Comments on: The River Thames in London may soon have safe swimming beaches http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/ News and debate from Gardenvisit.com Wed, 16 May 2012 17:39:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Gordon Evans http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3476 Gordon Evans Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:50:17 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3476 To its credit, the Munich City Government has actually been trying to legalise use of the wave, but comes up against the problem of the City becoming responsible for any accidents. But the English do seem to me to be market leaders in enforced nanny state bans. The Isar runs through the grassy meadows of the English Garden with an incredible velocity, the park is open 24 hours and there have been several drownings over the years. Were the English Garden to live up to its name they would have fenced the river or rendered it impotent long ago, one only has to think of the sorry tale of the Princess Diana memorial in London. But, it would probably not be possible to design the English Garden in its present form today, on safety grounds. http://www.tropicalisland.de/germany/bavaria/munich/pages/MUC%20Munich%20-%20an%20arm%20of%20the%20Isar%20River%20flowing%20through%20the%20English%20Garden%20is%20used%20for%20bathing%203008x2000.html To its credit, the Munich City Government has actually been trying to legalise use of the wave, but comes up against the problem of the City becoming responsible for any accidents. But the English do seem to me to be market leaders in enforced nanny state bans. The Isar runs through the grassy meadows of the English Garden with an incredible velocity, the park is open 24 hours and there have been several drownings over the years. Were the English Garden to live up to its name they would have fenced the river or rendered it impotent long ago, one only has to think of the sorry tale of the Princess Diana memorial in London. But, it would probably not be possible to design the English Garden in its present form today, on safety grounds.
http://www.tropicalisland.de/germany/bavaria/munich/pages/MUC%20Munich%20-%20an%20arm%20of%20the%20Isar%20River%20flowing%20through%20the%20English%20Garden%20is%20used%20for%20bathing%203008×2000.html

]]> By: Tom Turner http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3474 Tom Turner Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:31:43 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3474 Gordon, that is a brilliant solution to the terrible Health and Safety Problem inflicted on the world by an unholy allianace between insurance companies and lawyers: ban everything but take no steps to enforce the ban. It would be harder if had specially built an Eisbach Wave on the River Lea in London but I think it could and should be done. Christine, you are right that Whitehaven Beach is even better than the whitesand beach we are planning on the Thames shore, but we can keep it in mind as a design objective for London's River. Gordon, that is a brilliant solution to the terrible Health and Safety Problem inflicted on the world by an unholy allianace between insurance companies and lawyers: ban everything but take no steps to enforce the ban. It would be harder if had specially built an Eisbach Wave on the River Lea in London but I think it could and should be done.
Christine, you are right that Whitehaven Beach is even better than the whitesand beach we are planning on the Thames shore, but we can keep it in mind as a design objective for London’s River.

]]> By: Christine http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3472 Christine Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:19:37 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3472 Hi Gordon, yes I agree with Tom the Berlin 'Bathing Ship' is a great project. The Munich wave is especially quirky, but that is what makes the world such an interesting place! Tom, your childhood experiences have probably given you (as is probably also true of the Ganges swimmers) a hardier constitution than most....if you are keen on your vision for Whitehaven Beach on the Thames [ http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/destinations/whitsundays/things-to-see-and-do/whitehaven-beach/index.cfm, ] don't give up the dream for anyone! Hi Gordon, yes I agree with Tom the Berlin ‘Bathing Ship’ is a great project. The Munich wave is especially quirky, but that is what makes the world such an interesting place!

Tom, your childhood experiences have probably given you (as is probably also true of the Ganges swimmers) a hardier constitution than most….if you are keen on your vision for Whitehaven Beach on the Thames [ http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/destinations/whitsundays/things-to-see-and-do/whitehaven-beach/index.cfm, ] don’t give up the dream for anyone!

]]> By: Gordon Evans http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3471 Gordon Evans Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:05:11 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3471 In Germany almost everything is clearly defined. One of the criteria is to have at least 1 metre clear sight at a depth of 1.5 metres and most "natural" waters don't pass this test, although everyone still swims in them (at their own risk). Just as surfing is not allowed on the captive wave on the Isar, in the middle of Munich, but has turned into a must-see for tourists to the city. http://www.destination-munich.com/surfing-munich.html In Germany almost everything is clearly defined. One of the criteria is to have at least 1 metre clear sight at a depth of 1.5 metres and most “natural” waters don’t pass this test, although everyone still swims in them (at their own risk). Just as surfing is not allowed on the captive wave on the Isar, in the middle of Munich, but has turned into a must-see for tourists to the city. http://www.destination-munich.com/surfing-munich.html

]]> By: Tom Turner http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3468 Tom Turner Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:40:05 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3468 That's a great project in Berlin - and if the canopy were mass-produced it could be used to make cycletubes! But I wonder what swim-quality water means. I can easily imagine that public health officials proclaim it is 'not safe' but what criteria to they use. Most anywhere must safer for bathing than the Ganges at Varanasi - and yet it is full of bathers. As children we used to swim in the Firth of Forth amongst little brown lumps from the nearby sewage lacerating equipment. That’s a great project in Berlin – and if the canopy were mass-produced it could be used to make cycletubes! But I wonder what swim-quality water means. I can easily imagine that public health officials proclaim it is ‘not safe’ but what criteria to they use. Most anywhere must safer for bathing than the Ganges at Varanasi – and yet it is full of bathers. As children we used to swim in the Firth of Forth amongst little brown lumps from the nearby sewage lacerating equipment.

]]> By: Gordon Evans http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3467 Gordon Evans Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:03:52 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3467 Cleaning up Berlin's Spree to swim-quality water is not practible. In response to a competition held in 2002, the team composed of AMP arquitectos with Gil Wilk und the Berlin artist Susanne Lorenz came up with the "Bathing Ship". In winter it gets roofed over and equipped with a sauna, thus extending the nude bathing season by several months. http://www.kulturarena-berlin.de/609.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 Cleaning up Berlin’s Spree to swim-quality water is not practible. In response to a competition held in 2002, the team composed of AMP arquitectos with Gil Wilk und the Berlin artist Susanne Lorenz came up with the “Bathing Ship”. In winter it gets roofed over and equipped with a sauna, thus extending the nude bathing season by several months.
http://www.kulturarena-berlin.de/609.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

]]> By: Christine http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3464 Christine Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:27:48 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3464 Water taxi beach in Long Island has been created by shipping in more than 400 tonnes of white Jersey beach sand.[ http://queens.about.com/od/longislandcity/ig/Water-Taxi-Beach-/water-taxi-beach-volleyball.htm ] Water taxi beach in Long Island has been created by shipping in more than 400 tonnes of white Jersey beach sand.[ http://queens.about.com/od/longislandcity/ig/Water-Taxi-Beach-/water-taxi-beach-volleyball.htm ]

]]> By: Tom Turner http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3460 Tom Turner Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:12:18 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3460 Robert - I hope you won't have to wait too long to swim here. Robert – I hope you won’t have to wait too long to swim here.

]]> By: Robert Webber http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3459 Robert Webber Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:44:00 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3459 Fun piece-loved it. Used to work near there-certainly didn't have white sand then! Best Wishes Robert Fun piece-loved it. Used to work near there-certainly didn’t have white sand then!

Best Wishes

Robert

]]> By: Tom Turner http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/2010/02/12/the-river-thames-in-london-may-soon-have-safe-swimming-beaches/comment-page-1/#comment-3451 Tom Turner Sat, 13 Feb 2010 11:23:35 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=3795#comment-3451 I regret it when other people risk breaking the law but, as a cyclist, it is often necessary to break the law in order to evade other and more serious risks, like being crushed. I regret it when other people risk breaking the law but, as a cyclist, it is often necessary to break the law in order to evade other and more serious risks, like being crushed.

]]>