In the warmer weather, there’s nothing better
than ripping off your clothes and diving headfirst into the water. On a planet that’s 71% water, we’re spoilt
for choice when it comes to swimming spots. Lakes, rivers and oceans for the brave – swimming
pools and bathtubs for the rest of us... but it turns out not all swimming locations were
created equal. Some are a lot safer than others. Put the goggles away, these beaches are closed
until further notice. Want to know the places on earth you should
probably avoid swimming in at all costs? Let’s get It on! LAKE BERRYESSA
The Monticello Dam at California’s Lake Berryessa consists of a 304 foot high wall,
made out of 326,000 cubic feet of concrete. It holds back 1,6000,000-acre feet of water...
but what happens when this monumental structure reaches capacity? Well, it’s the Morning Glory Spillway’s
time to shine. Effectively, it acts like a huge drain hole;
think of what happens when you empty a bath, but on a massive scale. This goliath vortex is designed to drain enough
water to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool every 23 seconds. To all those daredevils out there be warned. This is one waterslide you do not want to
ride – it would assuredly be your last. Best to swim well away from its 73-foot-wide
maw, and admire from a safe distance. DEVILS POOL
Feel like taking a walk on the wild side? This one’s for all the adrenaline junkies
out there. A trip to Zambia wouldn’t be complete without
a trip to the iconic Victoria Falls – the world’s largest waterfall. Crested on top of the crown of the mighty
Zambezi River sits a jewel that is the Devil’s Pool. This is nature’s version of an infinity
pool. A gentle rapid feeds a shallow pool where
the water accumulates before dropping over the edge of a small rock wall to a sheer 300ft
drop. This is a water hole not for the faint of
heart, one wrong move could be your demise – sent falling to your doom below. Entering for a dip at any time outside of
the dry season is a big no-no – over 130 million gallons of water hurtles over the
edge every minute! NEW SMYRNA BEACH
New Smyrna Beach in Florida may appear picturesque, but it has a reputation for another reason. Being the redfish capital of the world is
great and all, except when the abundance of fish life here doesn’t just attract tourists
searching for the fish of a lifetime – but rather more ominous guests such as black tip
sharks! These sharks migrate in the tens of thousands
down the Florida coast annually, hunting in the shallows close to shore – putting them
in a direct collision course with swimmers. This beach is the shark attack capital of
the world – roughly 1 in every 25 shark attacks world-wide happens here. Scientists estimate that anyone who has swum
there has most definitely come within 10 feet of a shark. The upside? None of these attacks are fatal, and some
victims even drive themselves to hospital! OK so time for a couple other unbelievable
shark facts… Americans are roughly 1000 times more likely
to be injured by a bucket, and 200 times more likely to be injured by an air freshener than
a shark. May the odds ever be in your favour when you
go for a dip at New Smyrna Beach! NAZARE BEACH
Portugal isn’t a place you would usually associate with extreme surfing. Hawaii, sure! Europe... not so much. Nazare Beach can stand up to any big wave
destination on the planet on a day when the swell is up. The waves on this beach are well in excess
of 70 feet in height – as tall as a 10-story building. Once word got out in 2010 about the truly
titanic barrels, this seaside town became a Mecca – visited by big wave surfers from
around the globe. The surfers rent warehouses to stay in, right
next to where the villagers are drying out their fish in the sun! But the villagers know the danger of these
waters all too well. Each knows someone who’s been taken by the
sea. They don’t think the waves should be ridden. The waves exact their toll from even the most
skilled and experienced big wave riders. There’s a reason it’s known as the craziest
beach break on the planet – and fast becoming known as one of the deadliest. While many people have drowned in these turbulent
waters, there’s yet to be a surfing fatality. Wiping out is common when taking on one of
these beasts, and several big-name surfers have copped horrific injuries and broken spines
at the mercy of the rage of the Atlantic. BLUE HOLES
Ready to dive into the deep, dark abyss? Maybe extreme diving’s your hobby, and you
want to push your limits? When it comes to Egypt’s Blue Hole near
Dahab – it’s advised you sit this one out. See the pyramids, it’s much safer. This blue hole to deep water divers is what
Mount Everest or Kilimanjaro are to mountain climbers. It is a staggering 185 feet deep. To give you a frame of reference, it’s recommended
that divers don’t exceed diving deeper than 130 feet. There’s no real animal life to speak of,
just crystal-clear water and a dark abyss below – so deep in fact, that light cannot
penetrate its depths. But how dangerous is it really? It’s been given the nickname diver’s cemetery. Unofficially, over 150 people have lost their
life here over the last 10 years. The kicker? If tragedy strikes and someone is unfortunate
enough to suffer decompression sickness or the bends, the nearest decompression chamber
is over half an hour away – and even then, it’s often broken down and only working
some of the time. If you get into trouble here, the prognosis
is grave. LAKE MARACAIBO
NASA officially dubbed this place the undisputed lightning strike capital of the world. It’s often referred to as the never-ending
storm of Catatumbo for good reason. Their state flag even sports a lightning bolt! Here you’ll be able to see fantastic arcs
of light and power rain down from the heavens 300 days a year. A rate of 200 flashes a minute isn’t uncommon. The fact that water’s a great conductor
of electricity shouldn’t come as a shock to you – do the math. The electric storms that develop across the
lake are a sight to behold. The luminescence is so great that it’s possible
to read the newspaper outside at night time! Sadly, fishermen have been killed out on the
lake, and locals know to scurry inside to safety when they hear the rumbles of the storm
approaching, and the flashes in the distance. This is fast becoming a popular destination
for tourists and storm seekers who get a thrill out of witnessing the best nature can throw
at them. Just make sure you don’t travel to Lake
Maracaibo with your swimmer’s pack in your luggage – take temptation out of the equation. SEVEN MILE MIRACLE
Located on Oahu’s North Shore, the Seven Mile Miracle is the holy grail of big wave
surfing spots, a paradise that boasts world class surf breaks every 100 yards. However, lifeguards perform over 1000 rescues
each year at what is one of the most dangerous stretches of beach in the world. Even during smaller swells the rip currents
are unnaturally strong. It’s home to the Banzai Pipeline, a notorious
break that throws up gigantic walls of water that crash onto shallow reefs below. This isn’t a spot for beginners. If you fall off, the chance of injury is almost
100%, the reef will take its pound of flesh. There’s a story of a college couple who
were swept into the ocean by a rogue wave while wandering the shoreline hand-in-hand
at sunset. The boyfriend was immediately spat back onto
the sand. The girlfriend vanished without a trace. The lifeguards on duty here need to train
constantly, even performing mock rescues. It’s not out of the question for one of
the team to purposely get sucked out into the pounding surf to play patient while another
braves the monstrous swell to retrieve them. Saving someone’s life is surely the most
rewarding job in the world. PHI-PHI DON BEACH
When you think of dangerous islands, Australia and Borneo are the ones that first spring
to mind. But what if there was an unassuming island
out there, popular with tourists under everyone’s noses? Phi-Phi Don beach is famous for being the
set of the Leonardo DiCaprio box office hit The Beach. It seems like the perfect place to relax back
in the crystal-clear water, soak up some rays, and enjoy a well-deserved beverage. However, the tropical waters in this area
are home to a high population of sea snakes. It’s not enough for these scaly, bitey reptilians
to dominate the land – they have to dominate the seas too. Sea snakes are some of the most venomous in
the world, and regularly come to shore on Phi Phi Don beach – frightening the living
daylights out of tourists. The silver lining is that they rarely bite,
and have small fangs. This doesn’t mean you should take your chances
with these aquatic nope-ropes and danger noodles! FRASER ISLAND
Taking out the top gong for the most dangerous beach in the world is exactly what you guessed. In Australia there’s always some creature
looking to put an end to your life, wherever you decide to go. It’s a wonder that Australians are such
laid-back people considering the fact that something’s trying to kill you every 10
minutes. Maybe it’s all the shrimp they throw on
the barbie. Who knows? The next time you’re planning on booking
a holiday to a sun-soaked beach, do your homework first. Fraser Island is picture perfect – a beautiful
smile, hiding sharp teeth. There’s a reason why hospital rescue choppers
regularly take victims back to the mainland. The ocean itself is rough, with powerful waves
and riptides. With no lifeguards to save you, taking a break
to cool off from the biting hot Australian sun could be the last thing you ever do. It’s a great white shark breeding ground
– it’s not safe to go back in the water, you’re gonna need a bigger boat. Man-eating saltwater crocodiles don’t only
call the rivers home as their name suggests, they’re quite at home in the ocean. But it’s not always the biggest predator
you have to worry about. A tiny sub-species called an Irukandji frequents
these waters – and takes the hard-fought crown of Australia’s deadliest creature. At a little over an inch and a half in size,
these pint-sized stingers pack a punch. A sting can cause a fatal brain haemorrhage,
and each year over 100 people are hospitalised fighting for their lives. In the land of nope, the best way to escape
the heat is from the safety of your hotel room shower. BOILING RIVER
Do you like horror movies? How does the attack of the killer river sound? Yeah, it doesn’t quite have the same ring
to it. This is absolutely the real deal though. Travel deep enough into the centre of the
Peruvian Amazon jungle and you may stumble across The Boiling River. They call it Shanay-Timpishka, loosely translated
to ‘boiled with the heat of the sun’. It may appear safe enough with its tranquil
water and gentle steam vapor rising off the surface. A nice warm bath perfect to soak those aching
bones? Think again, looks can be deceiving. This water will kill anything and anyone unlucky
enough to fall in. This river is the stuff of myth. A legend just like the Lost City of Gold rumoured
to be hidden deep within the Amazon. Back in 2011 geologist Andres Ruzo made it
his quest to prove the existence of this unbelievable phenomenon. Since, he’s been back multiple times to
study this incredible geothermal formation. The Boiling River runs hot for nearly 4 miles,
almost 80 feet across its widest point and 16 feet deep. It averages 187F maxing out at 201F. Best to avoid this one, unless you want to
be turned into a human tea bag!
