The Mississippi River is a major river located in the USA and, many people wonder if it is possible to swim their way across it. Although it is possible to navigate the entire 3,780 km from source to sea, it is, in fact, impossible to swim across the entire river without the necessary preparation and training.
In order to get an understanding of why it is impossible to swim across the river, it is important to consider the data about the Mississippi River and the dangers that come with it. In total, it takes an average of 140 days for a person to navigate the entire length of the Mississippi River by boat. Additionally, the average speed of the river is around 7.5 km/h so the current of the river is strong. This makes it impossible for even experienced swimmers to make it across the width of most of the river.
To make it worse, the temperatures of the river in the are usually between 16-21 degrees Celsius and most experts agree that to attempt swimming in such temperatures, a person would need to do weeks of preparation to sustain such temperatures, including intense endurance training and a high fat-content diet that cannot be wished away, especially during a swim across the river.
Most of the local swimmers, who have perfect knowledge of their own segment of the river, still hesitate to swim across it considering the danger involved in it. Mike Siders, a Mississippi River lifelong swimmer, says, “The river is unpredictable and during my experience, I’ve noticed that in certain cases, the flow of the river changes drastically in less than 10 minutes and it takes only a few minutes to be washed away by the current.”
Not only that, but the depth of the river is also a major problem. It varies between the different parts of the river and in some of them it can reach more than 40 meters deep. Deeper currents means that the swimmers need to have the right training to remain underwater for longer periods of time and to be able to cope up with the spinning of the water.
Even if a person manages to reach the middle of the river, they will have to swim back against the constantly changing current just to get back to one side of the river, making it almost impossible to complete the task.
Other Considerations
Furthermore, the journey of swimming across the Mississippi River is fraught with many more dangers. Beneath the surface, it is harvested with obstacles. Such obstacles include trees, gasoline(petrol), logs, and structures that can get stuck in the swimmers gear and lead them to drown.
Additionally, the wildlife of the Mississippi River is also a major threat to swimmers. During the summer months, the waters are in abundance with Alligators, Pythons, Catfish, Big-mouth Bass, Largemouth Bass and many kinds of Snakes. So it is highly likely that the swimmer will come across a wild creature in the middle of their swim.
Apart from the wild creatures, the river is also teaming with hidden debris, including submerged vehicles and objects that can pull down swimmers. Many people get away with them but if the swimmer does not recognize what is hidden beneath, the current could drag them too quickly for them to avoid it.
Summary
It is not impossible to swim across the Mississippi River, however, most experts agree that in order to even attempt it, a person would need to be an experienced long distance swimmer, who has spent much time preparing physically and mentally to sustain such temperatures and environment. Additionally, they need to be aware of the locality, flow of the river,depth, obstacles and creatures in the river and be prepared to navigate through them. Therefore, even though it is impossible to swim across the Mississippi River, it is possible to take it on if someone is properly trained and prepared.
