When her memory takes her there, it's almost too real: the burning in her throat, the potent chemical odor, her own muffled cry. But what Wanda Louie recalls most is her utter fear of going into that water in the first place.
"My sister told me, 'We'll watch you. Just sit on these steps,'" she said. "I didn't want to go in at all." Louie, then 3, tagged along with her big sister to a friend's pool that day. But when her sister got up to use the bathroom and her friend went inside to answer the phone, Louie was left alone. Wanting to be brave and prove herself to the older girls, she took one step deeper.
"That's when I slipped," she said. "It felt like a long tunnel the whole way down. I could hear myself screaming..." Her voice trailed off. "...You know that underwater sound." When her body surfaced, she reached for the side of the pool, but her hand slid from the concrete, sending her back underwater.
"I was flailing and being loud, but no one heard me." When her sister finally did, she pulled her to safety and wrapped Louie in a dry, oversized T-shirt to make her feel comfortable. Louie spent the rest of the day watching cartoons on the couch.
Now 27, Louie is still haunted by the sour memory. She's afraid it'll all happen again - that she'll sink to the bottom no matter how much effort her body makes. But she's also more ready than ever to put those fears to rest.
"I feel like people look at me like I'm a total weirdo for being afraid in water," said Louie, who enrolled in lessons with Orca Swim School in Queen Anne last month. "I'm tired of hearing, 'Let's give Wanda water wings!' or 'You better put on five life jackets!' I don't want that anymore! I just want to be comfortable in the water."
What Louie and others don't realize is that the majority of adults in America share this anxiety. According to a Gallup Poll and the Transpersonal Swimming Institute (TSI), 64 percent of adults in this country are afraid in deep ocean or lake water. Forty-six percent are afraid in deep water in pools. Thirty-nine percent are scared putting their heads underwater.
So those nightmares about being Jonah inside the whale, a captive on the Titanic or Jaws' next victim aren't that uncommon after all. That knot in your stomach about being on the sidelines for yet another beach season is completely normal.
Just ask M. Ellen Dash - or "Melon," as she prefers to be called - an expert in helping adults overcome fear and discomfort in water. As president of TSI, she leads a team of instructors nationwide who offer classes for adults who are ready to feel at home in the water.
"There is one thing you need to know before you are ready to learn to swim. Without it, you cannot succeed," she said. "You need to know how to prevent panic and to remain in control. Once you learn control and peace of mind in the water, learning the mechanics of swimming is simple and natural."
According to Melon and TSI, instructors in traditional swimming programs get ahead of themselves. Teaching swimming technique before addressing the comfort levels of students is skipping a significant step, they say. Once confidence is attained, then students will find that part of them that is a "born swimmer."
Cori and Bruce Myka, owners of Orca Swim School, couldn't agree more. They wanted to find a teaching method that would really hit home with adults, so they chose TSI's approach.
"After 15 years of being in aquatics, I haven't seen anything better [than TSI]," said Cori. "We want to offer the best program for adults in Seattle. We want them to know that it's possible to overcome fear and be able to reach their competitive goals ... to feel free in the water."
After a few swimming lessons, Louie's legs still shake a little while she cautiously steps into the pool. And while she practices back floats, the chlorine smell still triggers some vivid and unpleasant memories. But when all is said and done, Louie actually seems excited for next week's lesson. She's well on her way to feeling free.
For details about Orca Swim School, go to www.orcaswimschool. com. For more information about the Transpersonal Swimming Institute, visit www.conquerfear.com.
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