Immersion in questionable waters

Advice
#41

Swimming the Hudson …
Here’s the latest poop (so to speak).

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/hudson/swimstudy.html

~wetzool

#42

Bathing beaches
I don’t know how it is in other states, but here in Ohio state park lake swimming beaches are tested regularly and warnings are posted if worrisome levels of pathogens are detected, so you can be more confident of the safety of lake water if there is a public beach there. Right now, there is an advisory posted at the reservoir nearest my home, where I often practice rolls and rescues, due to goose crap in the water. I’ll still paddle there, but no rolling for now.

#43

I’d have to quit paddling…
…if I had pikabike’s standards! There is absolutely no clear water anywhere near where I live. Well, maybe the smaller rivers in winter. But as far as I know, I have never gotten sick from paddling our “opaque” water after decades of exposure to it.

#44

Clear vs. translucent vs. opaque
There is NO clear water here, either. But there are places with water that is at least somewhat translucent, except after high wind and/or rainstorms.



I try to avoid the opaque stuff, though it’s impossible to completely stay out of it. Often a place that is mostly OK has areas that are opaque (river inlets, areas heavily used by jetskis, etc.). I will paddle through them but don’t do any immersion in those areas.

#45

Two Boys Die from Naegleria
a parasite that enters the nose. Good news…it’s only infected 177 people worldwide…Bad news…only 6 lived to tell about it! http://www.newsinferno.com/storypages/8-06-2005~004.html



And, Bottom of page. http://www.its.caltech.edu/~sciwrite/journal03/manzo.html


#46

Yes it is. Will you believe the NIH?
Assuming there is not infection present, yes it is:



“Normal urine is sterile. It contains fluids, salts, and waste products, but it is free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. An infection occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from the digestive tract, cling to the opening of the urethra and begin to multiply. Most infections arise from one type of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally lives in the colon”.



http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult/



Lyn

#47

Big Dig
Easy Sing. The travel through Boston is hundreds times btter now. The foolish thing is this. They put a budget to it at all. A never done before project that involed tunneling under a city whilst keeping everything as normal as could be allowed, tunneling under the harbor, the New England winters.

Getting from south to north in 5 minutes where it always took 45 min is such a relief, getting to Logan in 12 minutes…that used to take an hour!

The problem is not the Dig. It is that to many people drive alone in an over populated area.

#48

Inside body vs. outside
Urine IN THE BODY might be sterile, but there are two big holes in the “urine is sterile” myth.



First, urethral, bladder, or kidney infections are common. In those cases, the urine is contaminated even inside the body.



Second, there is no such thing as sterile urine OUTSIDE of the body unless precautions are taken. The urine passes through body openings that are definitely not sterile. In the case of a male it may contact fingers that are definitely not sterile. The body openings themselves are further assisted bacterially by being encased in nonsterile clothing.



Why do you think that when providing urine samples for a doctor you are required to use sterile wipes in the perineum? They are trying to eliminate external contamination as a source of bacteria in the urine samples. I doubt any outdoors urinator is using sterile wipes prior to urinating.