>>9567188Bro, I know how you feel. I'm terrified of open water, yet I still go in it (after a few minutes of mentally pumping myself up).
Last year, I was waiting to take a wave in to shore, and I saw a dark clump in the water about 20 feet away from me. I briefly panicked and pulled both arms and legs out of the water and onto my board, until I realized that it was just fucking seaweed. This happens all the time for me. Even worse is when the dolphins come in close to shore near the guys waiting for a wave. They're gentle and couldn't hurt us if they tried, but when I look at them all I see is strange fins and dark shapes flitting in the water all around me. Of course my imagination runs away and I think I'm about to die.