One of the perks of living on an island is that you have almost unlimited access to some of the greatest places to snorkel. Obyan, Laulau, and Pau Pau beach are some of the ones we frequent most. The beaches vary only a little. Each has warm, clear water and a decent variety of coral and fish to see. Unfortunately in most places the water isn't very deep. Sometimes only one or two feet deep, and in shallow water you have to either turn around or stand up and awkwardly make your way over the coral rocks with your fins on. I can see why people like to swim past the reef to the deeper water. I have only been beyond the reef once. The water was cooler, the fish were bigger and there was so much extra room to swim around. It was nice. There were four other people in the group I went out with. We swam for a half hour before we decided to head back to shore. One of my friends turned to me right before we turned back and warned me about the strong current. "Do not stop swimming," she warned.
The current didn't feel strong at first, but the closer we swam to shore, the stronger it got. I began to swim hard. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on moving forward. Several seconds later I opened my eyes and realized that I had been swimming over the same rock. In fact, even with my fins on I was loosing ground to the current that was slowly pulling me back out. I had a mini freak-out moment, and then I began to scan the ocean floor. Earlier on our way out I had noticed a rope that the scuba divers use and figured that if I could find it again I could use it to pull me to shore. I was in luck, the rope was close. It was anchored to the ocean floor about eight feet below me, so I dove down and grabbed it. I felt the current surge around me as I began to pull myself forward. When I finally reached the edge of the reef a wave picked me up and carried me the rest of the distance. Back on the large rocks at the edge of the reef, I stood and marveled how I hadn't hit anything on my "ride" in. I watched as the rest of my friends slowly swam in and thanked my lucky stars for that rope. I never have been strong swimmer.
A couple weeks ago our school was on the front page of the newspaper. A doctor and several nurses who are working as missionaries in Guam flew out to Saipan to give our students a free health screening and teach them about the 8 laws of health. I had been able to get in contact with one of the education reporters for the Saipan Tribune and have him come out to write about the school event. Incidentally, the caption for this event didn't draw as much attention as the article right below it about the five people who have drowned in the last couple months.
Needless to say I will be swimming close to shore from now on. I am sure glad my guardian angel was swimming with me that day beyond the reef.
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