I Almost Drowned Today.

I understand the panic...but from the other side of it. When my sister and I were kids, my parents had us take private swimming lessons from someone in our neighborhood with a pool. Lessons progressed and one day the girl was trying to teach us what to do if you are in a boat and it over turns.

Well, I understood that there would be an air pocket underneath the over turned boat, and to go underneath the boat, grab both sides and put your head in the air pocket to breath. My sister however went into full panick when our teacher turned our boat over.

My sister clawed at me and very quickly pushed me underwater in order to push herself up above the waterline. I struggled very hard against her but the shock of it..I wasnt prepared..I didnt know that someone could push me under so quickly - without warning.... Luckily, the instructor quickly stepped in and got her off of me. ( I was totally PO'd at my sister of course)

But the main lesson I have never forgotten.....is that a panicked person in the water is dangerous, and will drown you in an effort to save themselves. Frankly, I think its only safe to be in water no more deep than you can stand up and have your head above water. Any deeper than that you should be wearing a life preserver.

@RSF77: I do plan to keep practicing so that i may overcome my fears

I want to Thank everyone for showing me support and kindness,
It really does mean alot to me

I couldn't agree more to the last line of your post. When on a boat or near any depth of water I wear a life vest. I can dog paddle, but can not really swim, so I KNOW I would probably really hurt someone if I wound up in the water. I don't want that, so I stay prepared.

reply to post by shadow12


No thanks needed. Just thinking about the situation makes me nervous (dead serious) and I KNOW that I would have done the same. I would never intentionally hurt anybody, but I know that I would fight like hades to stay above water. At the time it wouldn't matter. That is how real my terror is. Logically I know what you are supposed to do... what I would wind up doing is a whole other thing probably.

I am just glad everyone came out alright. And take a somewhat olderish mom's advice... (in case you missed it in my first post) please get back in the water. If I had done so, I wouldn't be nervous just talking about it. The longer you wait, the fear will either set in or build even more. Trust me.

OP, I'm glad you're okay.

When I was 12, I went camping with my friend and his family. We went canoeing in a river (I can't remember the name). In the canoe was me (steering in the front), my friend, and my friend's mother's friend who was an expert in canoeing. At one point in the river, there was a three-way split. To the far left was a clear route, then an island, then a narrower route, then a downed tree, then an even narrower route underneath another tree. The supposed expert told me to steer left, then right, then left again. By the time we got to the split, it was too late. Our canoe ran atop the downed tree in the river and we were stuck. I remember her telling my friend and I to take our shoes off, as the canoe was going to tip and we would need to swim to shore. The current was going pretty fast through there, as there was a bottleneck with the two sides of the shore, the island, and the tree in the water caused the water to increase in speed much more than either side of the split.

I took my shoes off and sure enough, the canoe tipped. I fell in the water and immediately upon going in, I went into shock. It was summer, but the water was very cold. I think the anticipation of falling in the water helped to get me to a state of shock, so when I actually fell in, it was more than my brain could handle. Upon entering shock, I was unable to use my legs. They were like a bag of rocks. Thankfully, my hands and arms were still useful. The island was about 10 feet to my left. If I didn't make it to the island, I would have gone into the main part of the river and don't know if I could make it to shore. Everything within in me fought to drag myself to the island. I reached the island. I tried to walk, but fell. I could feel the sharp rocks on the bottom of my feet, but I didn't have any strength or ability to stand up. I used my hands and arms to crawl toward the other side of the island. It was about 7 feet. One of the adults in the area swam across the river to the island. I had been yelling that I cannot feel my legs and I'm sure my face was as white as a ghost. The man who came to my aid told me to wrap my arms around his neck and he would wade to shore.

I was able to find one of my shoes, but the other was lost. Five minutes later, someone from downstream came up and had my shoe. This was the only time I had ever been in shock and I hope it is my last. It is a terrifying feeling to be completely helpless.

I have swam in lakes for 40 + years. I have many friends who love to swim too. 20 years ago, I heard too many stories from very strong swimmers about near drowning experiences. Theirs weren't caused by panic but by strange things like a charley horse or cramp in the leg etc. One thing I learned is that it's idiotic to swim (alone) without something that floats. People laugh at me for dragging a water noodle with me across the lake (it's about a half a mile). There has only been once or twice that I really needed it suddenly. But what if didn't have it when I needed it? I wouldn't be here to tell you this. It's nice to overcome your fears. It's great to be a strong swimmer. It's not so good to be cocky and stupid. Stay Safe!

This is a very timely post at the beginning of summer. Hopefully it will keep people thinking of water safety. We just had two drowings here in Des Moines in the last couple of days.

I had a little panic once,only because of the black snakes swimming right by me. So I swam faster, much faster.

reply to post by shadow12

As part of my one time job of teaching survival and I am a Master Diver...I can tell you this...it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO SINK! As long as you have AIR IN YOUR LUNGS....you can float without even treading water.

Even if you have a small displacement of water per your body...and that s what it is all about...your body displacing more water weight than it weighs...and let's say you have small lung capacity as well as a thin muscular body as FAT is more buoyant than muscle...you can use water surface tension to float by taking in a big breath of air and LIE ON YOUR BACK on the waters surface. This is the same concept as taking a glass of water...dropping a metal can lid sideways and the lid will sink...turn the meal can lid on it's flat side on top of the water and the lid floats.

The worse thing you can do is panic as you will struggle and when doing so allow air to leave your lungs.
Split Infinity

reply to post by shadow12


One of the first things I was taught about water was...

How to float!

Don't ever be afraid of drowning in calm water. That fear is totally needless. Just relax, legs and arms to the sides, and float on your back. If you are lean, you might have to hold a deep breath and then suck in another one real quick, but there is no way to drown in calm water unless you forget this simple trick (how could you?) or drown yourself.

sounds a great deal like something that happened to me a couple of years ago. Myself, a friend, my friends sister and her boyfriend were fishing in the local Namoi river in Australia while it was flooding. myself and my friend Robert were swimming over to the other side of the river where we had left a bait trap a couple days earlier. we were frightened at first that the current was too strong but the river was rising quickly and we didnt want to lose our trap . after bob assured me he was a good swimmer and would easily make it (25-30meters) we jumped in and quickly started swimming to a log sticking out of the water and grabbed on, had a bit of a freak realising the current was stronger than thought , but quickly took off again to grab our shrimp trap. blah blah blah got to the trap blah blah started swimming back to the other side where our camp was, me already carrying the 15kg dead weight of a trap, when bob yelled " im not gonna make it " and started swimming against the current trying to reach the log we used on the way over when he just disappeared under the water. i swam as quickly as i could towards him , not being able to drop the damn trap as i tied it to my arm to not lose it. i swam down as far as i could 4 times , each time moving 30feet underwater and having to swim back and try again. on the the 5th time of swimming down i lost my bearings because of the muddy water and swam down further instead of up, at this time i knew it was the last chance i had to save rob, so i kept going down trying to yell out to him underwater using up the last of my oxygen , when something pulled on the other end of the rope trailing from the trap. i instantly swam upwards dragging rob with me . when we surface we realised we had floated 200 feet at-least down the river and still, that piece of rope seemed to fond itself in his hand. i couldn't see him , he couldn't see me . he just said " i felt rope and just #ing grabbed on " . this incident still amazes me. sorry for rambling and sorry for spelling mistakes but im getting a little shaky as im talking about it lol
cheers

Originally posted by seamus
reply to post by shadow12

 

One of the first things I was taught about water was...

How to float!

Don't ever be afraid of drowning in calm water. That fear is totally needless. Just relax, legs and arms to the sides, and float on your back. If you are lean, you might have to hold a deep breath and then suck in another one real quick, but there is no way to drown in calm water unless you forget this simple trick (how could you?) or drown yourself.

i have tried so many times, to float in the water . but i find it impossible.i am a very accomplished swimmer but have never been able to manage to float on my back without either sinking or "capsizing" haha

Originally posted by shadow12
I have a very low fat content, and i think that does make it hard for me to float

I can assure you that fat content does not determine the ability or inability to float. As an underweight, anorexic child ... I could float.

We got swimming lessons from the Red Cross at public city pools when I was a child. I'm not sure they do those anymore. YMCA or YWCA will have swimming lessons.

Eating before swimming can cause the cramps. Always wait a FULL hour after meals before swimming.

To save a drowning person, generally you swirl a towel into a ropish shape and toss them the other end to keep from being pulled under by the panicked drowning person. There are other methods too.

I think you certainly WERE drowning and you are more than lucky to be here telling us your story now.

When you get saved, you owe a life-saving to 7 other people. *grin* Get life-saving lessons after you learn how to float and swim better.

I was caught in a riptide once and couldn't swim back to the beach. I was so far out that the beachline appeared as thin as a hair in the distance. I swam parallel to the beach for over a mile before I found an area where I could safely swim back to the beach.

A different time, I was floating on an air mattress down a flash-flooded, swollen creek that became wide as a river and I lost control. I clung on to the air mattress under my arms. An American Indian friend saved me. It's a long story; but, I had to let GO of my air mattress to get out of the raging whitewater. The air mattress was the opposite of a life saver in this instance. So, rules change when water conditions change.

We are very happy to see you alive to tell us your story.

reply to post by shadow12


glad to hear you're ok. i've almost drowned a couple times now, when i go swimming, i stay in the shallow section.

Do you think you panicked because you sensed the water was deep? I had two scary experiences with water.

Like you I had only ever swam in a pool as I live in the city however I went snorkelling and unlike you I was by myself as friends sat on the beach sunbathing (I hate sunbathing). Anyway I was quite happy swimming along looking at the fish and taking photos with a disposable underwater camera. As I swam along I completely forgot how far the shore was away and I swam out.
There was a huge rock and as I swam over it I got a shock. As I looked over the edge of the rock the sea floor suddenly dropped. I realise the sea floor was about the depth of a 3 story house and I had never experienced this before. This shocked me and I panicked knowing that I was literally in deep water and way out from the shoreline.

Another time again I was on holidays and again got bored of sitting at the beach. I went to get a kayak and the guy said it was too windy. I’m from the UK so I laughed at this guys idea of “too windy”.
Anyway I was paddling along in the kayak (never used one before) and was following the shoreline. As I went around the corner of the island it suddenly exposed me to the wind. The wind started to push me away from the island and I started to drift out even though I was paddling. Basically I was paddling against the wind. As I got further out I said to myself your dead if you don’t do something now so I stepped it up and paddled full force against the wind and eventually got myself to the shore after considerable physical effort. I pulled the kayak to the shore and collapsed in the sand absolutely bloody exhausted!

I have had actually had a few lucky misses like this, I could tell you about the time I got myself stuck in a swamp (alone) the time I was up a latter the height of a church steeple, the time I went walkabout and found myself in the company of a big cat alone “again”….lol, life is fun don’t you think!

Glad to hear you survived your ordeal . I also commend your friend on making the tough, but right decision on going for additional help. While on holiday in Goa last November with my wife, we had walked down to the sea from one of the numerous bars, only to be followed by a bloke from Mumbai who we had been chatting to. The sea was rough and my wife and I only walked in as far as our wastes, then continued to walk parallel to the beach. I turned round to the Indian guy and asked if he could swim, his answer was no. So I told him to stay on the inside of us and therefore in shallower water. He nodded in agreement and Nicky and I continued our walk. I don't know what made me turn around, but the Indian guy was now may be 20 feet further out in the sea with his face down in the water and splashing both arms around in a futile attempt at the doggy paddle. By the speed he was traveling he was caught in a rip current. I wadded out and then swam over to him, and immediately tried to turn him onto his back (he was a big bloke), his response was to fight my help and push me under. I came up and took a deep breath and tried again, but I was pushed back under. Every time he managed to get to the surface he used his breath to scream for help, which in turn resulted in him sinking like a stone. On the fourth attempt to control the situation he grabbed me with such force that I had to break away by diving down beneath him (which is the one place I knew he didn't want to go). As he release me I continued down to the seabed and along it in the direction of the beach. Then using the seabed as spring board I pushed myself to the surface. The decision had now been made to leave him , I didn't have the strength. I broke the surface and looked over to my wife, imploringly reaching out for her help, but knowing by the distress on her face that now I was also was in trouble. Another deep breath was taken and I rolled onto my back, bringing my legs up to the surface, thus spreading my wait and giving a few moments to recover some control over my breathing. I could still see the Indian guy flailing and hear Nicky screaming for help. As I was looking out to sea it was possible to see the next set of waves coming in, and by timing a turn onto my front to start swimming, was able to body surf into shallower water and then felt my wife grab my arm. We both started shouting for help and luckily two guys, (one Russian and a Brit) who were swimming further out to sea heard our cries. They looked over to us with a questioning look on their faces, but as we pointed over to the Indian bloke, they spotted him and between the pair of them managed to push him in towards us. We dragged him up the beach where he lay exhausted but alive.

To leave someone in trouble is a tough decision to make, but in your case shadow12, as in mine, it worked for the best. And I often think that if that wave hadn't come along, I might have been a casualty.

Both stories ended positively, however for five people in the sea that day in Goa, it didn't end well. Nor the following day when another 3 lost their lives

reply to post by shadow12

i'm glad you're okay for the sake of you and your family.

do you know why you panicked? were you tired?

Originally posted by GezinhoKiko
reply to post by shadow12

 

with me i think its in my head
you cant see the bottom, the great distances involved
no lifeguards or many other swimmers can all be factors.
i hate that i dont have the balls to swim in open water anymore and i doubt i ever will have unless i see someone in trouble be it family/freinds/unknown peeps, i know my instincts will kick in with adrenaline and i will save someone if i had too

Not sure why you "hate" not being able to; swimming in truly open water, ie. no shoreline, can't touch bottom, no boat nearby...in other words truly open water, is just plain dangerous. It would be like mountain climbing without a rope.

I tried to learn to sailboard in Grand Traverse Bay years ago. I had have been swimming since I was 5 because we had a pool and my Dad tossed me in and told me to swim, and swim I did. I've never been afraid of the water...I love the water. Snorkeling, riding PWC's and I've even done some minor cliff jumping. Anyway, I was out there fumbling around on this sailboard and my brother was nearby on his Sea Doo and he lost his sunglasses. The water was about 12-15' deep so I thought I'd try my hand at helping him find them. While I was doing this, the sailboard drifted away and I wasn't wearing a vest which was plain stupid on my part.

Nobody bothered to notice that I was out there all alone without a vest and getting tired. I was starting to panic. I finally got the attention of a teen nearby on a a Sea Doo and he let me rest on the back deck of his ride. The bottom line is, I would never even consider putting myself in such a position without some kind of "out" again. I have no need to prove my "manliness" to anybody.

Glad you lived to tell about it and your friends helped you.

I had a near drowning before. I thought I was going to die as well. It really is terrifying. Waves kept tossing me out to sea further away from the shore and I kept going under. My head would bob up A few times and i said help. My husband, the prick that he is just stood in the water and watched. After watching me go under several times, he finally rescued me, dragged me back to the shore and dropped me in the wet sand with more deep waves approaching and off he went. I could barely breathe and was choking on salt water that burnt like acid in my throat. I couldnt stand up, I kept collapsing. I was so weak. When I finally made it back on the beach, he called me stupid for swimming in the red flag danger zone. He had been telling me the red flag meant hotel markers and red was my hotels part of the beach, make sure you always swim there. My only focus was I'm dying while he watches. That was horrifying to me. It creeps me out just thinking of it now.

Thanks for sharing your story and sorry to ramble on with mine. I wish I hadn't remembered it now.

Shadow... first of all congrats on the low fat content of your body! Seriously, glad you are ok... now, I spend just about every weekend at the lake. Never, and I mean NEVER go into a lake or river without a flotation device. I can swim like a fish and I always have a life jacket on. There are hole, currents, debris, and tons of other stuff you cannot see in natural fresh waters.