Sea Person

I'm a sea person. I love the feeling of water all around my body. It feels good to move along with the waves and the current, and I also think it's a great exercise to swim. Unfortunately I don't technically know how to swim. I don't know how to do the exact executions of swimming techniques or if I'm really doing any of the conventional swimming how-to's, but I can swim.

I remember when we were in Boracay last 2007, we were swimming in the sea, and I was quite fascinated by the pretty distant boats that looked parked far from the shore. I'm not sure if they were yachts. Anyway, it triggered my curiosity to look at them. I thought they would look way better up close, and that it'll be such an extraordinary experience to touch them. In all this, I wondered if I could swim to where they are. Then I took off and started swimming, a little doubt hovering over my head. I alternated between vigorous and slow swimming strokes and techniques so as to not strain myself in the middle of the water. I could not afford to exhaust myself while I was getting farther and farther from the shore. Especially at the point where I was barely a dot when seen from there.

I went on and I certainly got far. Everytime I look back to where I started from, the people get smaller and smaller from where I am, but to my wonder, the boats weren't getting larger to my eyes, which was supposed to be be my most dependable indication that I was getting closer to them. Perhaps they did get larger, but in a subtle way, since I was closing the distance very slowly. As I continued, I had some hesitations in my head, and they were growing stronger with every stroke. I finally came to realize that I can reach the boats, but that is if I won't get too exhausted as to avoid passing out in the middle of the sea, or, if I'm fortunate enough to reach them, if I'm willing to stay there and swim back in the darkness of the evening, or even worse, if I'm willing to compromise my family's assurance of my safety. I took neither of those risks. I thought to myself that it was a good aim, but it isn't worth the cost, so I turned around and swam my way back.

I made a considerably long distance. Even if all the while, I was slightly thinking of sharks and any mysterious creepy creature of the deep, frightened they might suddenly show up and take me without anyone being aware of it. The water was crystal clear and I could see my feet whenever I look down, but farther from that, there's nothing but deep blue, and I entirely don't know if something lurks within there. They were only at the back of my head though, side thoughts beside my resolve to reach the boats.

But I'm proud of that attempt of mine, the determination to reach distant boats out of curiosity and adventurousness despite not being a real good swimmer, and the distance that I covered. I think that was the farthest I swam in the sea. And I'm pretty sure that given the chance, there's gonna be a next time.