My son and I were standing at the end of a long floating pier on the south shore of Lake Tahoe. The deep blue water was lapping against the aluminum edges as we looked out across the water at an empty orange paddle board. I could feel his eyes on me interrogating my thoughts. He knew what I had decided because instead of continuing to yell, I began to undress. He had left his shoes on the beach and was standing there in his green Minecraft socks. I remember putting my hand on the side of his face and saying as confidently as I could, “I’ll be right back.” 

Afternoon at the Beach

The evening had started off pretty chill. I had been working on a project back at camp and we had all been outside riding Rabian’s hover board. We ate turkey sandwiches for supper and I felt a bit sleepy. I almost decided that we’d just stay in for the night. But, instead, the kids wanted to go down to the beach. We packed a towel, a blanket and a plastic shovel and headed to the waters edge. 

When we got to the beach I felt a little out of place. I was wearing two pair of pants, a jacket, a hat and my running shoes. The outside temperature was easily slipping into the 50’s but the wind was calm. With the sunset minutes away, the beach crowd had thinned out. There was one guy with a kayak getting set up near the waters edge. I watched him trying to stay dry as he launched and then heard a big splash farther out. There had been a lady on a paddle board about 20 feet out and she lost her balance. I could hear here grumbling as she dealt with the icy blast of the water. It was hard not to watch as she fumbled to try and get back on the board. It was clearly a difficult maneuver. Eventually she walked back into the shallow and remounted her board. 

The couple heads out onto the lake

At the beach, we joked with the kids and made them move a little farther away from the blanket since they were kicking up so much sand. Pamela and I sat next to each other and were just talking about our week and having a little time together. We watched the guy with the kayak and the lady paddle out of the protected swim area and start to move past the sailboats that were anchored. I commented to Pamela that she was on her knees now and not standing. “That must be killing her knees to ride like that so far.” I said. Pamela and I started talking about our plans for the next week. We discussed the gaps in our camping reservations and some ideas we had. We also had to referee the kids a few times. 

Weird Signs

About a half hour had passed when the guy on the kayak came blazing back to shore and paddled hard right onto the beach. He got out and started packing up. That’s odd. I thought. Weren’t those two people together? I looked out over the bay and searched for the lady. I finally spotted her bright orange paddle board way out in and amongst the boats. She was no longer on her board. Pamela was talking but I had this itch that something wasn’t quite right here. I struggle to concentrate on what Pamela was saying. I had seen that lady struggle to mount her board in waist deep water and now she was a half mile or so out and in the 60-65 degree water. Once or twice I saw her try and get an ankle up on the board but it was clear she didn’t have the strength to make it happen. 

Something isn’t right

Finally I stood up and said, something isn’t right. I’m going out the pier and just make sure she’s okay. I called my son, my partner in crime and right hand man,  in my serious voice he was instantly by my side. Do I need my shoes? “No time.” I said. “We’re just going to make sure the paddle board lady is okay.” 

Investigation

Rabian and I walked briskly along the beach just outside of where the clear water crashed and came to a stop in the sand. I could smell the shrimp grilling as we passed the Bar and Grill at the pier. That smells so good! I thought out loud.I needed to stop at the restroom but figured I’d be right back. It only took about 5 minutes to walk to the end of the pier. When we got there, I realized that she was farther out that I had even been able to judge. I could make out her head but as I yelled to her, I wasn’t sure she could even hear me. 

“Hey!” I called feeling a bit foolish. My mind is telling me that she’s probably fine and I’m some crazy yahoo just yelling for no reason. 

 “Wooooohooooo!” I yelled trying to get her attention. 

“Hello!” 

“Are you okay?” I asked. 

She finally answered me. “Yes!” She called back and then added her plea for help. “I think so.”

Quick Risk Assessment

It’s eerie how quickly things change from normal life to real danger. I stood there on the end of that dock looking out across the water at her. The sun was almost below the mountain. The water was choppy and the wind had picked up to a strong offshore wind. If she just kept doing what she was doing, she’d keep blowing out farther into the lake and be unconscious within the hour. I was pretty confident that I could at least swim to her. But without a life jacket of my own, was I going to need saving too? Could I even get her back if I got there or would we both get blown out onto the lake. 

It was clear that time was critical so I made up my mind. I quickly stacked my clothes on the metal pier near my son. I placed my wallet and glasses in my shoes and knew it was time. I looked at him and we exchanged a serious look of understanding. He knew the plan and he knew to stay there and be ready. I love this about my son. In times like this he is more dependable than most grownups I know. He was fully alert and working the problem. 

Committed

I turned around and walked to the end of the dock. I remember seeing the deep blue water and anticipating the cold shock as closed my eyes in the dive. The only way to cope with the temperature was to swim full bore for several strokes before staring a breathing rhythm. I rarely experience adrenaline these days but I was acutely aware of the situation I was putting myself in and my body let me know. It was a strange icy feeling outside and inside. 

I charged forward in the water and after several minutes of course adjustments, I finally was in range. My heart was pounding and I grabbed her board to take a break from swimming. Our first few words would have you believe that she was fine. She wasn’t sure why I had swam to her. She was confused about me and where she was. She asked me how to get to Camp Richardson. I had to convince her that she was in trouble and had to get out. It was weird for me because I expected her to know what was happening to her. 

“You’re a very long way from shore, the wind is blowing you out into the lake, and the water is cold.” “It’s going to be dark soon and no-one else is out here.” “I need to take you to the pier and get you out.” I said. 

Swimming Back

She agreed and we decided that she just needed to hold the back of the paddle board.  This is the part where I looked back at the pier and saw how far away we were. The wind was kicking up to about 15 knots and we’d fight it all the way back. With one hand on the front of the board and her holding onto the back, we began our swim to the pier. I couldn’t watch the pier and swim too. The only way I could make headway was to hang under the board and do some crazy leg-kicking and alternating side stroke nonsense. For several minutes, I just kept at it and hoped we were closing with the dock. 

I’d look behind me and see Rabian standing there in the distance and know that if my muscles ran out before I got to him, I was in big trouble. The light was fading and the water was relentless. I don’t know if it was the cold or the adrenaline still raging but I felt just slightly below a panic. A couple times I had to focus and turn back my power a bit to make sure I could keep at it for awhile if need be. 

Twice she let go of the board and I felt it instantly. I’d stop swimming and talk her into grabbing again. Thank goodness she had the sense to hang on because if I’d had to try and drag her by that leg strap, that would have been painful for both of us. On the swim she couldn’t figure out who I was so she kept asking questions. 

Are you a lifeguard? She asked.

“No.” I replied.

Are you an athlete?

“No.”

“How do you have the stamina to keep going?” She asked.

I wanted to say, because if I stop we are both going to be unconscious and freeze to death relatively soon but I didn’t want to be a fun sponge.

 “I don’t know.” I said. 

“So you’re just a normal guy?”

“Yep, just a normal guy that doesn’t want to see you stuck out there.”

“Oh” She said. 

I was grateful for the silence because I had very little air to spare. We continued carving water and hoping we were making progress. In the water, it’s really hard to judge how far away things are. They always look closer than they actually are. 

It’s bizarre to me looking back how confused she was. She had gotten into the cold water after drinking to try out her new paddle board and then paddled way out into the lake. With the wind and the water temp, she had maybe an hour before she was unconscious. With dark setting in and no light on her, she was a goner and didn’t even know it.  

We’re gonna make it!

I looked over my shoulder again and finally I could see the facial expressions of my son. We were going to make it. When we got to the pier, I pulled myself up and then wrestled her board up out of the water. I untied her leg strap and about that time Pamela and Allyona had made it to the end of the pier. The paddle boarder lady swam alongside the pier while we tried to figure out how to hoist her up. She was not a thin person so she couldn’t just pull up. 

Extra Help

Then I saw the silhouette of some folks walking toward us. “Hey!” I yelled. “Come help!” Instantly they were running toward us. I think they could tell that something was up. A few seconds later, the five of us pulled her up high enough to get her center of gravity on the dock. Then we were able to wrestle her on up. Pamela took over talking to her, getting her story and trying to see what kind of help she needed. 

I was happy to just catch my breath for a moment. The excitement over, I realized I was standing there in my underwear and went to put my clothes back on. The new folks helped carry her paddle board and we all walked her back to her cabin. Walking along the pier took a long time and she stumbled the whole way. Pamela was on one side and me on the other. With no railing on sides, I was scared she would just walk right off into the water again.

Back at her cabin

At her cabin, her kayak boyfriend was sitting comfortably in his chair. He didn’t seem startled or even get up to try and help her. I couldn’t bear it. It almost looked like he left her out there and expected a different ending. I dug into him a bit. The reality we were seeing was so uncommon that I couldn’t process it. As our language heated up, I recognized that it wasn’t my fight. I had my own family to take care of. I gathered my gang and we walked away. 

It took awhile last night to get my temperature back up and even longer to fall asleep. Life has a funny way of switching from normal to very dangerous and then right back to normal again. The lesson I really learned was that people don’t always know they are in danger. Sometimes they need to be told and even convinced. You can’t expect people to see what you see when they are inside of a situation.

My Team

I’m thankful for the team I have. I knew when I walked away from Pamela that she would be watching and know if I needed her. She is solid and I would and do trust her with my life without question. I’m thankful for my son, Rabian. He is not a normal 9 year old. He is a brilliant reliable little man using a kids body. I knew that he was watching and would execute any order I gave from the water. And lastly, my Gooney Bird, she was my snuggle buddy that gave me all her heat to get me warm again. 

I feel lucky that we happened to be down at the water at that time. Sometimes things just work out. The paddle boarder is an oncology nurse back in Sacramento. I’m sure she has done more than her share of helping strangers.