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Also, it says the lake has 14 beaches, any recommendations?
According to the park map, the lake has 7 areas for swimming. Three of them are for overnight campers only as they are accessed through campgrounds (Poplar Point, Crosswinds, Vista Point). The other four are for day use (Seaforth, Parker's Creek, Ebenezer, White Oak). I've only been to Seaforth and Ebenezer. Seaforth is the biggest and is nice, but it can also get kind of busy. For that reason, I think Ebenezer might be the better choice (a caveat being my ignorance of the Parker's Creek and White Oak areas). Both Seaforth and Ebenezer are easy to get to, right off Rt. 64.
I think the biggest sources of pollution in the lake are runoff from nearby lands, most notably after hard rains, and the potential for an algal bloom, which I believe is more likely to happen in later summer (August) when the water is warmest. As others have mentioned, the water in the lake is kind of murky but that's due to the fact that it's a clay bottom rather than a sandy bottom; it's not due to pollution.
Just swim safely with no open wounds especially since they are chemically treating the lake to control the algae, watch for copperhead snakes and dont open mouth in case of Naegleria fowleri the brain-eating amoeba is present.
Oh come on y'all....you can get hit by a car crossing the street or mauled by a wild animal while walking your dog. Just use common sense when swimming. We go to Falls Lake a few times a year and swim. We dont spend hours daily in the water. And we are alive to tell the tale lol. Things happen...some more common than others. Just enjoy life! :-)
My son's job required him to often be in the water at Jordan Lake. He had many infections. He quit his job after being in the hospital for three weeks and almost dying from an infection a couple years ago. Again, as he was working he may have tended to have more nicks and scrapes than normal. In the South I might stick to swimming pools and the ocean. I would think some government agency might test larger lakes like Jordan but I may be wrong.
What about all the boaters doing tubing, wakeboard and skiing on all the local lakes with million $ homes on the shore?
If it was so dangerous, homes would not sold for millions of $ at Gaston, Norman and maybe cheaper on the other lakes.
About the ocean, do not go to the ocean, two years ago somebody got attacked by a shark south of wrightsville beach, I do not remember if the child died or not. Tragedy aside, risk is inherent to live as somebody already stated.
You have bacterias all around you, and your body built its own defenses at their contact. The more contact you have with bacteria the more defenses you will get. Some people by nature have less defenses than others. So yes, some people will be more subject to diseases than others. Up to you to know your body and your limit. If you believe the local lakes is too much risk for you go to the pool, as the beach is a no way due to sharks. Wait,..... read the story about the bacteria developing in the public raleigh pool during last summer which makes people have diarrhea or even worst. So, forget about the public pool. Go to a private one and prey they maintain it very well, or just stop swimming.........
All these worries over what's going to get you in the lake, in the ocean - just go out and swim where you want!
The lakes around here are monitored during the summer months in the designated swimming areas for bacteria. Bacteria can be elevated due to runoff, excessive human swimming populations or large fish die offs. When this happens beaches are closed to the public until testing permits re-entry. The "brain eating" bacteria is extremely rare and usually impacts people swimming in shallow waters where the bottom has been disturbed, again, it's rare.
Boaters and water skiers, boarders and tubers have less issues because they're mainly out in deeper waters that are moving (currents) more quickly.
The can have the same bacteria issues for the same reasons but it is mitigated by tidal action. Are there sharks, yep, but again super rare to have an issue with them. This year so far rip currents are claiming more lives than sharks ever would in 10 years. Pay attention to the surf, warning flags and go have fun.
Pools, well, there's no less risk in these things and I'd even argue more risk of bacterial problems chemicals aside since they are by nature "closed systems" that in this state reach high temperatures in the summer months. Of late, there is also now the risk of random electrical shock, rare but becoming more a thing each year it seems (this is also a lake thing too).
My preference - ocean. That said, we have a boat and are on the lakes all summer with no problems in 30 years living in the area.
There is danger in all ponds, lakes, rivers and ocean. Two years ago I got a 3.0 fishing hook, with leader line and about 30 ft. of line attached at Myrtle Beach in the bottom of my foot. I tried to swim/walk to shore. It kept hanging up in bottom of ocean, extremely painful. If there had been a fisherman on the other end he would have thought he caught a whale. Finally my three teen-aged grandsons helped me, by supporting me with my arms around their neck, one picked up the line, etc. Young emergency room Dr. received "remove fish hook 101 from foot" instructions and pulled barb through the foot. Then used "modern" medical equipment. A pair of pliers and metal cutter to cut and pull the hook back out.
Be safe wherever you swim. https://www.google.com/search?q=3.0+...=1497975173733
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