Could I Make it Back to Safety if All Hell Broke Loose?

I set a goal of reaching the buoy for no particular reason other than it was there. As I passed the buoy, I turned to look at the beach.

My beach chair was in sight, but it was tiny.

I looked down; my heart skipped a beat when I saw the bottom was nowhere in sight. It was probably 30 feet deep, but it might as well have been 1000.

I looked at the distance between me and what I called safety.

If all hell broke loose, could I make it back?

Probably not. I’m a terrible swimmer, and I sink like my blood is made of lead.

A few things to note:

• This was only my 2nd time paddleboarding
• I was alone
• There were no lifeguards on duty
• I wasn’t wearing a life jacket
• Drowning is one of my biggest fears

I realize that if I did die due to these choices, my spot on The Darwin Awards would be fully deserved.

But that’s not the point of this piece; the point is fear.

In the hour or so I was out there, I caught myself numerous times consumed by the fear of drowning.