Gazing at the swimming woman.

[99bottles]

Can swimming be used as an adjective in the following manner? (The sentence below is one I'm trying to write, but my gut says it's unnatural.) Is it made clear that the woman was swimming at that moment?

Hidden behind a bush (context: a bush close to the lake), he was gazing at the swimming woman.

 

[5jj]

It can.

 

[Yankee]

It can.

OK, but I would prefer "....woman swimming".

 

[5jj]

I agree.

 

[Tarheel]

Perhaps:

Hidden behind a bush, he watched the woman as she swam in the lake.

That's a little creepy.

 

[Tdol]

I don't think he was gazing- he was staring/ogling/watching, etc.