We love escaping that hot summer air by jumping in the
water for a refreshing swim. We find a nice lake or beach, dive in, and
relax. Unfortunately, some of us don’t expect what these bodies of water
hold. Some hold snakes, others sharks, and others still deadly poisons
that can kill you in seconds. Here, we take a sampling of some of the
most dangerous places to swim on Earth. You can’t say we didn’t warn
you.
1. The Boiling Lake
The Boiling Lake in Dominica is another of the most dangerous places to swim. What makes this place so downright dangerous is the presence of scolding hot magma beneath its surface. This magma induces the water to reach the temperature of boiling point, literally causing the lake to boil. Yikes!
So if you’ve ever scalded yourself with boiling hot water, you’ll know the pain that this lake would cause. The pain would be worse, however, in that after a few brief moments your entire body would be surrounded by the stuff. If you’d like to avoid the warmest swim of your life, then obviously we’d recommend that you avoid the boiling lake. But what about somewhere less obviously dangerous, but even more deadly?
2. Jacob’s Well
While it doesn’t actually belong to someone named Jacob, the lake here is something you would like to avoid. Located in south-central Texas, this lake is something to contend with. It is, however, also one of the cooler lakes in that its waters are so crystal clear that, if you wanted, you could look straight to the bottom.
The lake is also cool in that it has a system of tunnels and caves beneath it which enable you to explore the depths in ways not normally afforded to such lake-goers. But with the ample beauty comes danger. Many people, in other words, will embark into the depths and never come out. The challenge of navigating the underwater tunnels is more than they expect, and they don’t realize until it’s too late. But can you spot danger headed your way in the next one?
3. The Nile River
The Nile River, despite its reputation as the cradle of humanity, is one of those places that you should avoid if you want to swim. And why, you ask? Well, because it’s full of terrible crocodiles. While they’re not necessarily the most dangerous of animals to encounter while swimming, they are one of the most likely to kill you.
There are approximately 100 crocodile attacks per year in the north African Nile, for instance. When compared with shark attacks (coming in at a measly 16 attacks per year), this is quite the number. If you’re scared of crocodiles, then, and would rather leave the body with all your limbs in tact, you might want to consider avoiding the Nile. The next one will leave you wondering how good of a swimmer you really are…
4. Hanakapiai Beach
Hawaiian beaches are lavished over—and for good reason. Their shores are the location of sandy beaches, coral reefs, and even horrible sunburns. But they’re also sometimes home to powerful rip tides. On this beach specifically, Hanakapiai beach, there has been a something like 80 deaths. This is something to consider if your plan is to avoid being pulled out to sea.
Don’t be one of those people who tries to brave the waves. Once they’re crashing, the currents they hide beneath can be deadly. One person, for instance, had seen two children pulled away out to sea. As they were slowly dragged down the shore, their father had jumped in to save them. Fortunately, the beachgoers were able to signal for help to nearby helicopters and the boys were rescued. Next on our list – not all water is as beautiful as Hanakapiai Beach’s…
5. Bubbly Creek
Bubbly Creek is an area of the Chicago River that you’d be advised not to swim in. There are several reasons for this. Primary among them is the amount of disgusting runoff that will make its way into the river. Much of the lake, for instance, has been the subject of discarded meat, fecal matter, and other loathsome things.
Over time, this stuff began to decay—leading, ostensibly, to the bubbles that exist in this lake. Also, the lake has become so toxic that fish and other animals cannot live in it. If you’re looking for a nice place to swim, then, you might want to find yourself a nice beach elsewhere. The Chicago River is not the place to be.
6. Samaesan Hole
Thailand is one of those places that has made many of our bucket lists. It’s home to some of the greatest beaches, most beautiful scenery, and food that many of us would die for—especially if we have nut allergies. Anyways, another dangerous area in the land of Thai is Samaesan Hole.
The Samaesan Hole is one of the deepest areas to dive in all of Thailand. Unfortunately, the hole is extremely dark, leading to near zero visibility at some points. Because of this, it can be easy to get lost. This location is not kind to the novice swimmer; you might just lose which way is up. In case you didn’t know, this confusion can be lethal.
7. Lake Karachay
Lake Karachay is a lake located in central Russia. It is one of the most toxic lakes on Earth. Why? Because the Russian government had polluted it with toxic waste during an era in which regulation on such things wasn’t really a thing. As a result, it has gained such a toxic nature that swimming in it could kill you within an hour.
Fortunately, the government has begun to take steps to fill in the lake with concrete. As a result, the lake will not exist for much longer. This is good news to the local inhabitants of the area, as they will no longer need to warn their children against the perils of the lake.
8. Eagle’s Nest Sink Hole
This sinkhole, located in Florida, is a place that would be okay to swim, but dangerous to dive. The hole, dipping down below a staggering 300 feet, has been the cause of at least 10 deaths. And because of this, the hole had been closed indefinitely to ensure people’s safety.
It’s the danger of the holes inside the sink that make this place one you’d rather avoid. If you’re an experienced diver, however, you can enter the hole. You’ll just want to stop as soon as you make it to the sign underwater. What it warns of is what we already told you: too deep in and you might get stuck. The result could be that you drown.
9. Kipu Falls
Kipu Falls is one of the more popular tourist destinations. It’s also a place where many tourists have drowned. While it’s not 100 percent certain exactly why people have drowned there, several have still succumbed to the waves. Much folklore surrounds these deaths, including claims of ancient gods and hidden whirlpools.
The most likely explanation, however, is just a high amount of traffic. With such a great abundance of tourists—especially those of an inebriated caliber—the more likely people are to drown. The reasoning is exactly the same with shark attacks are other such things: the more people in the water, the more likely some subset of those people will be attacked.
10. The Amazon Basin
The reasons that the Amazon Basin in South America is dangerous are many. First off, there are so many predators in its waters that a light and breezy swim might lead to a horrible degeneration via getting eaten. A few of these unsavory predators include things like piranhas, barracudas, and all the little critters that attract them.
It is also the home to one of the most terrifying tiny fish that exists on planet Earth: the candiru. While it’s not certain that the fish will actually do what people claim it does (swim up the urinal tract to eat your genitals), many have claimed just the opposite. But we’ll let the fear of this possibility resonate in you for a moment.
