At first, there was apprehension, but it was soon replaced by a blissful boredom. The top of my body was covered in warm sunshine above, and the rest of my body swallowed by the frigid water below. These were my first thoughts as I saw the boat drive away, getting smaller as it zipped across the bay. I turned my attention to the shore, which was about 200 yards away. I began to swim, not really sure how, but it soon became apparent as my body naturally fell into a breaststroke. This was my first ever experience swimming by myself, but I wasn’t scared. Once I reached the shore, I turned back around, expecting the boat to be nearby, and yet I didn’t spot it anywhere. I shrugged it off, and I decided to explore. I soon discovered a small piece of driftwood lying on the shore. When I took a closer look, the wood, smooth, from a presumably long time  tumbling in the water, somewhat resembled a sword. With a thin but sturdy grip, a notch perfectly placed to be a guard, and a thick grooved “blade”. I spent the next 5 minutes swinging my new toy around, slashing the trees and sand on the small island which I had swam to. When my Dad returned, I stood triumphant on the shore, my prized find held high above my head. I swam back to the boat with my weapon, and took it home, where it still resides today. The sword will always remind me of my adventure, and the extreme method in which I learned to swim. Hopefully I can pass down my find and my life skill to future generations one day.

– Christopher Pappas

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