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
Hi to everyone - I am glad that I found this forum, I just registered. :)
Around 1980 I spent some time as a hippie in Sri Lanka. I would always swim out far - and since no one would come with me - I went by myself. I was crossing a semicircular bay with a diameter of one mile. When I was approx. at the halfway point, ie ½mile from the shore, ½mile into my swim and still ½mile to go, I saw a big fin slicing thru the water, the perfect setup for a nightmare. It must have been my guardian angels that kept me from fainting. Surprised at my calmness, I kept on going steady. We swam opposite directions and only when that creature passed close by me, I identified it as a whale shark (plancton eater) with a length of 12 feet. Not much for a whale shark, but enough to scare the ... out of anybody. I was surprised at myself that I kept calm. As strange as it may seem, at that moment I was only concerned about reaching my destination. I could have touched it, but I didn't want to loose time. Strange! But looking back, may be it was better not to touch it.
I feel like being the only open water swimmer here in Austria. Last month I participated in (probably the only) open water race available (distance:5000m). The race took place in a calm pond with 23°C/73F water temp - however I was the only one competing without a wetsuit.
cheers
Gerald
Hi to everyone - I am glad that I found this forum, I just registered. :)
Around 1980 I spent some time as a hippie in Sri Lanka. I would always swim out far - and since no one would come with me - I went by myself. I was crossing a semicircular bay with a diameter of one mile. When I was approx. at the halfway point, ie ½mile from the shore, ½mile into my swim and still ½mile to go, I saw a big fin slicing thru the water, the perfect setup for a nightmare. It must have been my guardian angels that kept me from fainting. Surprised at my calmness, I kept on going steady. We swam opposite directions and only when that creature passed close by me, I identified it as a whale shark (plancton eater) with a length of 12 feet. Not much for a whale shark, but enough to scare the ... out of anybody. I was surprised at myself that I kept calm. As strange as it may seem, at that moment I was only concerned about reaching my destination. I could have touched it, but I didn't want to loose time. Strange! But looking back, may be it was better not to touch it.
I feel like being the only open water swimmer here in Austria. Last month I participated in (probably the only) open water race available (distance:5000m). The race took place in a calm pond with 23°C/73F water temp - however I was the only one competing without a wetsuit.
cheers
Gerald
