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I Recently Drowned in the Surf, and I Was (Thankfully) Rescued.

My recent trip to Queensland did a full 360 on me

By Justine CrowleyPublished about a year ago 8 min read
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I Recently Drowned in the Surf, and I Was (Thankfully) Rescued.
Photo by Cristian Palmer on Unsplash

2022 (the year that almost was, as at the time of writing this) is feeling more and more like a cracked record...especially with these article headings on Vocal Media. Yours truly is normally regarded as an eternal optimist - a glass half full kind of person; yet my recent holiday (not, as it mainly turned into a business trip) to Queensland, Australia literally turned my world upside down.

Life is an adventure, and it is only a few weeks down the track that you perceive a drowning situation as such; especially if you were on the lucky end of survival, and of not needing any additional help from lifeguards.

By Ronnie Overgoor on Unsplash

On a day that was nearly 88 degrees Fahrenheit, with extreme heat warnings on an iPhones weather app; it is natural to want to go to the beach, and/or enjoy any form of aqua therapy that you can obtain a get out of jail free card to; especially after having pulled in an unexpected all nighter for my business the night before...even in going beyond burning the midnight oil. And if you are feeling up to it; you just want to have a good old fashioned swim.

By Kevin Erdvig on Unsplash

In preparation for any rips, high tides, and other crazy weather conditions out in the surf; you need to be a fairly strong swimmer. Despite personally coming down with Long C*v!d twice in 2022; my lungs were not as great as they were on prior occasions; yet they were strong enough to be given the medical all clear to go out surfing, and swimming in the surf on a much anticipated holiday, despite the short duration. It is nonsensical to wear a bikini, unless you really want to; yet be prepared for at least one side to come loose while catching a Baywatch like wave, whether you are rising above it, or swimming underneath it.

The day prior to this accident, of which happened on the first Wednesday in December 2022, is a day I'll never forget in a hurry. Everything was fine. The waves were stronger, as in the tide was higher, yet it was easier to get out in the deep end, and to swim my way back to shore. On the day of the drowning though - a mere day after; everything (I mean everything) from swimming to even breathing felt like an ultra marathon.

By Manny Moreno on Unsplash

Getting caught in a rip is not a lot of fun.

When you know where your boundaries lie; you belong in the surf at the beach. If not, then you better stick to the shore. And there is absolutely nothing wrong in doing so. On the days where you want a lighter swim, and/or just to earth your feet in the sand right on the shore; those days at the beach are absolutely wonderful and uncomplicated; provided there are no bluebottles floating around (lo and behold, I've been bitten by them in the surf before as well, and at that the very same beach where I recently needed to be rescued by surf life savers).

By Rayyu Maldives on Unsplash

By taking a less risk averse option at the beach; you still reap the benefits of the negative ions that the sand provides, and you may find a few cool sea shells to keep as a souvenir along the way. The same is true if you just choose to sunbathe.

It is not easy to tell a rip from afar at the beach sometimes, as it (a rip) can come in quick and fast. When you are at or right behind the front of the pack of swimmers and surfers (not feeding my ego here, yet that is where yours truly liked to get comfortable at this particular beach, until now); it is only then you can tell by the colour of the water, and the lower than anticipated tide that a rip is here, and you better swim back as quickly as possible. That is what yours truly did, until my lungs (literally) crapped out on me, and decided not to work. Swimming in a rip (no matter how strong of a swimmer you are) is like taking a step forward, and two steps back. The rip has an almighty force and charge that makes your swimming efforts go from minimal to naught. This is what happened, and I was stuck in that rip for around 10 minutes, of what seemed like life and death; despite being a strong swimmer, and your lungs are as unreliable as a cancelled flight. Feeling like second best just won't cut it here.

By Mockup Graphics on Unsplash

It was not too much to ask the higher order for a much needed holiday; especially with the abundance of things that we did not want to go through over the last couple of years (again, as at the time of writing this), of which prevented yours truly from being able to swim in the surf as often as she wanted to; with or without a surf board. And now this.

I was lucky enough to keep my head just above water the majority of the time, with my face falling into the water a few times from the moment I was caught in the rip, to the moment I was rescued. When my face was above water, the water line was at my neck; and the water itself was quite deep, with a younger couple (the front of the pack) about 100 metres in front of me. They were fine.

By nikko macaspac on Unsplash

Raising a hand was enough, and then I was lifted onto a thick and heavy surfboard that the life saver was riding on, in order to locate me. Further towards the shore I was able to move position, and I was (and still am grateful) to have left the surfboard in the shallow end of the surf, where the water went up to my knees. And to wear a normal swimming costume this time around. Concerned friends, neighbours and family were asking if I needed CPR (considering my low lung quality from getting you know what twice), and luckily I was fine, while my lungs were gasping for air until I left the beach. I then had to walk a few blocks back to my hotel room bursting into tears; no different to the heavy tears that arouse on settlement day of a house I sold a few months prior. (Hint: you can check out my pinned stories on my Vocal Media writer profile for that one.)

By Nick Sarvari on Unsplash

There can sometimes be an error on the surf life savers end, in the placement of the flags. Sure, swimming in between the flags (like I did, and the first thing that came out of my mouth, the second I was rescued) is still great and solid advice; yet like anything, and learning from my lesson here; the valuable life hack that one can give you is to take the placement of the flags as a grain of salt. I saw the lifeguard head back into the deep end to rescue a few more people who were swimming behind me at the time.

By Enguerrand Blanchy on Unsplash

The day after flying back home, I was (naturally) still in shock, yet I openly shared this in a spiritual healing session. The healer read my cards, and mentioned that the flags were definitely in the wrong place; and desite my confidence; I was a little overconfident that day, and therefore I was told that I should have been a little more careful. In remaining humble, I agree with that piece of wisdom. It is good to push yourself, yet in low tides, and when slightly darker water is evident in the ocean/surf surfaces; you need to swim back, and therefore swim in a slightly shallower area of the beach.

Furthermore, if you come across some seaweed or debris at the deep end; then that is another tell tale sign that a rip is not far away. Such props need to also heed a warning that if you swim any further, you might get caught. Rips can also change shape, where the waves are not flowing to shore in a straight line; they can swerve in all different directions.

By Janosch Diggelmann on Unsplash

Having another close brush with death was not a lot of fun, yet this experience has made an already grounded person even more grounded. Getting stressed out when caught in a rip, and thereby drowning in the surf is a stressful life event; however it does not help anyone if you are not relaxed at the time. Swimming parallel towards the beach/shore can work for many people, yet on this occasion (on the 7th of December) this survival strategy failed to work for moi.

By Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

In summary, if you find that your breathing, lungs and heart are not in good shape; and if you experience panic attacks or anxiety on a frequent basis; the best advice from this experience is to please hold off from surfing and swimming in the thick of the surf at any beach until you feel calmer and more confident.

By Serena Repice Lentini on Unsplash

There is no shame in taking swimming lessons, and/or swimming in an aquatic centre on a frequent basis, until you feel strong in your swimming capabilities. I mean, this school of thought is even coming from someone who had to learn to swim in the "babies" pool at 11 years of age, to then consistently come third in 50m backstroke races in all swimming races a few months after learning how to swim for the first time ever.

By Tubagus Andri Maulana on Unsplash

I am all the stronger for having survived this experience, yet for now I am sticking to my apartments swimming pool, while I ended up receiving an abundance of hugs from family and friends, as well as being reminded to not take such extreme risks in the "silly season." Silly season or not, life is still a risk.

Never ever surf or swim in the surf the day after working long hours, moral of the story. Happy (and Healthy) New Year.

By Manuel Cosentino on Unsplash

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About the Creator

Justine Crowley

Freelance Internet Moderator/UX Writer/UX Consulting Designer/Graphic Designer

http://smashwords.com/profile/view/JustineCrowley

linkedin.com/in/justinecrowley

Lives in Sydney, Australia. Loves life.

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Comments (2)

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  • Justine Crowley (Author)about a year ago

    I was rescued by a body board. I remember the device now. Never take the rips for granted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipa2TeJShnA - to 1:21. That hits home for me. That man is in the same age group, yet the difference between him and me was that I swam during the day during surf patrol hours...s@!t...the difference between life and death.

  • Justine Crowley (Author)about a year ago

    It's also like going to hell and back.

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