I honestly don’t remember not being able to swim, I was taught as a toddler. But, I honestly think if I couldn’t you wouldn’t catch me anywhere near water over my head without a flotation device or life jacket. We have fishermen fall off boats in the lake in the middle of the night here, drunk, can’t swim. Best fishing at night after a rain. There again, why they didn’t have on a life jacket, that’s just crazy.
Absolutely. When I kayak, I always wear a PFD, with a whistle, even in 3 feet of water. Sometimes a helmet too depending on how the river is flowing.
I never go out at night, but if I did, my PFD would also have a submersible light attached in addition to the whistle.