Deadliest Places To Swim

Swimming is an excellent way to pass time on a hot summer’s day on vacation. But be careful where you decide to cool off. Here are the ten deadliest vacating spots where swimming is ill-advised, as listed by AOL Travel News.

1. Queensland, Australia

 

Louring in the waters outside Queensland, are a whole army of deadly aquatic animals. There you’ll find blue-ringed octopus, cone shells, box jellyfish, scorpion fish and the small but highly venomous irukandji jellyfish. Of all these unpleasant sea creatures the box jellyfish ranks as the dealiest, killing anywhere between 100 to 200 people every year. In the Box jellyfish family, the Chironex fleckeri, Carukia barnesi and Malo kingi are considered among the most venomous creates in the world. It can grow up to ten foot long and is the sole cause for many beaches’ closing every year.

Do not swim during jellyfish alert and make sure to always wear a full body swim suite especially made to protect against jellyfish stings (stinger-suite). Or, just don’t swim.

2. Bolinas Beach,California

Bolina Beach is a paradise for surfers but is also a part of the notorious “Red Triangle”. This spot is thus not only famous for its totally awesome rip curls but also for being a feeding ground for The Great White Shark. These stigmatized marina animals can be seen hunting for sea lions directly from the beach. While the odds of being attacked and killed by a shark are very low, those odds would dramatically increase if you choose to swim at Bolina Beach.

Do not swim at dusk, dawn or night. Do not wear glittery jewelry. Do not swim alone and never enter the water with an open wound.

3. Amazon Basin

Besides the piranhas, caimans and electric eels, the main reason why you shouldn’t swim in the Amazon Basin is a small creature known as Toothpick fish or Candirú. This little parasitic freshwater catfish has the uncomfortable habit of invading the human urinal tube or any other bodily opening for that matter.

Do not swim with an open wounds. Wear extra underwear under your swim suite and don’t splatter around too much.

4. Gulf Coast, U.S.

Except the catastrophic oil spill courtesy of BP, the U.S Gulf Coast is the home of some very unpleasant creatures. Here lives the cottonmouth water moccasin, one of the deadliest snakes on the continent. Get a bite by this snake and you could be dead within two hours.

Do not swim underneath branches hanging over the water. You movement in the water may trigger the snake to jump down.

5. Victoria Falls, Zambia

The most dangerous place here is actually not the 360 feet high waterfall itself. The Devil’s pool is the perfect spot for the suicidal swimmers as this natural swimming lies just by the edge of the waterfall with nothing but a low lip keeping bathers from plummeting down the falls to a certain death.

6. Khao Sok National Park, Thailand

 Before you go camping in this national park, be advised. The area is the home to more deadly creatures than any naive tourist can imagine. Huge centipedes the size of an adult man’s arm, man eating sharks, blood sucking leeches, giant mosquitoes and poisonous caterpillars and Scorpion fish.

Getting bitten by leeches is seemingly unavoidable so make sure to take up smoking as leeches hate tobacco. When attacked, mix water with tobacco and pour it over the leech and it should let go. Whatever you do, do not try and remove it by force as it will cause it to release its venom.

7. Hanakapiai Beach, Kuai, Hawaii

Looks can be deceiving. Hawaii’s own Hanakapiai Beach on Kauai’s Nāpali Coast is nothing short of a mirage but unfortunately also a death trap. Strong ways, unpredictable riptides and powerful current has taken the lives of over 80 beach visitors. The death count is kept up to date by a handmade sign right on the beach.

To stay alive, simply do not swim here.

8. River Nile, Egypt

 

Camouflaged by the muddy river water, just below the surface lurks the Nile crocodile for hours in wait for its prey. The most dangerous of the crocodile family, the Nile crocodile kills hundreds of people every year in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Nile Corridor is the home of over 500,000 of these creatures, which can live for up to 100 years and grow around 20 foot long. Also to be on the look out for when vacating by these waters is the Lake Nasser’s tiger fish, a cousin to the piranha – only much larger.

9. Shired Island, Dixie County

Swim in the waters of Florida Shired Island in Florida and risk developing the following symptoms. Skin rashes, pinkeye, hepatitis, respiratory infections and any other water born illness. Winning the award America’s Most Polluted Beach in 2009, you might want to think twice before you pack for a day at the beach. Better yet, check out nrdc.org before visiting any beach. As it turns out there are over 20,000 polluted bays, ocean, and Great Lakes beaches in the country.

10. Kruger National Park

The hippo is known for its unprovoked attacks on humans and despite the fact that they are plant-eaters, this seemingly cute and cuddly animals kills hundreds of people every year, making the hippo the deadliest mammal in Africa. If ever chased by a Hippopotamus, do not run in a straight line as it will easily outrun you. Despite its short legs, the hippo can run quite fast, but only straight forward. By running in crossed patterns you stand at least a slight chance of surviving.

Source : totallytop10.com