This is what I call “swimmin’ juice”

November 15, 2017 7:46 AM

In December 2016,Water Safety New Zealand and ACC created The Swim Reaper as a way to use dark humor and social networking to spread awareness of swimming hazards, specifically targeting young males. You can find the Swim Reaper lurking at known high risk beaches, lakes, rivers and waterways in New Zealand, looking out for young people making bad decisions. He's been in a few YouTube videos, but the best place to see his work is on Instagram. (title source)
posted by Fig (10 comments total)

They could have used a Kappa water demon. Although, being Japanese, probably not so good for a country that may still be sore over WWII. Kappas are known for drowning a human by inserting a claw into the anus and pulling the unfortunate swimmer underwater.
posted by King Sky Prawn at 8:11 AM on November 15, 2017

NZ is amaze! Heaps of mean beaches and swimming holes, and a long line of people willing to do dumb stuff. The perfect mix. Ha! Yeah, so I'm just hanging out all summer, waiting to reap some peeps. Swim dumb and I'll be seeing you soon.

- The Swim Reaper

"Waiting to reap some peeps" is my new response to the question "so, whatcha up to?"
posted by filthy light thief at 8:15 AM on November 15, 2017 [3 favorites]

Well, that brings back some memories.
posted by Beverley Westwood at 9:04 AM on November 15, 2017 [2 favorites]

Clearly, playing chess on a beach is just something pops used to do.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:49 AM on November 15, 2017 [2 favorites]

Don't worry. Log will catch you.
posted by chavenet at 10:00 AM on November 15, 2017 [1 favorite]

This makes me want to get a Grim Reaper costume to wear every day except Halloween. I'm the Safeway Reaper! The Light Rail Reaper! The Walking Through Midtown Reaper! Every so often just stop and point at someone....
posted by Ogre Lawless at 10:14 AM on November 15, 2017 [3 favorites]

They could have used a Kappa water demon. Although, being Japanese, probably not so good for a country that may still be sore over WWII. Kappas are known for drowning a human by inserting a claw into the anus and pulling the unfortunate swimmer underwater.

It only recently occurred to me that the reason so many cultures have water demons with a preference for children (Jenny Greenteeth is one, Rusalka is another, Bunyip a third) was to scare children safely away from dangerous streams and rivers.

Kappas are easy though, just knock the plate off their heads.
posted by leotrotsky at 11:06 AM on November 15, 2017 [1 favorite]

This makes me want to get a Grim Reaper costume to wear every day except Halloween. I'm the Safeway Reaper! The Light Rail Reaper! The Walking Through Midtown Reaper! Every so often just stop and point at someone....

I college, I (mentally) drew up a comic of the grim reaper stalking behind some bros, who continued to laugh and chat, oblivious to their impending doom. The grim reaper talks to someone, maybe just muses out loud to a passing cat, that kids these days don't have the same reverence for death that they used to. The cat (or person, TBD) would reply "oh, those are college guys, they do dangerous and stupid stuff all the time, and mock the very idea of you without a second thought. Sorry."
posted by filthy light thief at 11:27 AM on November 15, 2017

I'm the Safeway Reaper! The Light Rail Reaper! The Walking Through Midtown Reaper! Every so often just stop and point at someone....

I really need this to happen.
posted by elsietheeel at 12:26 PM on November 15, 2017

The Vaper Reaper
posted by chavenet at 12:38 PM on November 15, 2017 [1 favorite]