Dive in

Maybe I was being dramatic, or maybe I wasn’t. But as I sat outside the large gleaming pool, watching toddlers the size of my arm effortlessly amble and splash around the turquoise waters, the panic started to set in.

What had I gotten myself into? In a short twenty minutes it would be me down there, with waves crashing over my shoulders.

Having never learned to swim, water – in all its forms – has always been a real fear. And I’m certainly not alone in my predicament. A surprising large number of adults never learn how to swim. Compound that with the high prevalence of swimming pools and easy access to water in Abu Dhabi, and life negotiating between the can and cannot swim can be a rather nerve-racking experience.

According to the World Health Organisation, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for seven percent of all injury-related deaths.

So here I am. My swimming cap already digging into my scalp, I wait patiently as my lovely instructor Eileen Hempel of Gulf Sports Education (GSE) finishes up with the children. Originally from Ireland, Hempel comes from a swimming family and has over 30 years experience teaching. Running the only approved Britishish swimming school in Abu Dhabi, we know we’re in good hands.

I’ve taken a ladies-only course and am joined by three other students. All of them can swim, but they are here to refine their techniques. I’m glad because it means Hempel can give me plenty of one-to-one direction.

We start with the basics. After going through the pool rules we begin by descending down the ladder and into the water. I find myself saying, “okay, okay, okay” more than I’d like to admit. First up is a stroll through the water, my head comfortably above the water, and hands protectively skimming the edge of the pool. A few rounds up and down and my tensed muscles begin to relax.

Hempel is firm but understanding and offers suggestions instead of orders. “How about we try walking without holding the wall?” Okay, (there the word is again) I say and manage a few more paces with both arms swinging in the water. Pleased with my success, it’s back to the ladder to start practising dunking my head down in the water.

Not my favourite portion of the first lesson, but one I get used to soon enough. Next we practise blowing bubbles into the water and letting our legs float upwards towards the surface. I’m thrilled with my progress by the class’s end. It may not seem like much, but being fully submerged in what I’d consider the “Deep End” (water up to my shoulders) certainly is an achievement on my list.

By lesson two Hempel is guiding me to begin swimming towards her, all while I tightly grasp her arms for support. And by lesson three I’ve got floaties tucked under my arms while I practise kicking my legs. Little by little, I find myself getting into the swing of things, gaining more confidence each time I don my swim cap.

“We teach swimming from basic movement literacy in the pool, progressing through various skill exercises, eventually moving to early aquatic stages of breathing and positions. Then strokes are introduced, and as one progresses further more skills and techniques are introduced as they move further up the pool,” explains Hempel.

So just how many lessons does it take to become a fish in the water? There is no magic number but rather depends on each individual and their willingness to push themselves. In my case, by my third lesson with Hempel, I’m just about swimming by myself. So even though I certainly haven’t earned my mermaid fins just yet, the big scary pool just got a whole lot more comfortable. With a few more lessons under my belt, I’ll sure I will soon be making waves.

“It should be an absolute must for all adults and school children to be made aware of their own responsibilities when it comes to their welfare in the water, and not to be reliant on anybody but themselves,” adds Hempel. We couldn’t agree more.

Sawaiba Khan

To find out more about Gulf Sports Education email: [email protected]