D&D 5E The Magical Martial

[Cadence]

Just doing a basic fact check when it come to the strength of the 'Mighty' (as in big, not powerful) Missisip.

I'm kind of amazed at how many articles there are high up in generic searches about swimming the Mississippi end up being about doing it in Minnesota compared to, like, everywhere else combined. I wonder if that is just based on my past search history for everyone.

Some others have that ... finding yourself unexpectedly in the water near places that have eddies is bad
Mississippi River treacherous for accident victims, difficult for recovery efforts, experts say

And Gimli might not want to swim it after a drinking contest

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/List-of-the-men-who-drowned-in-the-Mississippi-River-at-La-Crosse-Wisconsin-between_tbl1_258154575

 

[ezo]

Just doing a basic fact check when it come to the strength of the 'Mighty' (as in big, not powerful) Missisip.

Yet it has the 10th most powerful flow rate river in the world? Right, that isn't "powerful" at all...

And your post had nothing to do with the "power" of the river, did it? Just that professional and casual swimmers swim in the river. No mention of where, or what precautions they take, etc.

 

[Cadence]

Yet it has the 10th most powerful flow rate river in the world? Right, that isn't "powerful" at all...

And your post had nothing to do with the "power" of the river, did it? Just that professional and casual swimmers swim in the river. No mention of where, or what precautions they take, etc.

Flow rate is velocity x cross-sectional area, right? So something huge and gentle would have the same flow rate as something narrow and really fast?

 

[ezo]

Flow rate is velocity x cross-sectional area, right? So something huge and gentle would have the same flow rate as something narrow and really fast?

True, but flow rate is part of what causes the changes in the river's shape and bed, which also causes undertows and such. It is why even wading in a relatively shallow wide river can be dangerous. Footing is often treacherous and a simple slip into the waters can carry you away. A single cubic foot of water weighs over 60 lbs, so if you're waist deep, you're resisting likely 150-200 lbs of force trying to move you along... constantly. That gets sort of tiring after a while.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Yet it has the 10th most powerful flow rate river in the world? Right, that isn't "powerful" at all...

Please describe what flow rate means for that ranking. I'll think you'll find that they used 'flow rate' instead of current for a reason.

And your post had nothing to do with the "power" of the river, did it? Just that professional and casual swimmers swim in the river. No mention of where, or what precautions they take, etc.

It was in response to your characterization of the river as something so powerful it was difficult to swim in when it is in fact so easy to swim in that the main concern is the bacteria also having an easy time swimming in it. At least until those goalposts went walkabout.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I'm kind of amazed at how many articles there are high up in generic searches about swimming the Mississippi end up being about doing it in Minnesota compared to, like, everywhere else combined. I wonder if that is just based on my past search history for everyone.

IIRC, I think some Polar Bear swims are in the Mississippi and that's real big in Minnesota.

 

[ezo]

I'll think you'll find that they used 'flow rate' instead of current for a reason.

The average current speed is about 3 ft/sec. While that might not seem fast, that much weight moving constantly against you is powerful.

when it is in fact so easy to swim in that the main concern is the bacteria also having an easy time swimming in it.

All I can tell you is I suggest you continue researching how dangerous this river actually is. People who swim in it do so in areas known to be (relatively speaking) safe.

 

[Cadence]

IIRC, I think some Polar Bear swims are in the Mississippi and that's real big in Minnesota.

Most of these sounded like people were actually enjoying it though ;-)

 

[Vaalingrade]

Any river has dangerous and safe parts. It's not like the Mississippi isn't dangerous in places, just that it's not the impossible murder river that would slay Jack Lalane that's being portrayed.

It's like saying the Ganges is super dangerous to swim due to current while people are posting images of old ladies wading in it. Yeah there are dangerous parts, yeah there are other factors that make it dangerous, but no it's not a good argument to apply to the entire river.

 

[Cadence]

The average current speed is about 3 ft/sec. While that might not seem fast, that much weight moving constantly against you is powerful.

For each person, same weight as any other river of that depth where there standing at about 3 ft/sec?