Sunday, 15 April 2007
Another tragedy at the Blue Lagoon
Yesterday afternoon I saw several emergency vehicles speeding south through Arlesey. When I saw the rescue boat I could be pretty sure that it was something at the Blue Lagoon. There was a helicopter hovering there for some time.
Today I see this story on the BBC. It seems a man was reported as being in difficulties and a search is still on. It's a shame some scumbags had to steal some equipment from an ambulance.
Update: They pulled out the body of a young man last night. Someone told me he was 16. Probably from out of town as the locals know it's dangerous.
Just had my dad ringing from Portugal after he saw this in his email and thought we had a problem. That's why I've changed the title
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I can see why people are attracted to it, it is a great swimming spot - I have swum there a few times myself. If you wade in from one of the shallow chalky "beaches" and don't stray too far then I don't think it is dangerous. However, I believe there is abandoned quarrying equipment (cranes etc) lurking below the surface to entangle or render unconscious anyone who risks diving in off a boat out away from the edge.
ReplyDeleteI've only been there once when we took a walk up that way and didn't go swimming.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually a private lake just for the sailing, angling and diving clubs. It seems there were around 300 people there at the weekend, but most of them would have been trespassing. I've heard that they resort to tramping across the nearby fields or even break the gate on the access road. Opinions on the rights of people to access private land may vary, but if they then behave recklessly and endanger themselves and others they can spoil it for everyone.
Why are people so desperate to be there? We have a selection of indoor and outdoor swimming pools in the area.
Mind you, I've been swimming in some lakes abroad. In Germany it's often quite accessible to go skinny dipping in these regardless of large numbers of people being there. Brits tend to be more reserved.
This was a tragic event. The previous couple of incidents equally tragic, but were of different sorts. One was a non-swimmer whose boat got into trouble and the other was some idiot who managed to drive his car into the lake with kids in the back.
I was last there about five years ago when I just cycled in along the access road. I was vaguely aware that I might be trespassing but it didn't concern me. I collected some of the litter and put it in my rucksack, had a swim, lay in the sun drying out and watching the numerous dragonflies darting around, and then cycled back out. I see there are plans transform it into a "nature park for access to everyone". I don't like swimming pools.
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