Water Comfort: PASSED!

This past Saturday I had my last water comfort class, and the teacher said I was definitely ready to move on to the next level of swim lessons.  They start July 6th and Master Pravus signed me up already.  He is just dying for me to excel at this sport.  He even handed me some scuba certification information.  Geeze.  No pressure.  >.<

How am I feeling about swimming?  Well, the night before the final class, I was awake all night, nervous as Hell.  For some reason, I had it in my head that we were going to need to jump into the deep end.  No one mentioned that, but I somehow managed to get it in my head, and I didn’t like the whole idea at all.  A few days earlier, Master Pravus had coaxed me into jumping into the pool, and I didn’t like it because I got a ton of water in my sinuses (which already had a sinus infection, but I didn’t know it, so it wasn’t really fun), and I just choked and coughed and hated it so much.  -.-  We showed up for the class, and Master Pravus put his swim suit on, and he swam in the lane next to me while I was in class.

At some point, the teacher pointed out to Master Pravus how well I was doing in class, and then he told her that I was scared to jump in.  -.-  UGH!  Well, the teacher decided that was a good time to go over how to jump in.  Bleh.  Bleh.  Bleh.  Did not want!  Luckily though, the teacher had lent me a pair of nose clips at the beginning of class, while I wait for mine to arrive in the mail.  She showed us proper technique for jumping in, and then – held my hand while I jumped.  I was really reluctant, and I didn’t want to. 

I made a joke out loud about how I was sick of the seniors schooling me in swimming though, and I plunged in.  And you know what?  I didn’t drown.  Not even close.  It seems that all the training I have been getting over the last few weeks have really taught me everything I needed to know.  I aimed my face straight back, so that I was staring at the ceiling, I kicked with my legs, and I resurfaced in a matter of seconds.  Neat.  It went so well, in fact, that I jumped in a second time, without holding anyone’s hand.  Heh.  I made it.

Oh, and a bit more progress. I have gotten to the point where I’m comfortable being in the water without ear plugs. I asked Master Pravus if I should try it one day at the rec center (because the pool at our complex is not as well maintained and he doesn’t want me doing it there). He said that would be okay so we tried it the night I “graduated” Water Comfort class.

It is an odd sensation getting used to water in your ears (at first), but I knew it wouldn’t get stuck in there and I could always tilt my head to get it out if it did. Right now I feel pretty comfortable floating and putting my head under with no ear plugs. Not sure how I would feel if I was diving but that’s not an issue right now. So: Yay! One less piece of equipment I need to wear in the pool.

So that’s where we were and what we did.  Do I know any strokes?  Well, I can do a front crawl, and a back stroke, and an “apple basket” (that’s what Master Pravus calls it.  I think it has a real name.  Ha.)  Do I look good doing any of those strokes?  Ha.  No.  Maybe the back stroke.  It’s not hard to breathe during that one. 

I still don’t really have the hang of breathing and moving your legs and levering your arms, and all that jazz.  But, I do feel like I’m probably not going to drown.  (Well, unless something unrelated to swimming happens.  Like, if I faint or something.  But there are lifeguards, so I am probably fine.  Plus, I always swim with Master Pravus.) 

Still, if nothing unrelated to swimming happens, I’m probably fine.  Do I feel 100% comfortable?  Not yet.  Like I said, You don’t get over a fear like this that easily or quickly – but I have made great strides, and I am nervous (but excited) for my first “real” swim class.  I mean, this last class was great, but it didn’t really teach you to swim.  It was more of a “how to be comfortable and learn about buoyancy” class.  More of a “Pre-swim” class.  Now, let’s see how much better I get in the next month or so.