In 2005, former Miami Dolphins player Rob Conrad was fishing alone nine miles off the coast of Florida when a wave Pushed him overboardHe was not wearing a life jacket in the 72 degree water, which was obviously going to get cold enough to be a problem within a few hours, and since he could not catch up with the boat, which was traveling east at 5 mph on autopilot, he decided to swim west until he reached land.
Sixteen hours later, he crawled along the sands of West Palm Beach, half dead from hypothermia, dehydration and rhabdomyolysis, having swum 27 miles through the night, enduring jellyfish stings, a deadly shark attack and two heartbreaking near-rescue attempts.
Conrad was relatively young (38) and in good physical condition, but not a particularly experienced swimmer. So how did he accomplish this superhuman feat?
At the time, endurance swimmer Diana Nyad blamed it on mindset.
“We’re not talking about swimming, we’re talking about survival. His background as an athlete – his toughness, his determination, knowing it was going to be tough – must have been what saved him.”
There was something else that motivated Conrad.
“I have two beautiful daughters,” he told reporters a few days later, with his wife, Tammy, at his side. “I was going to land on those shores.”
We are all adrift in the vast, unfathomable ocean of existence, with no choice but to cling to whatever we choose, and becoming a man with a family may not save your life the way it saved Conrad’s, but it might be worth saving.
Having solid swimming training also helps: Two-thirds of American adults can’t swim a 25-yard pool.
The late Terry Laughlin’s innovation was to understand this as a lack of skill, not a lack of strength. Full immersion The swimming program teaches swimmers of all levels how to swim efficiently and effortlessly. Tim Ferriss provides an especially detailed and appreciative review. here71 percent of the Earth is covered in water, so it’s best to be prepared if you do encounter water.
