I Almost Drowned Today.

I have never gone open water swimming, so when my friends invited me to go to the lake i thought it would be no different than swimming in a pool. Me and my friend were going to swim across a small section of the lake, the section was about the length of a built in swimming pool. I thought it would be a piece of cake. I was half ways there when i started panicking. I proceeded to hyperventilate, which through my breathing WAY off. I kept trying to swim but i was getting nowhere. Then my friend who was a little bit ahead of me, turned back when he saw i was in trouble. When he got to me he was unable to help me because i kept panicking and grabbing on to him, and each time i grabbed him i pushed him down. So he had to go to shore and get help. That's when i started to panic even more. I begged him not to leave me, but he told me he had to and that he would be back. As he left i lost hope and i thought i was going to die. I was struggling to stay above the water, my legs were cramping my arms were cramping i really thought it was the end. The only thing on my mind was my loved ones and god. it's crazy how much you think about in those few seconds. Then came a sense of peace. I could no longer keep my self afloat and i just wanted to give in. Then my friend was back with my other friend, Lina. Who luckily for me happened to be a Great swimmer. She pulled me to shore and put me down on a rock. I was still in shock by the whole experience, shaking uncontrollably. When I finally calmed down I thanked my friends, and told them that i would have and still would do anything to save their lives too, if they were ever in trouble.

I know this isn't the usual stories you read on ATS, But i can't stop thinking about it and i had to share it with someone. It was such a terrifying experience.

Scary read, brother, I'm glad you're still with us! Any idea why you started to panic? Maybe it was further across that section of lake than you estimated. Distances across water can be deceiving.

reply to post by shadow12


This is why I go rafting, even miles from shore you still have a portable "pool edge" with you.

reply to post by Nosred


You spelled Oh incorrectly.

Get some swimming lessons asap. I recommend 3-5FT pools at first.

Friends of friends I know have drowned because of panicking during drowning events.
They punch and fight all forms of "help" and cause their own drowning. I recommend training and decent life jackets for all water adventures.

If what you're saying is true, you are one lucky person.

reply to post by Nosred


what?
one liner again i see
great input man!

OP
i have had a very similar experience myself on the River Lune here in the UK
i was jumping into the weirs (spelling) and that was it realy
we used to jump in then get out and jump in again
but on one occasion the current took me under and man oh man i panicked
i thought this was it i was only 16 at the time
but my mate didnt think it was my time and managed to plunge his hand under the water and proceeded to pull me to the edge by my hair lol, funny now but a life saving manouver
im petrified of open water ever since
in a swimming pool i can swim majestically with confidence
but open water im very timid!
thanks for sharing

also i have lost 3 good friends on the same river to drowning
its notorious for being unpredictable

reply to post by tjack


I'm not sure what causes open water swimming panic, but i was doing some research and it actually happens to a lot of people.

reply to post by GezinhoKiko


Same here in a pool i'm a really good swimmer, that's why i didn't think it would be hard.

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

reply to post by shadow12


www.abovetopsecret.com...

maybe you should practice in shallow water first

reply to post by GezinhoKiko


Is it crazy that i want to try again? I just feel so weak,
how did I let it happen? I feel like i have to overcome my fear.
But i wouldn't do it again without having someone ready to save me.

Not a nice experience but you lived to tell the tale and you now know that you shouldnt swim in open water unless you have experience.

I'm not responding to lecture but because I found myself in a similar situation around 8 years ago whilst swimming on a beach in Thailand:

I'd done mini/half trathalons in open water for over 5 years so although not pro I'd call myself a "proficient" swimmer.

I went in the (South China Sea) checked lifeguards were visible and made sure the safe swim flags were up but within 10 minutes at a depth o around 1.8 meters I found myself in the strongest rip tide I've ever encountered.

Almost without warning the tide turned from light to quicker than swimming speed so with 2 minutes of realising I was in a rip I was about 100 metres from the shore.

I waived at the lifeguards but within 30seconds of stopping my full power swimming to shore I'd been pulled a further 30 metres out.

After around 10 minutes of frenetic swimming I'd managed to maintain my position but the sea was clearly going to win...same heavy legs and panicked breathing but instead of swimming to shore I realised that the real danger was from sinking not floating so just set about treading water.

After about 15 mins more I heard a motor and to my relief a tourist on a jetski was heading my way.

After waiving at him and shouting I climbed on the jetski and must've been around 400 metres from shore and pretty damn tired.

He dropped me off about 20 metres from shore and it was the most surreal experience to walk back up the beach to see my GF, the lifeguards and all the other tourists having a great time and I'd been thinking about death 5 minutes previously.

I know how you feel.Drowning,or almost drowing should i say,is one of the worst experiences i've had.

reply to post by shadow12


yea its crazy
but thats how to fight your fears
just go into shallower water and swim along the edges and venture out a bit at a time
you will overcome it im sure
if you want to try again after such an experience then your mind is strong and will overcome
me? like i said above in my previous post

reply to post by shadow12

the section was about the length of a built in swimming pool

Uh huh... I'm sure traversing such a huge length must have been absolutely frightening...

Sorry, I just can't understand how anyone could panic in such a scenario if they were a perfectly good swimmer as you claim... and I can't stand people who flap all over the place like a mad man and drag down the person trying to save them, that's what little children do. Learn to suppress your raw instincts man...

reply to post by ChaoticOrder


I can tell that you don't understand , and it's not something i chose to do so...

reply to post by shadow12

I had 2 scary swimming experiences. Well, only one I was swimming in, or trying to.

The first time I met water was a duck pond. I would run down the hill and feed the ducks. One day (aged 4 or 5) I couldn't stop running and just fell in. Fortunately a passerby managed to fish me out as my Mom had a physical disability and just couldn't have reached me in time. (ETA She bought kiddy-reins, also called a harness after that!)

The 2nd time I was 10 or 11. A large swimming pool in London. They had a wave machine and I just didn't know what to expect. A friend swam out to the middle and pulled me to the side while I was bobbing up and down on what felt like 6 feet high waves...

Now my body won't swim. My muscles know what to do but just have no power anymore. Small children and little old ladies overtake me in a swimming pool. I'm gasping for breath and they are just laughing and talking.... I'm getting old fast! (41 and a wreck)

I do not swim anymore, it's not worth the heartache.

reply to post by ChaoticOrder


take it easy!
im the same, im a perfectly great swimmer in a pool
open water has fear factors for me
im glad you dont have this fear
but at least have some understanding instead of calling peeps children please

This thread got me thinking.

I wonder how many ATS members have passed away?

It's great you're out of this. I think you can buy your friend flowers

I want to fill up this thread with useful information about drowning.
Two years ago I almost drowned in the pacific ocean on the Nicaraguan coast. I learned a priceless lesson back then: you can't fight the current.

We were partying on the beach. The amount of alcohol in my veins was way above the normal. Suddenly I decided to have a swim alone in the ocean around 2 a.m., without telling anyone. I realized pretty quick how the estimated 15 meters off the coast were actually almost 70 meters due to the delicious rhum I had ingested.

At that very moment, I got sober instantly and started to swim like I had never swum. It was probably the longest moment of my life. So many thoughts got through my mind but to summarize them all it was something like "it's over man, you're screwed and nobody knows where you are"

I swam harder and harder but when I tried to check how closer I got, I saw the beach getting further and further. So, in a desperate attempt to save my own ass I let myself go with the current and started to swim more or less transverse. It was way less exhausting and got me back on the beach.

You have no idea how I felt when my feet touched the sand.
The next day, Google helped me figure out what happened.

How to escape RIP currents

Everyone going for a swim, especially in oceans, should have a look at this link.

I'm a pretty good swimmer, diver and my zodiac sign is Pisces/Aquarius but this doesn't matter in such a situation.

A good skill to develop, OP, is the control of PANIC. As a diver, I've seen so many accidents occur because of panic. When you start loosing control you spend so much energy on useless motions and anxiety. You don't breath properly, you swallow water, you expose your mates at risk as well and so on. Some people I dived with managed to empty their dive tank in 10 minutes because of their breathing pace. It's pretty impressive.

Peace and be careful dude

EDIT: I have to add this

NEVER hold your breath underwater alone. Ask someone to supervise you and don't try to impress the girls watching you. Be aware of your own limits.