Swallow pride, ask Dad, listen…

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 20 May 2025
  • 1614 reads
14 comments
 

I was a teenager, age about 15. I’d learnt to float happily when we regularly visited the beautiful quiet cove at Cwm-yr-eglwys in north Pembrokeshire. But I couldn’t swim. My father tried to teach me, but I think I was too stubborn to listen properly, and maybe scared in some way, and somehow couldn’t believe it was possible, or that he could get me to be able to do it. He had been a swimming instructor, and so did know how to teach it.

But now I wanted to go to a youth camp back in Wales with a friend, on Bala lake. I wanted to tick the option of trying boating on the bay of the lake. ‘No,’ said my father ‘I can’t sign that as you can’t swim properly.’

We lived very near a lovely new swimming baths, so after a struggle I asked him meekly if he would teach me, to which he agreed, though I think extracting a promise that I would listen patiently, and not rush into saying that I couldn’t do it!

So, I think it only needed one calm session probably, and then I later proudly told him how I’d swam something like 20 lengths. Actually, I had worked out how to do each length with minimum effort, gliding with my head in the water as far as I could before raising my head and doing one fairly strong stroke and then gliding again!

So he signed the form. I think my friend and I struggled with a rowing boat turning around as our rowing strengths were unmatched, and we did enjoy a bit of solo canoeing!

[IP: life lessons]

Certificate U
Story
Families
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

I admire anyone who learns to swim. I myself had a terrible time at school being afraid of water, it didn't help that I was quite chubby and the boys used to tease me. But thankfully I did teach myself to swim much later on. Good on you for going for what you wanted. 

The boating sounded like so much fun. I'm sure you have happy memories.

Enjoyed reading.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. But what I remember so clearly is that the desire to have a go boating, and my father's wise inflexibility, motivated me to accept he could probably get me there if I listened and was willing! I never became a strong swimmer, or did more boating. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

A nice IP response Rhiannon. I don't think it's compulsory anymore to give children swimming lessons - it should be!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you. I think you're right. My granddaughter is learnning but it's out of school hours. I think the younger one had a free lesson, but they're probably waiitng a little not to have to pay for two at once. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Yes - lessons are really expensive, so now it's no longer taught in schools it means it's an essential skill only available to people with money

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you for the cherries. Cherries to listening properly to wise advice and help! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

swimming

That would be a heated pool Rhiannon? Must cost a fortune to maintain. I also thought I could swim untill I saw someone that can, someone like our Kris.

In the movies they swim with they're shoes on suit jacket tie and all. Must be uncomfortable. They can keep their breath for very long. You know like girls running away in their wedding dress with high-heel shoes veil and all down the stairs. Don't believe everything you see!

Anyway I think I can do my thing- No not butterfly can't, totally unnatural anycase, backstroke not too bad, freestyle is Ok but I'm best at breastroke.

Keep well! Tom

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

The new public swimming pool near where we'd moved to in the 1960s was a heated indoor pool. I only ever mastered a simple breaststroke, and backstroke. Near here a few years ago, getting back into a bit of swimming I managed to crash my head doing backstroke, not rqalising how near the side i was. It took a little while to recover from that! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I do admire you for confronting your fears in order to reach your goal. And it must have made your Dad feel good, to have you learn, too. It is strange how sometimes peer pressure can be the push that is needed

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, though I think it was stubbornness more than fear, a (wrong) conviction that he was wrong, and there was no way that I could swim on my front, and yet a deep-down realisation that I must be wrong, and it would be nice to be able to … and my Dad probably could teach me, and no-one else was there to do so! I had a great respect for my Dad and it helped our relationship too. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Nolan on

won't mess with you

won't mess with you

Won't mess with you that's for sure, do you still swim? Must be getting on a bit for it, Or just lying around in the sun for a tan? Summon your courage, keep your breath and Just Jump In! It's a Thrill!

Your dad must have been a great guy wish I knew him.

Good to see prose from you, save for the comments of course

See you Rhiannon & Nolan

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank youl. No, I haven't swum for quite a while, though I've never been given to sunbathing for a tan either. As a teenager I did try for a week with a friend who wanted to do so, and my skin remained obstinately almost totally pale, and I thought, 'That was a waste of time!'. I enjoy cliff walks when we are on holiday.

Yes, my father was a great guy! Died young, but had integrity and thoughtfulness. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

I finally got up the courage to take my feet off the bottom in Westward Ho! when I was thirteen on holiday with my parents. The tide goes out a long way but even when it comes in the sea is very shallow. A good place to learn to swim. Once I had the confidence you couldn't stop me.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

The cove in Pembrokeshire was such a place to learn, and float, and a little back stroke we did, but somehow baulked at 'proper' frontal swimming! Rhiannon