Open Water(Day 1) remembering
☕ The Decision to Dive In
I'm sitting in a café waiting to deliver a sale, feeling incredibly excited because I finally decided to go swimming with the Open Water group, despite the sore throat that had been holding me back. I consciously gathered my courage, considering the possible consequences.
Watching YouTube videos daily about tips, necessary equipment, before-and-after testimonials, breathing exercises, and more has helped me keep my spirits up. Don't get me wrong—swimming is something I've done since childhood, and for me, it's like riding a bike: easy and pleasurable.
💬 From Observer to Participant
I don't remember how long I spent just participating in brief comments in the WhatsApp group. The conversations had a pleasant atmosphere, but entering the sea is no child's play. I've always been in contact with the ocean, and it's one of my greatest pleasures. If someone hired me to be in the sea for six months, I'd answer without hesitation: Yes! Where do I sign?
From the moment I heard the words "Open Water," something inside me jumped. I still remember the excitement, an invisible fire in my heart. Despite not knowing the term, I took on the task of searching for it on Google. When I asked the person who mentioned it what it meant, they responded in a mocking tone: "well, open water." I didn't feel comfortable asking further.
🏊♀️ The Pull of the Water
Every morning I woke up imagining myself swimming early and repeated: "I can, I know I CAN!" I remembered the times I entered rivers, seas, lakes, and pools with my dad. I always did it with confidence; I don't remember feeling fear or worry, just the sensation of not wanting to get out.
I realized I needed a different bathing suit from the one I bought, plus goggles, a buoy, a wetsuit, fins, and some other things. It's really not necessary to buy everything from the start, as a good wetsuit costs over $2,000 MXN. The important thing is to begin. Watching videos of swimmers in seas, rivers, and lakes in other countries opened up possibilities for me and reaffirmed that this sport would give me much more than I imagined.
💪 Overcoming Obstacles
Today I celebrate having woken up and put on the wetsuit, despite my sore throat. There will always be obstacles, but there was no longer any reason to wait. From what I've seen and read, swimming in open water would do me more good than harm. And indeed, that's how it was: my throat didn't get worse, I healed, and I felt something inside me cleanse.
Everything can be overcome, everything can be achieved. Today the sun witnessed me coming out ahead with an unforgettable experience. Without knowing the group's dynamics well, I entered the sea and, to my surprise, it was extremely calm, as if telling me: "Come, Katy, I'm not going to bite you... maybe later, but not today." I'll make a parenthesis here: the open sea doesn't scare me or provoke anxiety or fear. Its immensity and strength are attributes that fascinate me, and I think it's because my dad used to take me into the deep without fear. Although I wouldn't say it's the best approach, as my mother says: "The sea must be respected."
📊 First Swim Stats & Reflections
I managed to swim 610 meters. It's not much compared to the last time I swam 2 kilometers, but in this type of swimming, it's necessary to carry a buoy. Those meters made me as happy as a clam. The day's objective was to evaluate my resistance to temperature (which wasn't a challenge), check the wetsuit fit (I have size M, but perhaps I should buy size L), analyze my performance and technique (I definitely need help), and observe my breathing to have a reference point for my starting point, because I know where I want to go.
🤝 Unexpected Connections
Was just swimming pleasant? Not at all! At the end, I stayed chatting with Esther, and little by little the other participants from Aguas Abiertas de Ensenada joined in. We shared food and hot drinks, we laughed and connected. Meeting them encouraged me to continue and showed me that it's never too late to start.
If we want a change in our lives, we need responsibility and proactivity, making small decisions, as well as integrating new friendships and exploring new environments.
“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle”
🙏 Thanks
With adrenaline and oxytocin at their peak, I say: THANK YOU! See you next Tuesday.
Want to swim in open water and live in Ensenada, B.C., Mexico? Aguas Abiertas de Ensenada 🌊✨
