The Price of Ignorance / Of Not Knowing - A True Story -

Gentle Warning: 

This story might cause some uncomfortable feelings/emotions for some people, while reading some parts of it.  Just make sure you center yourself before you read.  

It has a happy ending though 😊

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Swimming with something wrapped around my foot for the first time

With a board in between my body and the water

A first time experience I am beginning to get used to

Literally tasting the waters

I just want to watch the professionals from the sidelines

I will be safe out here by the side where no waves pass by

I am just watching and balancing with my core on this board

I am safe here looking from the far left

Observing the huge waves passing by and the professionals do their thing

It is a swell they said

That’s where all the surfers want to go

Ok, it’s my first time paddling but I’ll stay on the side of the huge swell

In one of those calm moments a friend calls me to get closer

I paddle in a bit and chat for a moment

In matter of seconds a wave is forming “far” away

Two more seconds it looks like 4 more formed and they are getting closer

I start paddling out as fast as I can as an inexperienced paddler

I think to myself:  yes, I am almost out of the zone, I can still see the wave far enough

And I keep paddling thinking to my self as I go:

Yes I am out of it, I feel myself rising with the wave but I will be out of it before it turns back down…

Yes, I am sure, see? I am out of it, it’s only my legs left for me to be completely out of the wave that is about to crush down from its very high point

Oh

No…

It took my legs and with them, my whole body

Now, I am in the wave

Inside of it

With something pulling my leg

I am feeling this thing tied in my ankle pooling me as my body is just being tossed around like a toy in a washing machine

I am in the wave

And I am just holding my breath

Thinking oh ok, the wave took me, I’ll be out just now…

Just keep holding your breath

Except, I was not out yet… I continued to be under the water tossing around, up and down

Left and right, and in all directions

I am still under the water, holding my breath…

I am sure that I am going to be out soon and I’ll get air

When I felt I could not hold my breath any longer

My face was out of the water and I took a huge breath in, looked out and there it was

Another huge wave breaking right on top of me again

And I am under the water again

I am in the wave

Holding my breath and thinking, ok I’ll be out just now again and will take a breath in

It can’t go on much longer…I am thinking

While I keep moving in all direction with the wave

When I feel I cannot hold my breath any longer again

My face is out of the water, take a huge breath in and I scream “HELP”

I was able to scream a few times, observe some people far away, no sign of anyone noticing me

Before I got another huge wave braking over me again…

This time I am over the coral reef

I am seeing corals everywhere while my body is still like a toy in a washing machine

Just moving and tossing around

Now with corals everywhere getting as close as centimeters from my face

After I don’t know how long

I started to swallow water because I had no more air

I thought to myself

Ok,  I am done here.  I am just closing my eyes and I do not know where and if I will open them again…

I was waiting to hit a coral and go unconscious or simply go unconscious and that’s it, not knowing what will happen after… maybe I will disappear…

There was absolutely no fear.  During the whole experience there was no fear

I was 100% in the present, I couldn’t be anywhere else…

After I completely surrender

I had no more air or strength left

I felt a hand pulling me out and a voice screaming at me

I was half conscious with no air

He pulled me out straight on to the surfing board that was still tied to my foot.  The thing that was keeping me coming back to the surface…(I learned the importance of tying that thing very well)

All I could do at that moment was to gasp for air

There was nothing else in existence other than just taking in air

He continued to scream at me, I could not respond or even understand what he was saying

All I could do was breathe

We already were in calmer waters, thank god

After a few deep breathes, I could start seeing again and understanding what he was saying

“keep breathing. look at me, stay awake, we are almost there”

“Grab my feet!”

And so while he paddled, I was able to hold on to his feet

When we got to the sore, I was able to stand and walk out of the water…

It took me about two months of a slow process of me getting back in the ocean little by little…

I learned the price of not knowing and not having any experience, and taking things for granted..

It took me much more than two months for me to put my head under the water again…

And it took me much more than that to feel OK being with waves again…

I have a new found respect for the ocean

And the not knowing part.  We can’t really take the power of nature lightly

I know I was not arrogant

I was just very innocent, a bit unaware, and maybe just a bit in the moon…

But it was for not knowing and having zero experience of being in that environment .  Surfing environment

Because I grew up going to the sea and being in the ocean, swimming and enjoying waves by the shore…. So, it is not even like I was inexperienced with the sea, ocean and waves.  It was just the surfing and the reading of the waves part that I had no idea about. 

Maybe this story will save you from having an experience like this, or maybe even save your life.  If you take it and the next time you are going to try something for the first time, just be very aware and don’t take anything for granted. 

It is not for you to be afraid.  It is to just be aware that there are many variables that we still don’t know, and they can only be learned with practice and patience.  Especially when you are trying it in the unpredictability and Power of the Natural world.

NOTE: 

This event happened a few years ago.  The writing of it has happened gradually since.