I had an feathery experience while swimming in the ocean...at the beach in front of my house is a rock which, at high tide, I dive from. I swim a set number of strokes out, then swim back in.
So I've done about ten of these out and backs, and am feeling pretty winded. After swimming out again, I float on my back, recovering. An eagle dives down and swoops over me, about a metre above my body...I could see his belly, talons, tail feathers, etc so clearly! But it also spooked me! Thank goodness he didn't think I was a salmon...
Parents
Former Member
growning up on the coast I've had encounters with several creatures. The two most memorable ones were not while I was swimming, but while I was skiing. The dolphins liked to surf in the wake created by the speeding boat and would turn slightly on their side so they were looking up at the skier. Imagine pacing or being paced by a dolphin. If we weren't skiing the dolphins liked to surf in the bow wake and would do the same thing, turn sideways so they could watch us lean over the rail and watch them. But folks, even though they may seem friendly and may seem like they want to play, they are still wild animals who have incredible strength. Don't approach them, they may be having a bad day and you could just be the last straw.
The second memorable event happenned the very first time I tried skiing and it all happenned in a matter of a minute or so I guess. As you all know I'm blind as a bat, even back then I couldn't see worth anything. So I'm sitting out in the water, skis sticking up, holding on, just waiting for the signal that they are going to start. Then everyone in the boat starts waving their arms... I think, good I'm ready, lets go, but the boat didn't move and they kept waving their arms... guess I'm suppose to wave back, so I did... the waves continued... now keep in mind, because of my poor vision, I can't tell they are motioning for me to swim back to the boat... finally everyone starts pointing to the left instead of waving... I look over to my right and a few feet away is a HUGE loggerhead turtle. I think it was just getting some air, but it was just way too close for comfort. I was back in that boat in a flash, and the whole time I was swimming back I kept on thinking I was feeling that turtle starting to bite my toes/foot off. Didn't get back in the water the rest of the day!
growning up on the coast I've had encounters with several creatures. The two most memorable ones were not while I was swimming, but while I was skiing. The dolphins liked to surf in the wake created by the speeding boat and would turn slightly on their side so they were looking up at the skier. Imagine pacing or being paced by a dolphin. If we weren't skiing the dolphins liked to surf in the bow wake and would do the same thing, turn sideways so they could watch us lean over the rail and watch them. But folks, even though they may seem friendly and may seem like they want to play, they are still wild animals who have incredible strength. Don't approach them, they may be having a bad day and you could just be the last straw.
The second memorable event happenned the very first time I tried skiing and it all happenned in a matter of a minute or so I guess. As you all know I'm blind as a bat, even back then I couldn't see worth anything. So I'm sitting out in the water, skis sticking up, holding on, just waiting for the signal that they are going to start. Then everyone in the boat starts waving their arms... I think, good I'm ready, lets go, but the boat didn't move and they kept waving their arms... guess I'm suppose to wave back, so I did... the waves continued... now keep in mind, because of my poor vision, I can't tell they are motioning for me to swim back to the boat... finally everyone starts pointing to the left instead of waving... I look over to my right and a few feet away is a HUGE loggerhead turtle. I think it was just getting some air, but it was just way too close for comfort. I was back in that boat in a flash, and the whole time I was swimming back I kept on thinking I was feeling that turtle starting to bite my toes/foot off. Didn't get back in the water the rest of the day!
