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dbx999 t1_iweis57 wrote

Reply to comment by guynamedjames in TIL about Deaf lifeguard Leroy Colombo, who overcame childhood paralysis through swimming and saved a record-breaking 900+ lives during his career. His swimming talent and use of sight rather than sound to identify drowning swimmers allowed him to save people other lifeguards would have missed. by lemontreelemur

One big panic inducing aspect of drowning in an ocean is the wave action - even small ones - splashing water into the victim’s open mouth. They are unable to time the waves and simply aspirate as much air as possible but a small splash of sea water can make them gag and gasp and exacerbate the panic.

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KDallas_Multipass t1_iwevgey wrote

When I was in middle school on a guided snorkeling trip, I accidentally inhaled water through the snorkel. I couldn't catch my breath esp with waves crashing into my mouth. I struggled to get to shore, it's hard to do a freestyle stroke when you're in a coughing fit, so I doggy paddled. I was a very coordinated kid and generally felt confident when swimming, but once the coughing started it was just a cascade I couldn't break out of. In one poorly timed breath I went from being perfectly fine to deep trouble.

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dbx999 t1_iwew494 wrote

Yes a pool swimmer can easily be caught off guard in a dynamic environment like the ocean, even close to shore. Currents and waves make swimming a different experience in the ocean. And as you said, choking on an unexpected splash of salty water into your mouth and possibly into your windpipe can be a sudden jarring moment that puts you into a distressed state of mind almost immediately. An untrained ocean swimmer can be quickly overwhelmed even if they know how to swim in pool conditions.

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