| done the skiing, boarding, parachuting thing, but the riskiest (most stupid) thing i have done is swimming.
i was on a windsurfing, waterskiing, sailing type holiday in italy with my now wife and another couple. me and the other guy wandered off down the beach in the surf just generally mucking about in the waves. after a while we had gone quite away from our beachfront and into a surf bay. we hadnt realised how far out we had got and i decided to head for shore. when i got there i realised my friend still out there and in apparent trouble. i swam out to him with him going out of view a few times. i was crapping myself by now. i got to him and he said he couldnt get back so i grabbed hold of him and pulled him in a bit so he could get a bit of pull from the sea bed and get in.
only trouble is now i couldnt get back. i view myself as a strong swimmer but the current was taking me out and i was tiring quickly, everytime i managed to touch the bottom and make a foot or so i was pulled back further. i some how managed to gain some distance and eventually get to shore. i literally dragged myself up the beach and collapsed next to my mate totally exhausted and unable to move for a quite a while.
it soulds very innocuous but that is the only time in my life where i really thought i had had it. i honestly dont think i would have made it back had i beed even 5 feet further out.  |