Almost Died

Thanks tcovoert.  I do agree about conventional wisdom, and do have to add that I'm sure I would have suffered from a heart attack had I been prone to do so.  I was actually thinking while I was drowning "Christ, now I know why and how people get heart attacks during the swim." 

I do think my fitness got me through some of the risks that I faced.  I think the combination of the issues I faced combined with poor cardiac health is a recipe for trouble.

There was an accomplished swimmer who died at Escape from Alcatraz last year.  She was a competitive masters swimmer.  She also came to mind while I was going under.  I thought "So this is what happened to her."

 @Jeff - Thanks man.  I definately plan on paying it forward, and not just once.  My outlook on life was changed in seconds.

Dave -

 Thank you so much for sharing your story.  It is an excellent reminder to all of us who are strong and not so strong swimmers.  Things can change so quickly.  I'm glad you're here to tell us about your experience and really proud of the woman who saved you - she was obviously very smart to know that she wouldn't be able to do much in a physical way to help you so used what she had.  I hope you got her name and were able to really thank her.

Tracy

Hey Dave...

Thanks to share your story....Glad that ended well and you are Ok..

I hope this experience helps you in what you need to work and improve...

Good Luck!!!

Dave - I'm grateful you posted that.  I have so much trouble in the water, and I learned alot reading your post.

It also made me think about what I would do if I were swimming and came across a panicing swimmer.

 Glad you're safe.

I am a little bit worse than a mediocre swimmer and have been contemplating the Swim Safe thingy.  Would this have helped you in your situation.  I have my first two OWS planned for the Spring, one 750M & one 1500M.  I'm not too worried about the 750, but the 1500 is a long swim for me.

First, thanks to everyone for their kind words and encouragement.  As Jeffy_101 pointed out, it is very rough out there today, but I'm afraid I'm the only one of the group who needed rescuing.  There were others panicing in the rear, but the coach was there with them to help them out of it.  My rabbit start put me between the front and the rear all by my lonesome.  One smart attendee opted to stay out of the water.  Smart.

Regarding Swim Safe... I'll tell you what, from the perspective of ego, I would never have considered such a thing.  As much as I've learned about humility today, I don't know if that's the right tool for me or not.  I would have given ANYTHING to have had that device today and would have absolutely used it.  In many ways, I think just having something like that around your waist would be enough to keep you in a state of mind to avoid panic.

I'm convinced that panic causes cardiac problems and drowning.  If Swim Safe is going to put you in a better state of mind, then I would highly recommend that you consider it.

Dave

Thank you for your story.  Getting in trouble in the water can happen to anyone.  I have had a scary experience or two in my day.

 not to hijak but here are some tips on staying calm:

When I was a rescue swimmer I would come across survivors that just had to jump off of a sinking vessel.  These folks were normally OK around water but seeing there boat sink, a guy come from the sky to help with fins and a wetsuit, the helicopter rotor wash...it almost always turned into a life or death situation where the survivor would panic.  That is when problems would occur.  My number one goal was always to calm this person down. Staying calm, trying to relax your body is always the best thing to do.

If you ever get caught in tough seas, don't fight it, just relax, and swim easy to the shore.  If you are relaxed it's no big deal if the big wave takes you under.  For bad choppy seas when you are in trouble it's best to stop, lightly tread, and get your breathing under control.  THe problem though is that this can be tough when the seas are so strong and in your face.  For that you need to get under the water.

The only way to "simulate" this trouble is to ocasionally jump in the deep end and tumble to the bottom and stay there for 30 seconds or so.  Once you get comfortable with that you should be fine.  Once you have that confidence you always know you are OK...almost no wave would ever keep you under that long.  FOr me (this is from surfing) when I would get in trouble I would just stay under for a few...the water was always calm below the surface and it gave me a second to gather myself. Your HR should slow under neath as well, giving you a chance to get your mind right to come up and breathe normally.

It may sound strange to suggest someone go below the surface to get under control...and if you are a beginner and not comfortable in the water it is prob not the best thing to "try out" for the first time at sea in a real situation.  But if you are advanced, and can train for this trouble (simulate it in training) you can get through it.

Finally,  hyperventilating is NEVER a good option during a swim.  If you find yourself doing this you must get it under control immediately!  Oh and...always swim with a buddy!

Do what it takes to stay safe.

Do exactly what that person did.  You'll notice she didn't get close enough to be grabbed, but she calmed him down with her voice until other help arrived. 

Panicky swimmers are:
1)  Unpredictable
2)  Surprisingly strong
If you're not trained and someone gets ahold of you, they'll be two people in trouble. 

Your story gave me chill bumps - all the way through.

So glad you're safe!

Wow.  That woman who helped you was amazing.  Glad she ws able to help you calm down and be able to finish the swim. Great lesson, glad you shared it ith the group after the clinic.

My first OWS race found me in a panic.  In fact, ater that week when my family and I went to a different lake I couldn't even look at it without feeling sick.  It took a lot to befriend OWS.  I'm by no means strong or proficient, but I no longer panic--as long as the water isn't too cold.

Very scary...so glad that women was there to calm you down, help you overcome your panic and be safe.

Thanks for sharing as it is a good reminder that strange things can come up.

So very happy that you are okay.

May I suggest next swim you do, you do it soon and have someone stay next to you the whole time..just to get back in the saddle so to speak soon and also know you will be safe.

I'm glad you ended up being OK.  Panic was obviously your biggest enemy out there.  It sounds like there are several lessons to be had, including what to do if you see a panicky swimmer (offer encouragement, stay nearby but not too close).  I would also point out that you reported equilibrium issues almost from the start, but then kept trying to power through.  A lot of disasters turn out to be the accumulation of a series of smaller problems that end up working in concert to bring about a much much bigger problem.  Also, people tend to revert to whatever was the first plan, and have trouble coming up with a new plan.  This is why disaster drills (fire, earthquake, or whatever is approrpriate where you are) are important.  That way the "bail out plan" is well rehearsed.

In your case, it sounds like you hit much colder water than expected, as well as wind and waves.  Because you stuck with the original plan of pushing yourself harder based on the last swim, when you started to get mouths of water instead of air, you were too tired to think clearly, and panicked. I always try to get a sighting to either a buouy or boat when I do OWS so I know where the potential rest stop could be if I start to panic (which has happened several times, usually after a long hiatus between OWS). There is a big mental game at work as well.  If I think about the fact that I cannot touch the bottom, I panic.  If I focus on anything else, I stay more relaxed.  Obviously people's trigger issues may vary, but if you know what they are, and when they start to activate, you can respond without panic more easily.

Thanks again for all the kind words.  All of your advice has been great, and I'll definitely take it all to heart.

Someone asked if I had a swimming cap on.  I did.  I also had earplugs, but they were in my bag.  I'm pretty sure that I'll be OK if I end up in that situation again.  It was just a rookie problem problem that experience will solve.

I'll tell you all something that I find a little funny.  One of the participants went in with no wetsuit.  I think he weighed no less than 100 lbs more than me, probably closer to 200.  He had absolutely no problem with that swim and came out looking as fresh as he went in.  I think his weight had nothing to do with his fitness as I think he is an accomplished open water swimmer.  I do think much of that accomplishment, however, comes from his experience.

So, moving on, my mind is still a mess and I've been having issues catching my breath all day.  I'm sure I'll be good to go in the morning.

Thanks again kind people!

Dave