Open water swimming is very intimidating for many people. Whether you are an elite swimmer or a newbie, the fear of the unknown can be all-consuming and even paralyzing. I still catch myself at times letting thoughts of what might be there in the dark lurking around me, waiting to eat me, break into my thoughts as I swim. Over the years, I have improved at not letting this fear control my swimming experience. I have mainly overcome it by recognizing this fearful thought pattern/voice in my head and redirecting my focus to something I can control, like my breathing or my hand catching, pulling, and exiting the water. If you are one of those many who fear OWS, you can overcome it with time. The best way to get over it is to get out and swim. Find some friends or a group to swim with, stay close to others, and stick near the shore until you become more comfortable.
I will leave you with some statistics to consider…
Over the last five years, an average of 73 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks worldwide, five resulting in death. Now, there are an average of 25 deaths per year caused by Champagne corks! Sooooo, you are ONLY three times more likely to get attacked by a shark than die from someone poppin’ a bottle of bubbly and FIVE times more likely to die from a cork than a shark attack. Who knew?
