It’s a strange summer. It rains again and again, and when it does, it’s torrential. It feels more like a deluge than normal rain. It cools down, pours buckets, causes a lot of damage, and then it’s unbearably hot again, over 30 degrees. Changes within a short period. Action-packed weather, far from cozy.

It is August 1st, the national holiday in Switzerland. The weather forecast is lousy and unreliable, but it says it will rain. Unfortunately, it’s unclear when exactly. Since the sun is shining in the morning, I decide to go swimming. The forecasts make it clear that it will rain in the evening. So, I have at least a good chance to enjoy swimming in the warm lake. I get ready quickly. Put on my swimsuit, pack sunglasses, swim buoy, towel, and underwear, throw on a loose dress, and off I go. On my scooter, I’m at the lake in a few minutes. A few solitary swimmers are in the protected swimming area, but otherwise, it’s empty and very quiet at 9 a.m. I inflate my swim buoy, and off I go. The weather is sunny, but the lake is already choppy, and black clouds can be seen in the distance behind Mount Rigi. I start swimming and enjoy every stroke of my arms and legs, the warm water, the atmosphere. The waves get bigger, and swimming becomes more strenuous. My body is signaling me. It takes more strength. It becomes clear that the distance I planned to swim is not feasible under these conditions. I need to stay closer to the shore and probably get out of the water sooner. A storm might be coming, although the warning lights aren’t flashing, but the sky is pretty clear in predicting a thunderstorm. I fight through the waves and reach the shore without any problems. To my surprise, I notice a boat that went out in these waves, but I don’t pay it much attention; they must know what they’re doing.

I take a quick shower, dry off only superficially, take off my wet swimsuit, and put on the dress. All within just a few minutes. It’s not raining yet, but you can smell the moisture in the air. I get on my scooter and head off, hoping to be home before the heavy rain starts. I’m a bit disappointed; I would have liked to stay in the water longer. The water was so pleasantly warm, and swimming felt like meditation and relaxation in one. I’m not arrogant and respect the whims of nature. I have no desire to find out what it’s like to swim in the water when there’s lightning nearby. Then I see the boat drifting aimlessly through the waves and wind towards the shore. It’s obvious that the two people can’t control the boat. If it crashes into the concrete shore, damage is very likely. I call out to them: “Do you need help?” They answer quickly: “Yes, we need help.” I call back: “How can I help?” The answer is prosaic: “We don’t know.”

I think. I have to help prevent that slender, long boat from crashing into the shore. But four long oars are sticking out of the boat; the two closest to the shore must be removed first. The two rowers pull in the two oars, and I can take them and place them on the shore. However, the oars had stabilized the boat, and now the boat is tipping. But at least towards the shore. One side quickly fills with water. The rower is ready to climb out of the boat. I lie down on my stomach because the water level and the boat are below the edge of the shore, and that’s the only way I can reach it. The two rowers decide that the woman should climb out first. There’s no step or ladder nearby, and she has to climb up the concrete wall from the water. She can easily reach the edge of the shore with her arms, but she can’t pull herself up alone. She’s quite tall and either already exhausted or has little strength in her arms, and I have no chance of pulling her up on my own. Far and wide on the central lakeshore, there’s no one in sight, except I notice a jogger further away and call out to him. He understands and runs to the shore. The woman has gathered strength, and we manage to help her climb up. Lifting the boat also requires a lot of strength, as the waves are powerful, and the boat is just a small toy for them.

We pull the boat up. Actually, we should first empty the water, because it’s incredibly heavy, but somehow the four of us manage. We carry the boat across the promenade onto the grass. The two rescued rowers thank us. It was a successful action. The boat is undamaged, and no one was harmed. The jogger continues his run. I get on my scooter and ride home in the rain, dirty and wet like a sparrow. The lake is raging, and the waves are crashing onto the land, spreading out and eventually forming small ponds. August 1st in a different way. I got my dose of adrenaline. Today, I don’t need fireworks or water shows.

Long live Switzerland!