Jump off a boat into the water

“That’s how I found myself on the edge of a pontoon boat working up the courage to jump into 55F/13C degree water and make my way to the buoy line with the other swimmers in my wave. Surely my body would know what to do once I hit the water… I finally jump. The cold takes my breath away. Any practiced swimming form goes out the window, I scramble to the start. Hand on buoy, hand in the air. Kent gives the signal. I take off from the base of the dam into the brisk, dark water.”

“Despite (or because of?) the brisk start experiences on days 1 and 2, jumping off the boat felt significantly harder this day. When the pontoon boat pulled up to the start area, I realized that I was right next to the gate. When the captain said, “we don’t have all day” (or something like that), I opened it, but found myself scooting to the side. It was as though amnesia set in, I had to watch the others to see how it was done. When I finally took the plunge, my breathing was uncontrolled and I could only manage head up breastroke. Who was I – and what was I doing here? And then it clicked. I saw the folks on the buoy line ready to go and decide to quit puttering about. I sucked it up and put my face in, forcing some semblance of freestyle to the start.”