The Fishlike Singapore community went on a Snorkel & Swim Tribe trip to Lazarus Island on Christmas Eve 2020, where we enjoyed the day in the open water snorkeling and/or swimming.
I participated in both snorkeling and swimming. Having learnt and practiced Total Immersion freestyle for close to a year through the Freestyle Mastery L1 and L2, as well as weekly Swim Club sessions, it was time to apply the skills I have practiced in an open water setting.
For open water swimming, we took a boat to the starting point of Lazarus Island, where we could see St. John Island. Coach Tang would be in a kayak and there was a safety boat to ensure the swimmers’ safety. As open water swimming was new to me, I was nervous, but trusted in the process. Swimming in the Total Immersion approach taught me to be patient in sensing the water, to do less, and focus on how I am in water in terms of body positioning. With the assurance of Coach Tang, fellow swimmers and daily practice, I decided that I was going to swim one moment at a time, one stroke at a time. Something that Coach Tang shared was to be better at something, one needs to do it. As I wanted to be better at open water swimming, I needed to practice in open water. Preparing in the pool would help, but it is not the same.
Accepting whatever fears I had, the swim was very enjoyable. As the water is saltier, floating was easier. The currents and waves carried me through the swim. I was able to focus on the swim and not the destination. Being able to swim from Lazarus Island to St. John Island and back felt wonderful, but what was most satisfying was that I was able to be in the open water swimming with ease. I had the choice of experiencing the water not just from the shore, but in the middle of the sea as well; and to travel from place to place through swimming. A challenge I faced was sighting, as the head was at a different alignment, and I tend to swim off course. Something that I will be working on before my next open water swim.
Snorkeling, as a compliment to swimming, allows us to see what is beneath the surface of the water. My experience is that swimming is less on seeing, more on sensing with the entire body, like a movement meditation, while snorkeling enables me to open my eyes to the life underneath.
I am grateful to have spent my Christmas Eve with Fishlike Singapore community at Lazarus Island, and look forward to many more adventures.
