Escape the Okie Zone

We go off about every 30 secs with some swimmers starting as early as 2 to 5 minutes....we swim out past the last breaker....there are often several sets of waves that we have to swim past unless we able to catch the rip current that escalates us out to the sea past the waves and calmer waters...I stay calm in the middle of the race while passing each of the buoys...I see others along with me in the waters and then past the second buoy floating in the waves...I mistakenly swim a little further down the current while I see a lady pass me on the left about 10 meters while I wait for some good waves. I don't stay calm ... a wave overtakes me and churns me around in the turbulence while I struggle to reach for a breath....then I am fighting against the current until I finally catch a wave sometimes swimming on my back to keep an eye on the ever coming waves... I stumble in at 11 minutes with a couple veteran ladies
coming in a few seconds ahead of me!