Alex Carson
#1 The Beaches Of Mumbai, India
Mumbai, India features plenty of beaches. These beaches were once gorgeous, and today, they are not fit for swimming. Large amounts of untreated sewage are pumped into Mumbai and the surrounding areas. This has left the water extremely polluted. Also, the people who are living in poor neighborhoods often toss their trash and waste into storm drains, which eventually ends up on the beach. There is also a great deal of human and animal feces in the water. Regardless of the pollution, people still try to swim in the water. Many complain of skin rashes after swimming and others become very ill.
#2 New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida
This is a great place for surfing if you like swimming with sharks. The waters here are overpopulated with fish, which attracts sharks. According to the International Shark Attack File, this is the “Shark Attack Capital of the World.” According to scientists who have studied the beach, if you go swimming in these waters, you will be within 10 feet of a shark. The most commonly found sharks in this area is the bull shark who tend to be extremely aggressive. In 2008, over 1/3 of all the shark attacks in the world occurred in these waters.
#3 Bubbly Creek, Chicago
Bubbly Creek is the name for the South Fork of the Chicago River. During the 20th century, the flow of the river was reversed to protect the drinking water. This made it difficult to clean up the water. Today, it is full of decomposing animal carcasses. Also, the surrounding meatpacking plants dump their waste including urine, blood, and manure into the water. The water is so polluted that the surface of the water bubbles. There are even blood worms that live in the creek and live off the waste. It is one of the grossest places in the world.
#4 The Samaesan Hole
This isn’t a place for fishing, however, it is a popular spot for extreme divers. It is located near Samaesan, a nearby fishing village. It is one of the deepest dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand, with a drop of 280 feet. The strong currents in the water and the many oil tankers that pass make these waters even more dangerous. Only the most skilled and experienced divers drop into this hole. To dive in and come up safely, you will need to have special equipment and have had formal diving training. Even if you have these things, you might not want to go near these waters.
#5 The Yenisei River, Russia
This is one of the last places that you would want to swim because it is radioactively contaminated. There is a plutonium factory nearby and they have been dropping particles in the river for years. The factory claims that there is nothing wrong with the water, however, the people who live downstream of the plant have high rates of leukemia, breast cancer, and their babies are born with genetic defects.
#6 Horseshoe Lake, California
Horseshoe Lake is gorgeous. The only problem is that there were several earthquakes between 1989 and 1990. When these quakes occurred, it allowed excessive amounts of carbon dioxide to rise, killing all of the trees. While there is little risk of volcanic eruptions, the gas levels in the area are unpredictable. It can be safe one day, and the next, the levels of gas can kill you. There are warning signs all over the area to warn you of the danger. In 1998, a man died on the lake. In 2006, members of the ski patrol asphyxiated due to the levels of gas.
#7 Eagle’s Nest Sinkhole, St. Petersburg, Flordia
This place has been called the Mount Everest of diving. When you look at it from the ground, it looks like a pond. It isn’t until you get in the water that it becomes dangerous. There is a large underwater cave system with over a mile of passages and rooms that are larger than a football field but the passageways are no larger than a door. The deepest part of the sinkhole is 310 feet deep. So many people died here that they closed it in 1999 In 2006, it reopened, however, it is not nearly as popular as it once was before the dangers became apparent.
#8 Kipu Falls, Kauai
Kipu Falls is a very beautiful place, however, you aren’t allowed to swim there. The reason that swimming is forbidden is that so many people have died while swimming. Some people jump from the ledge and become injured or they die. Other swimmers have died for no apparent reason. There have been reports of people swimming and then suddenly becoming distressed, disappearing under the surface of the water. There are some people who claim that the reason for the deaths is that a mo’o lives in the water, which is a reptilian water spirit. It is said that the spirit drags people down and holds them at the bottom. Other people believe that there is a whirlpool that pulls people under.
#9 Hanakapiai Beach, Hawaii
This beach is located in Hawaii, however, unlike most Hawaiian beaches, you cannot swim here. There are no lifeguards in the area because there are constant rip currents. Even the strongest swimmers won’t be able to get away. More people have drowned on this beach than any other beach in Kauai. There have been 15 people who drowned here and their bodies were never found. There are also 80 markers around the beach to signify people who have drowned.
#10 Fraser Island, Australia
This is one of the places you should never ever swim. The seas around this island are a no-swim zone due to all of the dangers. If you choose to swim here, you can easily drown in a strong riptide. If it isn’t the water that gets you, it will be the sharks, the jellyfish, or the saltwater crocodile. If you choose to lie on the beach instead of swimming, you can be killed by a deadly spider or an angry dingo.
