Yesterday, I had high hopes to swim with a new pod in Portland. The plan was to meet at a parking lot, hop in at a nearby dock, and swim about a mile to the Duckworth Dock, which is only accessible by non-motorized transport (you have to paddle, swim, bike, walk in). During the summer, there's a dock party with music every Wednesday night (https://www.travelportland.com/event/43589884635948/), so I thought it would be a great way to show off the Quackpacker, have some snacks, listen to some music, and then swim back to the car.
Earlier this year, I had a nasty virus that ended up collapsing my left lung. For about 6 months, I felt like I was coughing constantly, and couldn't swim without triggering awful coughing spells which caused rib nerve pain and side spasms. Once the lung collapsed, I basically stopped doing any physical activity, focusing on this small business and my other jobs. When I finally was able to start swimming, I noticed twinges in my side sometimes, and I've been pretty sedentary to try to heal.
The first portion of the swim was great! The water was warm, pretty calm, and the weather was perfect. Then, I started to feel the nerve pain and I started to worry. About halfway, I switched to breaststroke, and was still pushed toward the group's destination pretty quickly with the current. Going slowly, I was doing okay, but I started to worry about how I'd be able to swim back upstream to the car. It was only a mile, but once nerve pain starts, it's potentially weeks of not being able to breathe deeply, sleep on my side, and general discomfort.
We got to the Duckworth Dock and there were so many people hanging out and enjoying the water. A few called out "Quack Quack" and asked about the duck. The music and ambiance was fantastic, and I decided to get out at the dock, rather than starting the return journey with the pod.
Thankfully, I had packed all of my critical items in Otis, my Quackpacker, and had sunblock, shoes, and a towel with me in my dry bag backpack. I had some water and snacks as well. I was able to pack up all my items, sunblock myself, have a little sugary pick-me-up, and start walking back to the car.
If I hadn't brought my shoes, I wouldn't have made it. In Portland, there are a lot of displaced folks living on the banks of the river. There's a lot of trash, debris, and body fluids on most sidewalks and bike paths, which is the path I had to walk to return to the car. It was also 86 degrees when I got out of the water, and the esplanade path is paved with black concrete, which was extremely warm. There are also a couple metal segments, which would have been scalding on bare feet. I also would have been so sunburnt had I not brought my sunblock and towel. I usually bring a full change of clothes, but forgot those in the back of my car in my haste to meet up with the pod.
Could I have swam back? Probably. But that would mean I'd be back on muscle relaxers, limited movement, and unnecessary suffering. Given I had the means to walk back and minimize long-term consequences, I'm glad I had the choice between swimming and walking. Could I have called a cab or Lyft? Actually, no. This specific dock is truly inaccessible by any motor vehicles. I would have had to walk almost all the way back to my car to get a ride.
I always bring all "backup plan" essentials in my Quackpacker for each swim, even such a social/short one. Yesterday, it paid off. I had a lovely stroll back to the car, and felt really proud of myself for making the right call. Although all my ducklings are my favorite, the OG-size Quackpacker will always be my favorite size, given my propensity to pack so much out of caution.
Thanks, Otis, for saving the day!
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