Man shares how Float to Live technique saved his life

As part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's Float to Live campaign, Michael Whiteley shares how the technique saved his life.

Credit: Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Video transcript

7.

45 8th of January.

And, uh, I was out with a friend.

Uh, we were for a morning swim.

We do it quite a lot.

And, uh, it it was a little bit rough, but we were treading water because it's a bit rocky under foot, and we got out of our depth, and, uh, and Adam got back in, but but But I couldn't get back in, and it was extremely scary.

You just You just can't imagine how you feel when you're in that situation.

I I tried.

I tried to swim back to shore.

Uh, and I'm I'm I'm I'm a pretty strong swimmer.

Uh, front crawl, and I just wasn't making any progress.

And, uh, that's the time I thought I, I I'm in trouble here.

I shouted and waved to, uh, my friend, um, and said I'm in trouble.

Uh, and then it kicked back the the the training we had in Scarborough, um, back in October last year and I I pictured float to live for the, uh, starfish position.

I thought my best hope is to try and get in safe, safe position and wait for the RNL I to come and get me