either: it comes down very close to you, so the lightning will probably go through your head and fry you or: it comes down some distance away and dissipates rather quickly. salt water is probably even more conductive than your body, so the current might even flow right around you. read more
Lightning is a rapid discharge of electrical energy in the atmosphere. Each spark can span over five miles in length, reach temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun and contain 100 million volts of electricity. read more