How Far Can You Swim?

My wife and I were skimming happily across the waves in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Thailand when we hit a large wave. We both fell off the Jet-Ski. I was a little embarrassed, but not particularly concerned at first. I’d simply swim over to the Jet-ski, and we’d re-board – no big deal. After all, I was only 27 years old, and thus immortal.

As I swam, the Jet-ski puttered along faster than I could swim. It did not have the safety switch shut-off that modern Jet-skis have. It took me only a few seconds to figure out that I could not catch it. We were going to have to swim to shore. I waved toward the shore, but I could barely make out the buildings, and I couldn’t discern people at all.

“Well hon, how far can you swim?” I said to my wife.

“I dunno,” she looked a little worried, though she was trying to appear cheerful.

“Lie on your back and put your hands on my shoulders. I think we’re about a half mile from shore. I know can swim a mile by myself. (We had done this in Navy flight training.) I think I can swim a half mile with you.”

I tried not to think of it, but there were sharks in these waters, and we certainly looked like a couple of tasty, floundering fish more than healthy humans. I was also pretty sure we were more than a mile from the beach.

I had swum several minutes, when I heard the sound of another Jet-ski approaching. It was a guy from the rental shop. He had scanned the ocean with binoculars when we didn’t return by the expected time. He saw the empty Jet-ski, and headed toward us.

He picked me up and took me to my empty Jet-ski. I went back for my wife, and we rode slowly and carefully to shore.

That was 1972, the last time I rode a Jet-ski. Maybe it's time to try it again.