I see what you're saying, and it is rather funny to have all the swimming gear, but I'm all for NOT having swimming in the game. If they did put it in, then it's but a short hop to underwater content, which is a complete NO for me.

/shudder

RIFT and WoW both did that, and it was TERRIBLE. It was ever so slightly less terrible and annoying in RIFT, but still terrible in so many ways. Just no.