What do we look for in choosing a place for our swimming drills?  First off, it really helps to have some water depth - at least several feet deep.  The extra depth really helps avoid scrapes and potential injuries (not to mention potential snagging of clothing or extremities).  I also like decent eddy lines, moderate waves, and a good recovery pool below.  The river side should be reasonably easy to perform shallow water entry dives and at least 2' deep.  Beginning students sometimes fail to arch their backs or adequately protect their face so you want to minimize the chances of bottoming out.  Look over the entry area, are there any shallow rocks to avoid?  I also like to avoid busy areas since we may be using ropes which may put others in danger.