Another day at Catalan Bay.
I had just done a 12 hour night duty in the hospital, a quick dash to my flat, a fried breakfast and then off to spend the day dozing on the beach. Never a wise approach whilst on nights…
So, having had a bottle of Rose, half a white, a few Calamaris and fries it was time for a quick doze in the sunshine.
One quick doze later – time for a dip. Another bad idea. Bottle and a half of wine and I’m in for a dip. Of I merrily (literally) paddle. Around the end of the bay, about 50 yards or so out, is a large rock. About 20 feet below the surface is an archway in this rock. Excellent. Down, I go to swim through it. Another bad idea. I go into the arch and promptly rise with my back against the jagged top of the arch – a little bit stuck. As I have mentioned before, one of my strengths is not holding my breathe, I’m bloody hopeless.
Could this be the end of Shiner (my naval nickname) then! Not, bloody likely! I manage to scramble out with a slightly cut up back for my troubles. I get back to the surface and back to the beach. It still remains a mystery to me, to this day, how I managed to get out of that little predicament.
However, a very good lesson learnt there – don’t drink and dive!
Extract from A Navy Lark – memoirs of a RN Medic