Am I the only schmuck who can't swim?

you can go surfing in december if you feel like it in northern california. a wetsuit is a nice idea during the winter of course.

in the summer you can stay in for hours if you feel like it. you must be a wimp.

Whatever! I lived in San Francisco for 9 years and went swimming exactly: 0 times! That water is cold even in the summer!!! COLD!!!! I grew up in southern California and went to the beach alot, because its much warmer down there. But still, swimming is not something I did in the ocean much, outside of the time I got carried waaaaaay out by a rip current. Usually you thrash around, or surf, or boogie board. I think I would have had a much harder time learning to swim in the ocean than I did as a wee tot in a nice, placid pool.

Luckily, my dad taught me how to swim in the ocean when I was really little. And his advice then is actually some of the advice that you remember and use in the future. I've had to use the 'swim parallel to the beach' trick more than one time in Florida. Those currents are cuh-razy!

yeah..i learned to swim in a pool at 3 or 4..but loved body surfing and playing around with a boogie board by the time i was 7 or 8...getting thrashed around in the waves and saltwater shooting up the nose is good training and undertow skills are indeed important.

I miss being in Florida.

The beaches here are pretty worthy.

i always forget there are beaches in texas.

i loved it!

You need to watch the film Jaws for inspiration & motivation.

I can't swim very well. I can kinda swim, but I panic in deep water. Really I can only backstroke and doggie paddle. Once I get awayf rom the wall of a pool, I freak out. And I can't tread water.

My wife was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, grew up walking distance to the beach, and did not learn until I taught her. None of the girls in her family learned to swim only her brother because "girls did not need to know how" to swim (or ride a bike). That is how it was when she was growning up. note my wife is only 28 years old - your age bracket.

*black joke*

You're a cigarette!

Ha