It was some time around 1992. I was maybe 26? I was on one of many trips with Todd in Central America. This time we were in Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio, to more exact. I believe we had been traveling with some friends, Anna Mendoza, Richard Gutenberg, and Sheila. In another story I will tell you about Sheila.
This tale doesn’t involve any of them. In fact we had separated from the group several days earlier because we could not handle Sheila and a “group” mentality of morons. Not you Richard. We felt bad for you and I think we even offered whisk you away with us, knowing you couldn’t abandon your girlfriend Anna.
In any case, Todd and I were hanging out on the “post card” beach inside the National park of Manuel Antonio. A few years earlier in 1988 hurricane Joan came through and wiped a lot of infrastructure. That, along with all of Reagan’s civil wars in Central America during the 80’s, very few Americans felt safe going anywhere south of Cancun. Hence there were very few tourists. In hindsight I am so thankful we had a chance to experience that paradise before bus loads of senior citizens binoculars were being shipped in by the hour.
So this story is really about how my over confidence almost killed me. It is another “Time I almost died” story. Let me tell you about these beautiful beaches. They truly were the ones you would see in the postcards. They were set in little bays with gentle little waves that would roll past you onto the white sand. The water was just cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough to encourage you to sway in the waves for hours as you watched the monkeys play in the jungle trees that lined the beach.
Unlike these days, there were hardly more than a couple dozen people on the beach. Todd and I thought that was too crowded and decided to walk a small path to another beach. After a few hours when we were ready to leave, I told Todd I was going to swim back to the main beach. It was just the next beach over around the bend. Plus I knew I was a really good swimmer. For years I swam laps every day and felt super confident.
He walked off as I swam out (Position A). The further I got out the rougher the water became. Still not a problem. I grew up at station #9 at Santa Monica Beach. Swimming in the ocean was no big deal. I rounded the bend, which was really solid rock walls jetting up into the sky forming a large peninsula with a jungle vista looking over the ocean. I saw that I had to go a little further than I thought as the next beach was around another bend. As I swam around expecting to see the beach, I was instantly worried because it was instead a bay with no beach access. Just ocean crashing into sheer rock cliffs. At this point I was getting tired had that panic, that I would not make it.
Fortunately, I saw a large rock protruding from the water (Position B). It was just big enough that I could stand on it to rest. The tricky part would be getting onto it in the larger than expected swell, without being slammed into it. I was picturing bloody shins or worse cracked open skull. I managed to time it right and got up on it.
Phew! I rested for about five minutes until I realized the tide was coming in and soon my feet were under water and not very stable with the strong back and forth swell. I had to jump back in. But the question was do I head back or go forward with no certainty at this point if the beach was around the next corner or not. I honestly did not think I could swim back from the way I came. So forward I went. I knew if I did not see the beach this time, I was in real trouble. As I slowly rounded the rocky cliffs, I saw a beach way off in the distance. I was hoping that was NOT the beach I had to reach. If so, forget it. A little further, I saw something encouraging. A snorkeler. Then I saw my beach. I was so damn tired by this point, I just went real slow as I swam over the shallow reef, trying to avoid scraping my knees or chest.
When I finally did reach the shore (Position B), Todd was there and relieved. He said he was about to seek help. I tried to mask my fear and exhaustion but it was pretty clear I was shook up. I never again let over confidence nearly lead me to my death.
