During the hot and humid days of summer, everyone wants to get in the water. Whether it’s swimming in the ocean or jumping off the diving board at the pool, the water is the place to cool off and have some fun.
But sadly, I am missing the water gene in my DNA. Ever since I was little, I have not been a fan of water. And I was born an Aquarius – a water sign! Regardless, I was a big baby about the water, and it took me forever to learn how to swim because I was afraid to put my face in or go under the water. I would cling to the wall during swimming lessons while others played games and raced to the other side of the pool.
Once I got over my initial fear, I figured out how to float, tread water, and swim enough to be able to save myself (G-d forbid). But I’ve never been comfortable in water that I can’t stand in. Case in point, when we took our kids to the water parks, you could always find me on the lazy rivers and log flumes but never on those massive water slides. That was Scott’s job.
At this point, you might be wondering how the heck I have a son who loves to swim, plays water polo, and works as a lifeguard?! Yeah, he didn’t get any of that from me. But because of my fears, I vowed my kids would be good swimmers. I threw them into swimming lessons, signed up for swim teams, and took them to the water parks. I didn’t want them to miss out on the fun like I did when I was younger. So, maybe I had something to do with Andrew swimming like a fish after all.
Last week, when our friends invited us out on their beautiful boat, I had some concerns, while Scott gave a resounding YES! I wish it were that easy for me. All week I was thinking about what might happen if something went wrong. What if we tipped over? What if I got seasick? What if everyone wanted to go in the water, and I’d look silly sitting on the boat in an orange lifejacket? But then I told myself to get over it. Most Saturdays, we are food shopping or running errands. This was the chance to have an adventure and do something fun.
I’m happy to say I found my sea legs pretty quickly and enjoyed myself today! We ate, drank, shopped, and laughed with our friends. Yes, the water was a little choppy in a few places, but I felt perfectly safe relaxing on the deck, checking out all of the cool boats and pretty houses, and being in the company of our good friends while exploring the Chesapeake Bay. I saw people on wave runners and all different kinds of boats. Some boats were anchored so that people could swim nearby. While you won’t catch me jumping off the back of a boat, I’d definitely go for another ride again and soon.
We are so happy right now. I’ve already used it while walking Chloe; it makes a big difference. I plan to bring it everywhere, from the shore to the swim club, and definitely on vacation later this summer. Karen has already said she wants to buy it in different colors. She has a birthday coming up. Maybe I’ll get her a black one so she can accessorize properly. As you can see from these pictures, she is the fashionista of the two of us. 🙂
What should I read next, Elisa?