This just give me chills. I too am a good swimmer, (former) triathlete ironman and scuba diver but I can't imagine drowning unless I lost consciousness. Maybe he had an unknown heart condition? Seems like every year there is a marathoner or triathlete who is great physical shape who dies unexpectedly while swimming or running. Every day is a gift.
There are a lot of "unknown heart conditions" out there. I think sometimes we forget just how simple the heart is, and how simple it is for something to go wrong, especially when we weren't designed for water. RIP.
I'm doing the 22 week sprint tri program and the 2 mile bike ride it starts with is not very challenging. I see this as a opportunity to train the right way and challenge myself. Any ideas?