I jumped into the pool and was met by Maisie Rafferty, who is one of the RNLI’s beach lifeguards.
“If you do find yourself in difficulty in the water, the first thing to do is remain calm, tilt your head back so your ears are fully submerged in the water,” she said.
“This will keep your mouth and your nose out of the water.”
“Then you are going calm your breathing, stretch out your arms and legs, find your float, your legs my sink a little bit, but that’s OK.
“When you’re comfortable and relaxed, put one hand in the air, shout for help or if you can, swim to safety.”
Being in the water was an eerie experience, I like to think of myself as an experienced and confident swimmer, but it was still daunting and I was constantly reminded that the water is always in charge.
