Anybody else feel alive after going for a swim?

I know my American friends are shocked by this question. Their like: "Of course you feel alive when you come out the water Thevy. Your Australian. There are at least 6 things that could kill you when you go for a swim." But whatever.
The water has never scared me even when I was little and didn't know how to swim. It was about the second time Dad had broken his toe jumping in after me. That he decided. 'Why the hell am I doing this for? I have 5 other perfectly normal children...'
I'm not making this up.

I was 8 years old when I fell off the Thevenard Wharf. We were riding our bikes, my brothers were racing ahead, Dad told me to stay behind as he took chase of them. I laughed at the sight, lost control and everything got dark, wet, and freezing.
I could hear a panic yell above me. This kid, Danny, had seen me go over and thought I died. Dad showed up 2 seconds later and burst out laughing. Danny took a step back from him.
"Can you swim?" Dad yelled.
"Yes," I said.
"Good cause I'm not jumping in after you!" (I forgot to mention this was in Winter.) He saw me struggling and then realized I was still holding onto my bike. Told me to let it go and swim to the stairs. Then he said "Is it cold down there?"
"Not when you get used to it" I gurgled.