Back in April 2001 I was in a training accident off the coast of Oceanside, CA. We were about 1/2 mile out when the craft we were in capsized. I was hit in the rock called my head by the boat as it went over then drug down by the fossil of a life vest that I was wearing. When I came up I was under the boat. I dove down and kicked out then came out just to ne taken back down to bounce off a sand bar then strangled by said fossil. Then came the fun swim to shore. Not sure what happened but my left arm didn't want to work. Most of the swim was either me doing the side stroke or body surfing on the swells. The water was in the low 50s high 40s. When I got to shore my best friend had his tibia and fibula broken compound fracture what kept his leg on was 4 in of skin and his trousers blouses with a spring around his boots. He swam in on his own another Marine had several broken ribs and collapsed lung from the navigation mast. Pinning him to to a sand bar. All of this was wearing full utilities and full leather boots. Water survival training has you swimming in full combat gear: flack jacket, helmet, Load bearing vest, pack essentially full kit. You float swim, laps, and step off a raised platform.
So yes you can swim in boots. What the real issue is, is the will to survive. The drive to overcome and the refusal to be conquered. That is what you need to focus on. The human body and mind are a power to behold.
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