I am not a pilot but a prospective student,
From my point of view i would be more then happy to be your student. If i were the student sitting beside you the helicopter loosing power (which i could probibly cope with, you turning and heading out to the ocean would scare the crap out of me.
Im a good swimmer but i dont think i could swim that far with the added stress of a first time engine failure and ditching in the ocean.
I would rather put my faith in you to do an auto away from the wind and have less chance of drowning.
Also, where this happend.. it doesnt happen to be florida or near does it?