Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

It's Summer, time to put this up again.

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

 

I got into trouble in the sea once when I was about 14. Lucky for me it didn't get quite as far as described in the article, but it got far enough.

My mate, who was on the shore, was screaming at me and screaming for help in blind panic, but thankfully had the good sense not to come in after me (that would have just meant two of us in bother with nobody to shout for help, instead of one in bother and one make a lot of noise about it).

I wasn't quite at the drowning stage technically, although I had inhaled some water. I was physically spent though with the exhaustion of trying to swim against the current that had swept me out. I couldn't get my arms out of the water to wave because for one thing, I physically didn't have the strength to lift them and secondly because every time I tried, I just went right under. I couldn't shout, again for two reasons. Firstly because in the brief moments my face was above water I was using those valuable moments to gasp for air, and secondly I doubt I'd have had the energy to shout anyway.

It was nearly game over. I was still managing a very weak swimming action, punctuated with regular total submersion, but it did get to the point where I gave in and accepted my fate because I simply had nothing left. I sunk again, only this time my hands and knees met sand. I was nearly there. I tried one more feebly attempt to swim, and then I just felt my arm almost get ripped out of its socket and I was dragged up to the water's edge. I couldn't stand or even crawl, but with my mate dragging and me trying to crawl I sort of came up onto the beach like some primordial creature sliding on its belly. My mate, who'd had the good sense to not come in after me, had chanced it when I was close enough in that he thought he could make it just wading. I probably wouldn't be telling this story if he hadn't made that decision.

For a few minutes I just laid there on my belly on the sand. Then my strength started to come back a bit and with lots of physical support from my mate, I was able to stagger along a bit. We went and got an ice cream, and I guess it was the sugar content or whatever, but that perked me up no end. I still wasn't right though. It took me til the next day before I started to have normal amounts of strength and energy again.

 

Useful info there Zigs , didn't realise those facts on drowning . I have never been in the sea, to above my knees since Jaws !Swimming pools are for swimming in

 

A shark will still have it away with your toes Harry

Something I've learned the hard way, if you see someone in trouble, don't try to help single handedly if there are other people there. Point and loudly delegate.

I worked this out after rescuing a family with a small child on a crowded beach, this wasn't drowning, but a rowing boat that they couldn't beach thru the swell, they were exhausted.

I ended up bruised and bloodied while a few dozen folk just watched the proceedings like they were watching telly.

Before doing anything single out individuals and give them instructions.

Like "You, dial 999 and ask for Coastguard"

"You, go fetch that Safety Ring."

"You, get the lifeguard."

People will respond if you tell them to do something, almost always.

 

Yep, had to do that once or twice. Its not that people don't want to help, its that many freeze up or simply don't know what to do. Everybody is waiting for someone else to do it, so if you take command, it usually works.

But lets not forget that other command that sometimes needs to be issued loudly, when someone just isn't getting the message, "You! Get out of the way!".

 

It was a warm day in March 1961. I was on the beach at high tide with another young mum and our 2 little ones were playing on with pebbles. I looked up when I heard a woman scream. Her young grandchild had slipped off the groyne into the deep part of the sea on the other side.
Weird, I cannot remember kicking off my shoes but just ran across the beach ( ouch- feet wouldn't let me do that now) and jumped in and grabbed the little one and swam her back to the groyne and someone took her.
I had my best grey skirt on and was soaked of course. They took me and my little one back home and later sent me some chocolates and flowers. I insisted I didn't want it in the local press and never heard from anyone again.
It still amazes me what I did in that I did not think for even one second what I was about to do.
Jenny

 

Cor,

 

I cannot accept praise as I did it without realising what I had done. I was a good swimmer; knew the depth the other side of the groyne at high tide and she was only a scrap of a thing. Not like an adult - an adult in panic would take an enormous amount of guts to rescue.
I got my Bronze for lifesaving at school. Anyone remember the Holger Neilson method?
Jenny

 

Oh no, this was partly what prompted me to re post

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/07/10/hollie-mcclymont-body_n_3572693.html?icid=maing-grid7|uk|dl1|sec1_lnk2&pLid=193361

 

that's so very sad Ziggy.
Such a young life
taken by the sea,
Jenny