Apparently being a non swimmer on an island is frowned upon…
Apparently the “must be able to swim” portion of preferred qualifications was left off of my job description…
Apparently a lifetime of being landlocked doesn’t matter to these people…
Apparently swimming is sorta like riding a bike so if you learned the basics before, then your body just kinda know what to do later…
Apparently snorkeling is a totally different beast…
After close to 6 months in this new job, I can’t count how many people have asked me how often I go to the beach. I mean I drive by a beach (that is actually on campus) everyday to and from work, but honestly I am not on the beach as often as I would like. Mostly because a solo beach trip gets boring pretty quickly. However, in an effort to awaken my swimming skills and learn so much more, I know I have to spend more time on the beaches and in the water. Oh yeah and because one lab for my class involves wading in the water to ID organisms and some course-related activities involve swimming and snorkeling excursions.
To kickoff the new “unlocking the swimmer in me” adventure, I went to a local dive shop and spent more money than I needed to spend. Seriously, I had a basic K-mart snorkel mask and tube set, but I needed to get a quality set including fins to make me more comfortable in the water. I also have some great friends so are investing their time to teach me for FREE!! However, y’all know I had to do some research because I discovered that since the time I was a kid taking swimming lessons in our local town’s swimming pool, I have developed a FEAR of drowning. I’m actually kinda afraid of the water, or shall I say the open OCEAN water, considering there are no depth indicators or ending point AND there’s stuff in there (you know…fish and such) that can (and WILL) touch you while you’re swimming. So, if you see me in the water, remember these tips to save my life…
- Tell me not to PANIC! Yes, my mind knows that fish and other organisms live in the ocean, but I’m still not ready for them to actually touch me while I’m swimming. I understand that it will happen and I know for sure that I canNOT panic when it happens. I still get nervous when I see schools of fish swim by and I’ve ran from fish at my feet, but I’m determined to overcome this awkwardness.
- I have asthma! and No I probably don’t have my inhaler with me. Ok, I’ve been trying to do better with this one! I have exercise-induced asthma and since I started running consistently 3 years ago I have not needed to use it. In fact, I have used it maybe 3 times in the last 6 months and that was all in the first month or so while my body was adjusting to my hill turned mountain routes. So basically I forget about my inhaler sometimes although I try to keep one in my beach bag.
- Watch for me! Drowning is a silent phenomenon. It doesn’t typically happen like you see in the movies, loud screaming and splashing noises as the person fights to stay above the water. It’s usually silent because the person is focused on breathing or unable to keep their mouths above the surface. You may not see me waving my hands or other common danger signals. I may even get a leg cramp or something that could impact my ability to swim, so if I look like I could possibly be in trouble then assume the worst and help me!
Swimming & Snorkeling Safely,
Stassi Nicole
TheWRITEaddiction.com 
One of the blessings of having been born in the Coastal Empire is that water and I have had a wonderful relationship my entire life. It’s tough for me where I am because there is so little water. Water connects me to earth and brings balance and calm to the madness swirling around me by air. I hope you come to love being in the sea. I know that you can conquer anything you set your mind to. Enjoy!
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