Ocean's Pull

Today I went out to North Beach Island in Chatham with friends who have a camp there. It was one of those changeable Cape days; the kind that keeps you guessing.....foggy haze rolls in one minute, burns off the next, then diamond glints as the sun begins to lower a bit. In a word, magic. As we walked out to the " new cut " I noticed a sweet low tide pool that called to me. There were a few people frolicking in the waves and the bobbing looked too good to pass up. I tried to entice my friend into the water but she passed. Venturing out into the water; I jumped the waves, floated, and bobbed blissfully. Luckily I never went further than my chest. Suddenly I realized the undertow was significant With every step I made in it was pulling me out. I realized the undertow was more than I bargained for. Luckily I was able to touch, dig in and brace myself against the tide. The force of the ocean pulling me out was alarming. I am a strong swimmer but I knew I needed to dig my feet in and head toward shore with all I had in me. When I got through the scary zone I told my friend about my "moment of terror". She had been caught in a rip tide at age 18 and knew what I was talking about. This was my second scare of the summer and it made me wonder, is the ocean getting stronger or am I getting weaker? I think wisdom is prevailing.