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On that note…. as long as the water was / is warm enough I usually make a few laps around the boat. When I first was doing this my heart rate would be up and I’d be puffing a bit, this was a couple years ago. I thought then, man, If I had to swim a ways… well that wouldn’t be good. I started working out properly at the end of 2022, and my friend said to me one day, you know, sooner or later you are going to find yourself in a situation where people really need your help…… badly, and you better be a strong swimmer. So now I work swimming in with my land workouts, when I swim, this year I do 1.5 miles in the pool without stopping, two to three times a week. Late last summer I was doing 3 miles three times a week for the summer challenge. Not that I’m all that and a bag of chips, but I am confident that I can at least get to shore without trying too hard, and I have enough reserve to swim for two to shore if need be.We were at one of the coves last year and the Admirals pool noodle floated away so she asked me to go get it - about 50 yards or so. As I was swimming towards it the current was taking it out and I wasn't making as much progress as I had hoped. Being an old fat guy I got to a point where I was huffing/puffing pretty hard and was getting short of breath. I looked back at my boat to see if my girlfriend was watching and she wasn't so there would be no miracle rescue if it was needed. At this point I was about 10 yards from the noodle but knew that if I kept going and couldn't get to it I was going to be in trouble. I decided to tread water for a little bit and then started my way back towards the cove. I stopped about every 10 yards to see if I could touch bottom and it took me about 40 yards until I could stand. I rested for a few minutes and waded back to the boat and as I came around the stern the Admiral was bullshitting with a gal from the pontoon anchored next to us. As I leaned my exhausted old man body on the swim deck she asked where the noodle was. I explained that I had a near death experience and she and the pontoon gal started giggling at me.....WTF.
Needless to say, I take this stuff way more seriously than I did before that episode.