Big Bad Wave

Have you ever have one of those terrible experiences that change the view you have of something? Well, I sure have. Don´t really know what brought me to relive this moment, but it keeps coming into my head every so often that I thought I´d share it with you.
It was way back in 1997, around this time of year...maybe that´s what brought this memory forward. We had been living in Vancouver from September 1994 to July 1997, and as we (my family and me) were bound to go back to Chile, we started our summer vacations on Maui, Hawaii. We were in this nice little condo with its own pool...and well, a barbeque to share with your neighbors. And we had to take a short walk to the peaceful and warm beach. That was okay, I guess, but nothing made me change my mind more than my big bad experience in another beach.
I remembered we took all our stuff: the towels, the swimming suits, something to eat and drink and we drove to this nice little beach a few miles from where we were staying. I noticed that, as we walked towards the beach, this sign that said to watch out for stinging jellyfish, and I knew how bad it could be. What I don´t actually remember if it said anything about sharks....but that´s not the main point to this story.
So, anyway, I thought it was time to hit the water and swim peacefully and I said to one of my sisters that it was okay to come in and I was just enjoying that sentence and I just happened to look back and I see this wave coming towards us.
And it wasn´t a small one, like I thought it was. It just kept on growing and growing and I desperately tried to swim and get over it, but it was too late; before I knew it, the Big Bad Wave had hit me and I was going underwater. I could smell the salty water on my throat as I tried to move towards the surface, and a second wave hit me again and I finally caught a break when I was very close to the shore.
As I got up, I was so scared!!! I mean, I had been hit by waves before, but somehow things turned out well and I was able to move past it, and it was not going to be the case this time. And then, I was so angry...Where was the sign that said that it was a surfing beach!!!!
My little sisters couldn´t even stay near the shore because the waves hit fiercely. We stayed the rest of the day, but when I went into the water, I just threw the salty water with my hands over my body...I couldn´t just swim like before.
I never felt the same way about the ocean, I started to respect it more. I mean, no more swimming above the first wave... I called it the "chocolate wave" because it´s the closest one to the shore and it brings with it the sand from the ocean floor (don´t know how they may call this wave in other parts of the world) and it is safe to say that the only water I have been able to enjoy ever since it´s the calm water of the Caribbean and the lakes. When it comes to the ocean, I try not to go alone, and if I do, I go to the places where I can see a handful of people nearby and I have a nice, clear view of the shore. Don´t mind if there are too many kids around, or other people swimming by, I just want to be able to enjoy the water and swim whenever I get the chance.
Got any stories like this one? Love if you could share some of your experiences with me.