But then the next thing I knew, I was off-balance, stepping backward, and then water was over my head. I had a quick freakout moment that I was in the water and “was I going to be ok?” I truly don’t know exactly what happened when I fell, but now I had the task of trying to collect myself and get back on. I grabbed the paddle, plopped it on the board, and tried to conjure up a plan to get back on.