My first sea swim

I went for my first sea swim on Friday and it was awful. Nothing I have done so far prepared my for this. Whoever named it the "sea" was mistaken - I could "see" nothing but waves. I had no sense of direction whatsoever, at one stage, when I thought I was swimming along the shore, I was actually swimming out to sea, when I stopped to look around to get my bearings there was a great ship a few hundred yards away. The tide was going out and taking me with it. This was a humbling experience and I have learnt a few lessons that I would like to pass on.
1. Don't panic.
2. Learn to breath comfortably on both sides and then always breath towards the shore. That way the waves break across the back of your head and not in your mouth.
3. You need to take a much longer, slower stroke with much more emphasise on body roll, than you do in a pool or lake. Once I got used to it I found the best position was gliding half on your side, half on your back, superman style, with the underneath arm stretched out in front and the top arm stretched out along my thigh. Then to take a long pull and switch sides.
4. Don't panic.

Lots of the triathlons in my neck of the woods are in the sea off of the south coast of England so I've got a lot of practising to do.

Tina