Sink or swim, those are not the only two options.

I choose to stay afloat by bailing. The water leaks into the base of the ship, but I think I can do this. 

It might be easier to patch the hole, but there's already so much water in here.

There's no time to patch the hole. Even if it'll just take a second, I need to focus on the 

water.

Sink or swim, those are not the only two options.

I can try to stay afloat by bailing.The water leaks into the base of the ship at an alarming rate, but I think I can do this.

The neglected hole has broken open more, and more water leaks into the base of the ship. No time to pay attention to that, there's already so much water in here.

As the boat slowly goes down
I wonder why
I didn't
patch
the hole
in
the
first

place.

Sink or swim. I guess they were right.