[fr_freak]

I jumped into the water to cool off, at which point the wind came up. I had to swim about a half mile to shore and then walk barefoot at least a mile to where the canoe had blown ashore. Not the smartest thing I ever did, but at least I knew better than to exhaust myself trying to catch the canoe.

Yeah, the thing about Lake Tahoe is that the water is ice-cold, literally, year round. In the summer, you might get the top few feet that are up to 40 degrees or so, but that will still preclude you from swimming more than a couple dozen yards before your muscles start to lock up. The guy was boned the moment he lost his boat.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

I have swum in Lake Tahoe, near shore and not for long, I can tell you. COLD! Where I was the other time, the water was not very cold. I’m pretty sure I would not have survived a swim like that in Lake Tahoe.