Open Water

I have a fear of deep, open water.

I can’t totally explain it. There’s something about not being able to see what is underneath you, not really knowing what’s down there, and the vast openness of the ocean that sends irrational tendrils of fear trickling through my veins.

Many people have the same fear.

It probably doesn’t help that one of my favorite movies is Jaws, and that I watch a lot of deep sea horror films. Sounds silly, right? Despite my love for hiking, I also watch a lot of wilderness horror. Yet, I’m not afraid of the mountains or the forest.

So I shouldn’t be afraid of the water.

Coming to the Greek Islands, one of the most amazing things to do is swim in the pristine and beautifully colored waters.

I mentioned in my last post that on a coastal hike, I did jump in and swim in a secluded spot. I was hesitant. A jump in was required. The water was deep. I had to tell myself to do it. I did, and it was glorious.

Our second day in Milos, we took a catamaran sailing trip. There were several stops during the day in secluded areas that you could only get to by boat. The water was gorgeous. The rock formations were amazing.

Given I had already swam twice in the Mediterranean, I didn’t hesitate. I coaxed myself to get in the water, relax, and enjoy the swim.

The more I did it, the more I liked it. By the last stop, I was swimming through caves and quite comfortable.

I know, it’s not the middle of the open ocean, but it was me and the water, and I found a soothing connection with it.

The boat trip was amazing. We saw a large part of the volcanic rock cliffs. They took us on a dingy ride through some caves. And of course, we swam.

If you get to the Greek Islands, you simply have to dip into the pristine blue-green water.