Yup. It takes a LOT of hard work and paddling; but the feeling of accomplishment when one reaches the other side must feel tremendous! 
This morning I received a small paragraph that I think is quite relevant here: “There’s a tremendous amount of fear in people’s lives. You’re always protecting yourself. So the journey is that one has to be fearless. One has to be brave. One must break out of the world which is comfort-oriented.” ~Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche