Can You Swim Across the Mississippi River?
The waters of the Mississippi River, which run from Minnesota all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico, conjure up all kinds of images for many people – Lewis and Clark following its course to explore the western reaches of the Louisiana Purchase, Mark Twain’s steamboats, jazz music emanating from its docks, and giant barges going up and down carrying all kinds of goods. But one thing it may be less known for is swimming, as many people have wondered if it is even possible to swim all the way across such an expansive, powerful flowing river.
One person who was able to swim across the Mississippi River was a man by the name of G. H. Bass in 1950, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. He reportedly graduated from Vicksburg High School in Mississippi and then decided he wanted to attempt to swim the length of his father’s dream, and so he trained for two years in order to prepare for the swim. After he finally accomplished the feat of swimming 3,860 feet across the Mississippi River, it took him three hours to do it.
However, the downside of such an accomplishment is that Bass swam from a riverbank in Vicksburg, across to the Louisiana side, and not along the entire length of the Mississippi River. Therefore, reaching with swimming some 3,860 feet may be one thing, but attempting to swim the entire length of the river, which measures 2,330 miles in total, is something else entirely and remains beyond the full capabilities of any human.
According to Live Science, only 308 people in history have completed what is called a “human-powered” journey along the whole length of the Mississippi River by any means, including swimming, kayaking, and running. Professor Curt Gentry of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse holds the record for swimming the entire length of the Mississippi River, which he completed in two stages. The first stage was when he swam for 53 days along the length of the river, between August and November 1979, whereby he started in Itasca, Minnesota, and finished in Minneapolis. He then picked up in the following year, from June to August 1980, from where he had left off and swam the rest of the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
The swimming portion of Gentry’s journey was 3,970 miles, which is only a fourth of 302 days overall, and he rallied a large support team to enable his journey and perform many water safety operations such as rescuing him if he ran into serious trouble. Therefore, while normal swimmers are not able to swim the entire length of the Mississippi River under normal circumstances, as Gentry’s time on the river demonstrated, swimmers can and have made journeys along it if they have a sufficient support team to back them up.
Swimming Conditions and Regulations
There are various conditions and regulations to consider when swimming the Mississippi River, such as numerous water safety regulations to ensure you do not harm yourself in any way and also to keep you from disrupting the flow of the river, which can cause significant problems downstream and possibly upstream in certain scenarios. If you intend to go swimming in the Mississippi River, you must be aware of how dynamic it is, and that its scale is far beyond what an average swimming pool would be.
The strong currents of the Mississippi can take you off course and even sweep away the unprepared swimmer.This is why people are urged to wear life jackets and to only attempt to swim in certain parts of the river where the currents will not be too quick or powerful. Regulations state that it is not preferable to swim alone, or else to have a partner beside you at all times, and it is also advisable to wear a wet suit even if you are an experienced swimmer, as it may be too cold for some in the depths of the Mississippi River. It is best to determine which parts of the river are the safest to swim in before attempting the venture.
Swimming Competitions Along the Mississippi
Several swimming competitions take place along the Mississippi River, some of which are organized by organizations such as the U.S. Masters Swims group, which hold an annual 10K swimming race from Prairie Island near Minneapolis to the High Bridge near Hastings, Minnesota along the Mississippi River.The river can also be viewed for recreational purposes and swimming is a popular way to explore its vastness.
Every year in the summer months, many Mississippi River marinas and docks hold swimming contests, as well as canoeing and other activities. However, while it may be very tempting to jump into the current of the Mississippi River and attempt to follow it, it must be remembered that it is always better to take part in swimming competitions which have the proper safety protocols and regulations in place.
Testing Swimmers Along the Mississippi
Before attempting to swim any part of the Mississippi River, it is advisable to “test the waters” as early tests as possible first. These tests would include examining one’s ability to handle strong currents, buoyancy, and swimming conditions, as well as building a mental picture of the water’s character by assessing its turbulent areas and its quieter areas.
Another useful method is to visit the banks of the river and observe the swells, whirlpools, eddies, and riptides, which will give you a better idea of which parts of the river are more suitable for swimming. While there are parts of the river which can be safely swum, in general the length of the Mississippi River is just too dangerous to attempt to do so without specialized training.
The Environmental Factors Involved
The environment is an oftentimes-overlooked factor when it comes to swimming in the Mississippi River. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Mississippi River is a crucial channel for agricultural products and trade, and is also the sixth largest polluter of pollutants in the United States.
Pollutants dumped in the river come from many sources, and the impact of people swimming in the river cannot be underestimated either. Swimming in the river can produce quite a lot of ammonia and nitrogen, which can lead to dead zones in the water, and can also lead to a build-up of bacteria which would be harmful to people if they are exposed to it via swimming, as the water is not entirely safe to swim in due to the pollutants.
These pollutants, along with the other factors involved with both the strength of the current and the water temperature, are huge considerations when it comes to attempting to swim along the Mississippi River. The one saving grace is that there are strict regulations and protocols which need to be followed whenever you decide to swim in the river, and if you follow them properly then you will remain safe and be able to enjoy the experience to the fullest.
Swimming the Mississippi for a Purpose
Swimming across the Mississippi River is not something that people would typically take on for fun, but there are swimmers who do it in order to help draw attention to river issues and conservation efforts. In 2016 a woman named Edith Swain became the oldest person to swim across the Mississippi River when she completed the 1,241 mile swim at the age of 70. Her goal was to draw attention to the rivers of the world and the problem of increasing pollution and destruction in them, as well as other water sources, and to encourage people to consider “the importance of protecting and preserving our water resources”.
This is the true message that swimming across the Mississippi River can bring, which is to allude to the grandiosity of nature, and to draw attention to the importance of preserving our natural resources. Even if one cannot achieve the feat of swimming across the entire length of the river itself, its waters can still be appreciated, and can still be swum in if need be, with the proper permission and assistance.
Potential Hazards of Swimming the Mississippi
The greatest potential hazard of attempting to swim any portion of the Mississippi River is drowning, as the river can contain a variety of sources of pollutants, as well as strong currents, that can overcome a person who does not follow water safety protocols. Another hazard is hypothermia, as the waters of the Mississippi River can be quite cold, especially when factoring in the air temperature during certain parts of the year.
Apart from these two hazards, the health risks of swimming in the Mississippi River come from the large amount of bacteria it contains, a lot of which can be attributed to the lack of proper waste management in many areas the river passes through. Some bacteria which can be found in the Mississippi River, when present in too great a quantity, can cause eye, skin, and respiratory infections if exposure is extended.
The most serious form of these infections is vibriosis, which can cause a person’s skin to become red and sore, and may also lead to organ failure, so it is definitely best to stay out of the river during certain parts of the year when the amount of bacteria is at its highest. It is also important to note that certain areas of the Mississippi are shallow enough that they can be traversed without swimming at all, or else with special shoes suited for wading through waters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, attempting to swim across the entire Mississippi River is an ambitious feat that the average person is likely not capable of achieving due to the sheer length and scale of the river. However, it is possible to make progress in parts of the river if it is swum with a proper team of lifeguards and with sensible water safety protocols in place. People who wish to take on this challenge must also be aware of the potential health risks involved, as pollution and bacteria can be present in certain parts of the river which can make it hazardous to swim in.
