gcarter
Contributor
I have a question about this discussion.
I can swim (but its not pretty) and float in a lake no problem. I worry about swimming in the ocean though because I am not a strong swimmer. The couple times I have scuba'd, I was comfortable on the surface with all my gear on. And snorkeling isn't a problem either. I think I would be ok without any gear for a while. My reason for worrying is that when I'm swimming from a beach, I lose all my strength and energy battling the surf and waves.
I got in a situation in high school where I was trapped in water over my head. The incoming waves and outgoing surf wouldn't let me go anywhere. I swam sideways but didn't get any closer to shore. I finally found a sand bar I could stand on. I was a varsity tennis player at the time and regularly played intense 3 hour matches. I was in very good shape. But the waves (and my lack of proper technique) just kick my ass.
I currently live in Indiana and my LDS does OW in local quarries. The conditions are basically like a lake/pool, and I'm not worried about swimming there. What can I do to prepare for ocean swimming though. I also suck at treading water, if I have to stay still for any more than a minute I just float on my back.
Take swimming lessons, that's what I'm doing. I am slowly progressing from a functional but not recognizable "what the heck kind of stroke is that?!?!?" to something more recognizable, functional, and efficient.
Never too old or too late to learn!