I remember very little of the Cayman Islands. Our shore
excursion was to include a kayak trip along the coast of Grand Cayman, followed
by a snorkeling tour of the nearby coral and tropical fish reefs. Hurricane
Katrina’s effects were visible even there. The fringes of the island were brown
because they had been submerged under water for so long, and the trees were
bent and broken with little bits of life hanging on in the tips of a few wary
branches. We saw no wildlife, and the kayak trip was over.
Back in the day when I had no body fat.
We were driven a short distance to an open beach where we
waited for our guide to arrive. I soaked up some more sun, and appeared to be
quite happy in this picture. I had no idea what was about to happen.
The guide arrived and gave us a brief tutorial on how to use
a snorkel. He asked if anybody wanted life vests and nobody raised their hands,
it was only seven feet deep where we would be, no need to be too safe.
We were set loose and what I saw was amazing. I had trouble
paying attention though because I couldn’t find my breath through the breathing
apparatus. I would take in a breath and exhale but my body forced me to breathe
in again, as if I were starved for oxygen. I couldn’t get enough air and I reflexively
opened my mouth up. Cold pain flooded my lungs which made me gasp in even more.
I coughed it all up but my head was still under water so I just took in more
salty sea. I panicked. I ripped off my mask and let it go in disgust. I wasn’t
in deep water but I couldn’t get to the top or the bottom. That was the worst
possible time to find out I had forgotten how to swim.
I think doggie-paddling is instinctual, but it really doesn’t
do much when you’re all the way under. At this point I could feel nothing but
burning as my lungs were trying desperately to figure it all out. I should have
known I needed to relax and float to the top, but it all happened so fast I
reacted foolishly resulting in me about to lose consciousness.
I felt the ground. I pushed up as hard as I could which was
excessive because it was only a foot to the top, but it worked. I belched out what felt like a gallon of water and
quickly drew a breath before I went back under. It was just a tease. I couldn’t
hold the breath because my lungs weren’t pure yet. If I had been above water
level I surely would have been coughing for minutes, alas I was under again and
breathing in more liquid. Just as I thought there was no way out, the ground
appeared and I found a patch I could stand on and keep most of my head above
water. I stood as still as I could and coughed, threw up, and coughed until
everything was out of my lungs. I still couldn’t breathe very well, and I
really wanted to yell for help, but I didn’t. I just waited.
I turned around to see what was around me and I immediately
wished I had done that minutes before because less than ten feet away was a
floating dock. I gave it every last bit of energy I had. I did my version of a
breast-stroke which again was exactly a doggie-paddle, and I grasped the cold
steel rung of a ladder. I felt safe. I climbed up, threw up again, and laid
down. I was shaking violently and every muscle in my body was depleted. I
literally couldn’t move.
The whole time, nobody noticed anything because they had
their heads under water. I tilted my head toward the shore which appeared to be
miles away and I could see everybody floating lazily like crocodiles enjoying
the sun and the ocean’s enchantments.
I have no way to know
how close I actually was to death, but to me it felt like I had been right on
the cusp. I hate water to this day, and avoid going into any body of water at
all cost unless I’m in a boat, tube, or canoe. I had another close call years
later but the conditions were much different and the danger was only perceived.
So those are all of the stories I can remember from the
cruise. This picture is from the airplane ride back from Miami. I have no idea
why only a few of the hundreds of pictures are still left on MySpace. Maybe
someday I’ll find more, and remember more. Until then…..
All that water makes me wonder how many people died down there.
