The Reason You Can't Swim In Bay Lake...

[Feralpeg]

I see threads on a regular basis asking why you can't swim in Bay Lake or why they closed River Country. One of the reasons is because of a strain of amoeba that lives in lakes in this area. If it is inhaled, it causes an infection of the brain which is almost always fatal. It lives in warm water usually near the shoreline.

A ten year old boy died here yesterday of this. There is no way to be sure that it doesn't reside in a lake here, so Disney is smart not to take a chance by letting folks swim in the lakes on their property.

 

[PoohsFan1]

According to an article I read on the internet, the reason guests can't swim in Bay Lake is because of fears of meningitis-bacteria in untreated water. I think that is one of the reasons why River Country closed, plus the fact that not a lot of people were visiting there due to Typhoon Lagoon opening.

Just reread your reasoning, and it is basically the same as what I found out...doh!!!!!

 

[Aye Sea Turtles]

Not to mention the alligators...

 

[Stitchfans]

Doesn't really look all that clean any way so I don't see why any one would want to swim there. Plus as said the alligators!!!

 

[allyphoe]

A similar (or maybe the same) strain of amoeba killed at least one kid here in Oklahoma a few summers back. He and another boy were playing in some standing water near the splash park at the zoo. He died and the other boy was hospitalized before they figured out what it was. (AIUI, the water was from a nearby swampy area, not runoff from the splash pad, which would have been heavily chlorinated. The splash park closed for the rest of the summer while they regraded the surrounding terrain.)

 

[honeymo78]

However you can still waterski, tube and jetski in the lake. Not to mention I've also seen people fall out of the sea raycers. The risk can't be too great to allow these activities to continue.

 

[ArielRae]

It doesn't make sence that you cannot swim in the lake. They let you do all those other water sports which lends itself to danger. Do they have you sign a form before you do the water sports stating the danger?

 

[Longsx3]

We did a fireworks cruise on 8/5 and our boat captain said that River Country was closed because for the cost of refurbishments they built BB, he also added that another factor was River Country had attractions that did not have safety in mind, like the cliff dives into a 10ft pool...he said you will never see those in a WDW water park again.

 

[allyphoe]

However you can still waterski, tube and jetski in the lake.

All of those would start from deeper water (a dock, not the shore). Stagnant, warm water is ideal amoeba-breeding territory. Kids splashing around in backwaters near the shore would be at much higher risk than someone swimming out in the middle of the lake.

http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/presskit/presskit.htm

Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Naegleria fowleri [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The organism is a single cell protozoa (amoeba), Naegleria fowleri, that is the causal agent for PAM. The route of entry into the body is through the nasal cavity and children are the most susceptible to the disease. The organism travels through the nasal cavity directly to the brain where it causes an almost always fatal infection similar to bacterial or viral meningitis. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The freshwater amoeba is found all around the world in soil and fresh water and has even been found in swimming pools. The amoeba is most active when the water temperature is greater than 80 degrees. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]PAM infection can only occur when a number of conditions occur at the same time: [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]a. The amoeba must be present in the water. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]b. The amoeba must be able to multiply to large numbers. (Greater than 80 degrees water temperature in stagnant, calm waters.) [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]c. Water containing the amoeba must get up the victims nose. (Water must beforcefully inhaled. The PAM infection can not result from swallowing water containing the pathogenic amoeba.) [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]PAM infection can be prevented by following a few common sense precautions: [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]a. Never swim in stagnant or polluted water. Stay in deeper more open areas of the lake. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]b. Avoid underwater swimming and hold your nose or use nose plugs when jumping into natural waters. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]c. Swim in properly maintained pools. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Thankfully, PAM is extremely rare. Less than three cases are reported each year nationwide. Every year many more deaths and injuries result from diving into shallow waters, or natural waters that hide rocks and debris, while using alcohol or drugs, while boating or swimming, and from leaving children unattended in water for even short periods of time. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Unfortunately, in addition to pathogenic freshwater amoebas, there are other protozoa, bacteria, and viruses in fresh water all capable of infecting swimmers with everything from mild stomach discomfort to severe gastrointestinal illness. Some of these organisms are found naturally in lakes and streams while others are carried from wastewater sources including septic systems and runoff from animal and wildfowl areas. Amazingly, few infections are reported by lake visitors. [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If the water feels warm and there is no wave action or water movement, bacteria can be expected to be present and one should be cautious about swimming. Persons who do allow their children in lakes, ponds, and streams at this time should be aware of meningitis symptoms. [/FONT]

 

[salmoneous]

However you can still waterski, tube and jetski in the lake. Not to mention I've also seen people fall out of the sea raycers. The risk can't be too great to allow these activities to continue.

Not to mention that Disney hosts a triathlon in Bay Lake every year.

 

[luvmylittleboy2003]

This is scary - Think I will avoid the FW Beach area and not take the chance of my 4 year old ds getting into/near the water.

 

[Feralpeg]

It doesn't make sence that you cannot swim in the lake. They let you do all those other water sports which lends itself to danger. Do they have you sign a form before you do the water sports stating the danger?

The bacteria is found in the shallow areas of the lake. You are not likely to encounter it in the middle of the lake when you are doing water sports. The same thing goes for those doing the triathlon. Most of the time they are not in the shallows and they are not getting water up their nose. Little kids playing in shallows are in the most danger. The majority of the deaths have been children.

 

[perdidochas]

We did a fireworks cruise on 8/5 and our boat captain said that River Country was closed because for the cost of refurbishments they built BB, he also added that another factor was River Country had attractions that did not have safety in mind, like the cliff dives into a 10ft pool...he said you will never see those in a WDW water park again.

Or in any other water park.

 

[RJD]

This is a bit off topic, but if you search youtube for "river country" there is an awesome home video of RC. It brought back so many memories, made me kind of sad... #1 that RC is gone and #2 that I'm getting so old. Oh well, you're only as young as you feel.

 

[Timon_n_Pumba]

Or in any other water park.

Slightly OT, but when you said this, it reminded me of a super fun and super dangerous "water park" that I frequented as a child in Orange County, CA as a youngster. The place was called "The Mud Hole" (or some variant thereof) and was basically that: murky, muddy water studded with wooden platforms (some partially submerged, and often complete with rusty nails), rope bridges, and all of the other great stuff that has been phased out due to the
myriad injuries---and the lawsuits they spawned---that resulted from visiting the place. I'm sure the OC park operated without insurance, as it would have been impossible to get for such a place even then (early 1970s).

We were going through some old photos the other night and found a few from a birthday party I had there (circa 1976 or 77). My wife and I were joking that the location is probably a strip mall or housing development; I can't even remember precisely where it was. But it was an actual place that charged admission and was VERY popular.

Anyone from Southern California recall this attraction?

And now, back to your regularly scheduled parasitic warning , already in progress!

Best Regards,

Scott in MO

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

As much as I would like to get on a SeaRacer, it's not worth it to me. I know what a klutz I am and there is no way that I am staying on that thing without falling off at some point.

Snakes, gators, and amoeba's....oh no!

 

[KorieDWnut]

:

This is a bit off topic, but if you search youtube for "river country" there is an awesome home video of RC. It brought back so many memories, made me kind of sad... #1 that RC is gone and #2 that I'm getting so old. Oh well, you're only as young as you feel.

I was watching home videos from 1987 the other day. I was 10 lol. It was our day at River Country. We stayed at FW cabins which were like, SOOO much cheaper back then than they are now!

Anyway, it was amazing watching it knowing that it is closed forever.

 

[iggbees]

i used to swim in bay lake when i was little. in fact my mom said it was the first time i had ever gone in a lake. why was it ok back then, but not now? i'm sure that this strain of meningitis didn't just pop up in the last 10 years?

i think pollution is a large part of why you can't swim in there. there are so many boats that use that lake. many lakes that have a large amount of pollution do not allow swimming, even up here in the northeast.

i also agree with people who say that it's because of the no lifeguard thing. disney does not want to get sued for someone drowning in the lake, even at swim at your own risk.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I thought I had read something that said that commercial Florida waterparks could not co-mingle their operations with non-clorinated/treated water.

Add to that everything listed in this thread along with the heavy motorized traffic in that essentially closed body of water.

Don't forget, this is not a freshwater lake. It basically stagnates year around. It's a swamp-lake. There is not the fresh-water run-off and replacement that you see in a regular lake.

Knox

 

[Colleen27]

It doesn't make sence that you cannot swim in the lake. They let you do all those other water sports which lends itself to danger.

I don't know about FL and the particular ameoba in question, but I know that in our lakes, the problematic bacterial concentrations tend to be along shorelines because of the greater concentrations of washed up seaweed and other natural debris which combine with the more abundant sunlight that fliters through shallow water to make for a good breeding ground for arious microscopic nasties. So even when the beaches are closed, boaters, jet skiiers, and tubers are still fine doing their thing in the deep water.