Friday, November 18, 2011

An Ocean

From the time I first saw the ocean, I was fascinated, I fell in love. The expanse was so enormous and the smell was spell binding.

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After Sherry and I were married I rented a government trailer, 8’x26’ and we moved in. It was our little mansion. It was a play house.

I was stationed at Camp Geiger,  a training base near Camp Lejeune. It was probably 30 miles to Top Sail Beach. A very deserted stretch of beach.  We would go there and play in the water, walk along the sand and dream of our future.

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I never saw a wave I wouldn’t dive into nor water I would not swim across. I am a pretty positive person. Sherry asked me once, what would you  do it the ship sank in the middle of the Atlantic. My answer was my true feelings, I would start swimming home. Of course I would be looking for ships, boats or something to use to assist. LOL

One day Sherry and I went alone. Most of the times Dal & Marion. But that fateful day we were alone. Walking along the beach in about knee deep water I began to notice the sand under my feet felt like small marbles. I angled toward shore, not wanting to frighten Sherry, but it did not work. the more I tried the deeper we got. Finally it got up to our necks and she said I’m scared let’s go back.

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I looked at my bride and said, “Honey you’d better pray, I cannot get us back.” Then we went under. Sherry could not swim. I held her up as long as possible and trying to swim back to shore, but we only went out further. Finally I had to turn her loose and go the the bottom and push her towards shore. After about 15 minutes of this, and having no luck moving us back in She looked at me and said.

“I’m giving up we can’t make it.” She then relaxed and went under. At the time she had very beautiful long hair. I saw it spread out in a circle around her head, Treading water I grabbed her hair and raised her head.

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“You ain’t giving up and have your mama think I brought you out here and drowned you, we are going to make it, understand?”

She nodded. I laid her up on the water and tried once again to use a survival technique I had been taught. She helped by kicking her legs. I finally realized we were making progress. What seemed like ages we got ashore. I laid her out on the sand and began to pump water out. Water came out every cavity!!!

Lying there on the sand, a wave came up and touched her feet, that young girl came alive and started crawling away from that water.

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We did return, but we both had gained respect for the ocean. She reminded me of that at Daytona where one sign said, ‘Danger Rip Currents’.

Thanks for coming by the log, see how exciting life with Jack can be!!

Nite Shipslog

PS:

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-- Winston Churchill

Our car in 1956:

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I think ours was blue. 1950 Chevy business coupe.

15 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I'm so glad you all lived to tell the tale. How scary that must have been. We have currents that will take you out in Lake Erie too. I admit to loving the beach but I'm not much of a swimmer. I just love your picture of the beach and for me that's where I'd love to be. The waves lapping gently on the shoreline. Hope your Friday is a fantastic one!

TARYTERRE said...

Your photo of the surf and sand took me to where I needed to be today. Thanks. What a story. How scary. You were in over your head. What a terrible ordeal. I'm glad you survived. Rip Currents are nothing to fool with. I grew up hanging around the ocean and learned a healthy respect for it at a young age. Take care.

Anonymous said...

I did enjoy reading this entry ~ and am so very glad you managed to get to shore safely ~ Like you I love the Ocean but have never been trmped to go swimming in it ~ Ally x
Lifewithally@aol.com

Anonymous said...

That should of course read "Never been tempted"
Ally x
Ally Lifewithally@blogspot.

Cher' Shots said...

THANK GOD you two are here to share your stories. Love the water but have GREAT respect for it. I had some bad luck when I fell out of a canoe in the glacial waters of Alaska. It was in early May. Thom said I fought like crazy to stay in but the canoe won and I had huge bruises from my ankle to my ribcage to prove it. Anyways he got me to shore and believe me, all modesty went out the window as I stripped naked and he grabbed the dry emergency clothes we had packed along, THANK God my man knew how to take care of me and planned ahead. We warmed up fireside then continued the venture down the rapids. Brrr... is all I can say.
'love & hugs from afar'

Anonymous said...

Love to look at the ocean and maybe walk a
little close and let the waves roll over my
feet. That is the slosest I ever get. That
story scares me my first time hearing. I am
glad you are here to tell the story.

Shirl

Amelia said...

Oh my God. That had to be so scary! Thank God you are here to tell it.. both of you.

Missy

Paula said...

That is soooo scary. I didn't see the ocean until I was grown, married, and had children. My family never went anywhere even though we were not that far from the Texas coast

Anonymous said...

Lordy Mercy! How frightening that must have been for you both. I'm so thankful you escaped and lived to be our friends. You and Sherry are special to Frances and me. Gotta go to bed in 20 min - up at 4:00 to hunt tomorrow. Fred

betty said...

Oh my gosh, Sherry and Jack, what a story! God's hand was all over your safety, he got you guys on shore! Of course he "had" to so you could have those two fine boys of yours! But I am sure it was terrifying while you were going through that. I have a very healthy respect of the ocean. I can swim in pools, but I'm not a strong swimmer. I usually wade in the ocean, that's about it. But I too enjoy the ocean for the same reasons you listed Jack!

betty

Bookncoffee said...

Oh that is a scary story and I'm so glad that you all are here today! So many have experienced the undertow. I did not know it would do that in knee deep water though. Seems like one could get out of that! I like looking at the ocean and traveling on the ocean but don't want to be in it. Ya'll have a good weekend.

Anonymous said...

What a harrowing ordeal! It made me want to cry just reading it.
I love floating in the ocean; as time has passed, I've become more buoyant, lol.

Sheila Y said...

I know that was very scary. So glad God was watching over you that day. Thankfully I've never gotten caught up in an undertow, but I do know the panic of being in over your head. Have a great weekend, Sheila

Ken Riches said...

The power of the waves and tide is amazing and something to be respected.

Rose said...

I got the chills reading this Post.

I once got caught in a Rip Current when I first moved to Florida about 20 years ago. I was terrified. I only use the pool to enjoy these days. That experience for me was to frightening to go to the beach again. I only live two streets away from the ocean! I do take walks along the beach but I no longer go in the water.

Glad, both of you survived that awful experience.

Hugs, Rose