The approach of summer means plenty of time on the water — fishing, skiing and swimming in the area’s lakes and rivers, or even just splashing in the pool.

That, City Pool manager Sylvia Gurtowski says, means it should also be time to learn how to do it safely.

City Pool will offer this summer the American Red Cross’ “Learn to Swim” program, a six-week course for children and adults that covers everything from basic water comfort to more advanced strokes.

Registration for the course will be held at City Pool this week, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The classes begin June 1. The cost is $12 per two-week session, each of which has 10 lessons.

All participants must be at least 5.

“I don’t want people to be afraid of the water. Respect the water, yes. Afraid of the water, no,” Gurtowski said. “In Vicksburg, we’re surrounded by water. Everybody should know how to get out of the water if they fall in, and that’s why we offer these classes. It’s all about water safety, and if you have fun in the process, that’s a bonus.”

Although the name of the program is “Learn to Swim,” even those who already know how to do it can get something out of it. The program uses a six-level stepped system with specialized instruction for different skill levels.

At Level 1, the beginner level, novice swimmers get acclimated to being in the water. By Level 6, the end of the program, Gurtowski said instruction is geared toward building endurance and speed, and learning the different swimming strokes.

At the first session, Gurtowski said, instructors will evaluate all of the students to make sure they’re placed at the proper level.

“By the time a person graduates Level 3, they should be water competent,” Gurtowski said. “If they fall out of a boat, they can make it back to shore.”

The different skill levels make Learn to Swim a good opportunity for children to learn at a young age, adults who never learned to do so to finally take on the skill and those who aren’t strong swimmers to strengthen their skills.

The beginner classes, Gurtowski said, fill up quickly. Nearly 500 people registered for last year’s program, and classes are limited to about 10 people. There are three class periods each day of the program, and a dozen certified instructors to teach them.

“We like to keep it to about six students per instructor,” Gurtowski said. “If they have youngsters, they should come out to register early.”