every weekend from now onwards.

 

Looks like Sunday afternoon will be the right time.

[tombeej]

Those 3 big red/white buoys in the dam that make up a triangle are pretty much 1 measured kilometre. I've measured on my Garmin that if you follow the edge of the dam all the way around (i.e. including round that small bay at the wooden club scout shed on the far side of the dam wall), you'll get about 1.3 km. So with a little warm up and warm down, 1 full loop will get you that 1.5km.

 

Oh, and because Sunday mid morning is when the beginners normally come down (because it's quietest then), you'll have the opportunity of brushing up on those lifesaving skills too :lol:

[FC&P2C]

I know the Joberg City tri was originally planned to be held at Emmarentia but the Ecoli count was of the charts. Thats why they had to settle with Germiston. So if Germiston is the cleanest dam in Jhb then surely you dont want to touch any open water here. I stopped doing local tri's 3 years ago as it just wasnt worth it for me. Ended up with a hectic sinus infection after every event.

I would say bass lake is the best option.

Has anyone tried Bloupan in Kempton?

[tombeej]

I know the Joberg City tri was originally planned to be held at Emmarentia but the Ecoli count was of the charts. Thats why they had to settle with Germiston. So if Germiston is the cleanest dam in Jhb then surely you dont want to touch any open water here. I stopped doing local tri's 3 years ago as it just wasnt worth it for me. Ended up with a hectic sinus infection after every event.

I would say bass lake is the best option.

Has anyone tried Bloupan in Kempton?

 

 

That's very interesting. I gave up paddling to return to mtb after a few years lay-off, partly because of the terrible decline in water quality of all our dams and rivers. Also another reason why I'm back living in KZN. Gauteng is just not friendly to any outdoor sports enthusiast anymore - whatever sport you participate in.

[Thug]

Probably the best dam for swimming is at Heia Safari Ranch but they do charge R50 for entry.

[Zula]

Those 3 big red/white buoys in the dam that make up a triangle are pretty much 1 measured kilometre. I've measured on my Garmin that if you follow the edge of the dam all the way around (i.e. including round that small bay at the wooden club scout shed on the far side of the dam wall), you'll get about 1.3 km. So with a little warm up and warm down, 1 full loop will get you that 1.5km.

 

Oh, and because Sunday mid morning is when the beginners normally come down (because it's quietest then), you'll have the opportunity of brushing up on those lifesaving skills too :lol:

 

@tombeej

 

There goes your theory!

[pastapouch]

also the Eeufees dam in Krugersdorp is pretty clean, just watch out for broken bottles when entering.

[Zula]

also the Eeufees dam in Krugersdorp is pretty clean, just watch out for broken bottles when entering.

 

Cant be clean with broken bottles!