Over the years i have gathered information and knowledge on situations that may happen on the water. If you talk to divers they will explain just how important their knife is for the safety.
It is more and more normal with extreme sports today. People use all kinds of devices that can float on the water and having much fun, like it should be. With more and more activity as such then there
will be situations and dangerous events happening whether we like it or not. If people only knew how little it takes to be dragged under. I guarantee a surprise.
Many would say they are good
swimmers and that during the summer it will be easy to swim long distances. It is still a negative thing for some to use a life-jacket or a floating device for the body. To be a good swimmer is always helpful but there are some factors involved. This can be:
weather, current, injuries, panic and other. All these will influence your ability to swim. The water can be used to float on and swim in. The water also drains immense energy during situations.
I have said it before and say it again. “To go on the sea or water without a knife is madness!” If something is attached to your leg and you are in the current then you may be dragged under very quickly, even lightweight objects will
pull heavy. If you get tangled into rope or other objects in the water and get pulled towards the bottom then you must also react quickly! If you are prepared then you will automatically react. If you are unprepared then you may panic. My philosophy is that
a prepared mind will usually always react within the timeframe. It is like all kind of training.
Versatile knives like the Wenger, Victorinox and Multi-Tools of
the world got the extra advantage. This can be for emergency repairs for example and all mentioned in this article.
The advantage with a floating device is that you will be able to sit in
it or float on it without drowning. You can use the device and signal for help easier. You can prevent Hypotermia better. With the life-jacket you can float for a longer time but you are lower in the water and more difficult to spot. If you do not have a life-jacket
then you take a huge risk swimming distances. It may not look like a long distance. In the water it can be long enough to get fatigue and tragic end. Wind, waves and current make it difficult not only to swim but also to signal for help. Some life-jackets
and survival sets have a flute. With this you can signal for help but it is not safe enough. On the sea the wind and sounds of the nature may drown the signal from the flute and throw the sound at a direction completely different from yours. Anyhow it is smart
to bring.
Remember: light, fire and knife!
Alcohol = Disaster on the water.