Swimming is not prohibited! But…

Most people enjoy swimming and sunbathing. But what if you can't go on vacation to the sea or to suburban bodies of water? Go to the city beach! To find out how city dwellers spend their time on the banks of the Western Dvina, a correspondent of "VV" went to the mass recreation area.

Most people enjoy swimming and sunbathing. But what if you can't go on vacation to the sea or to suburban bodies of water? Go to the city beach! To find out how city dwellers spend their time on the banks of the Western Dvina, a correspondent of "VV" went to the mass recreation area located near the Park of the Soviet Army in Mazurino.

On a weekday, the beach is not crowded, it looks overgrown, the sandy shore is covered with vegetation in places. The river has become shallow. According to Sergey Bychkov, one of the duty rescuers of OSVOD, on better days there were up to one and a half thousand people, today there are about fifty.

It is noticeable that some improvement work was carried out in the recreation area before the season. The water area where swimming is allowed is marked with buoys, there are stands with phone numbers of emergency services and other useful information, several changing rooms, a couple of benches, trash cans, and one (!) toilet.

— With the arrival of warm weather, our specialists conducted an inspection and clearing of the bottom of mass recreation areas in the area of Lager street and the Park of the Soviet Army, — says Vyacheslav Gorin, head of the Vitebsk Rescue Station. — There is continuous watchkeeping. Each shift includes 3 divers, a nurse, a motorboat helmsman who operates small rescue vessels, and rescue sailors. They check areas from a boat that are not visible from the post. A patrol boat also cruises.

Rescuers supervise not only beachgoers but also those who swim in places not intended for swimming. They are warned about the danger and the punishment for violation. But often people simply ignore the remarks.

On this day, several companies settled on the opposite bank and are swimming in the restricted zone, their main argument being: “We always relax here, and nothing has happened”. This position, as a rule, does not lead to anything good. Statistics confirm this: in May 2014, 18 people drowned in the region, in June – 13. This month alone, the water has claimed four lives.

The swimming season is just gaining momentum, and Vitebsk residents will head to the Dvina River more than once. However, for the most part, they will go not to the city beaches, but to wild ones. The reason is simple – the narrow strip of the bank simply cannot accommodate everyone, and the amenities are far from modern, which is why vacationers flock to places with more space and sand.

Natalia Kamleva, "Vitebskiye Vesti"