This article reminds me of a time when I tried to swim to a diving platform that was about 100 meters from the shore of a lake with -ft waves. I had no experience with swimming in wavy water even though I could swim a mile easily. My breaths were badly timed with the wave motion so I took in water instead of air several times. I felt panicked and had to stop. I could not turn and call for help nor could I wave my arms for help. I simply stopped where I was, relaxed my body despite a very strong urge to gasp for air (was seeing lights), felt the wave motion with my body, then took little gulps of air when I thought the timing was good. Needless to say, I made it to the platform but I stayed there for quite some time before I worked up the courage to swim back to shore. When I did dive back in, I stayed under the water for a long time and swam hard. I can swim 25+ meters under water before I have to come up for air. When I did go for air, I found it. I was never so happy to get back to solid ground...not even after almost drowning in the rapid. That swim to the platform was way worse.

Robert N Pruden