Serious question: why didn't we evolve a more effective instinctive drowning response than the one we currently have? For instance I learned how to tread water the first or second time I entered a pool and cannot remember a time when I would drown if placed in deep water, even though I took a long time to learn how to swim.
that's a good question. in my experience drowning often looks like a person standing straight up and down with their legs straight and still and their arms reached out wide to their sides. head tilted back to try and get their mouth above the surface. they kind of look like they are trying to fly to up to bird mom for a bite of food.
its ridiculous looking and absolutely terrible as a self preservation technique.
i'd be willing to bet if many people trying to save themselves kicked their legs a couple times they'd have a much better chance at survival on their own. but they don't, they forget about their legs and try to fly.
one guy i jumped in after went about a foot or two under water, stretched his arms out and flapped them up and down. his down stroke was never enough to bring his head above the water and his up stroke was enough to undo the little his down stroke did. he looked like a fishing bobber bouncing up and down under the surface as a fish nibbled off the bait. i had been watching that particular guy as he waited in line for a diving board, got to the front of the line, climbed up the couple steps, looked around then got back down. he did that 2 or 3 times before he got the courage to actually jump. when i noticed him doing it i did a quick chirp over to the guard in the boat and gave him a sign that signaled i was watching someone and would likely be going in after them.
