Stuck in the Current
“But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.’ ” - Mark 10:27 Splash! My body sliced into the creek. At first it didn't register; then I felt the icy water clawing me downstream. Relaxing for a moment, I let myself drift. Then, the lack of air drove me to the surface and the full force of the current slammed into me. Angling my body upstream, I whipped my arms and legs into a front crawl. Even with all my energy pressed into the stroke, I made only minimal headway. Noting this, I turned myself toward the opposite side of the river. In this way, I progressed to the creekside without gaining any ground. Reaching the wall, I lifted myself out, shaking from exertion. I looked back. The water looked ever so calm. And yet, when I immersed, it became an intensely controlling monster, throwing me wherever it wanted.
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I steeled myself for the drop and jumped out. The 35 foot dive was gone in half a second and I was back in the water. This time I knew I could make it. I must scale the rapids. I knew that I could. I spun into position and pulled myself forwards. The rumble of the crashing falls grew more intense. My lungs burned. Closer. My shoulders seared in pain. I glanced at the last fall of the rapids, that was now within a yard’s length. Gulping for a breath, I ducked below and surfaced into the dictatorial cascade of water. Reaching up, I felt the rocks for handholds. Finally, my fingers slipped into a crevasse and I latched on. Wrenching myself up the rocks, I steadied myself in the cataract. I painstakingly inched my way up the rapids. Almost to the top, and the rock I was standing on spun out from under me, flipping me lower into the rapids. Drained of all my energy, I turned over onto my chest and guided myself back down the drop. Swimming to to the rocks, I and pulled myself out,
I smiled to myself and decided that I would go join in. With that, I took a huge deep breath and jumped into the salty water. The water was cool and refreshing; I felt it slide through my hair making it sway in the water. I swam deeper and deeper into the deep blue water. Sunlight streamed through it, lighting up the water around me turning it to gold. I kicked harder and I felt my muscles surge with strength and I pushed further. My lunges began to burn for the need of oxygen, but I refused to go up. I repeatedly told myself just a little bit longer. Until I was unable to proceed anymore without more air in my lungs, I swam to the top of the water taking a huge breaths, filling my lungs with air. I could then taste the salty water as it ran down my face and dripped over my lips. Just then I thought, I will never forget this moment, this place, or the experiences I felt while visiting
Forty hands shot up pointing towards the bottom of the old twisty slide following the long dreadful whistle no one ever wants to hear. Two other lifeguards and I jumped up off the shaded break bench and rushed towards the scene with the heavy backboard and AED bag in hand. The routine save played like a movie through my head as I arrived. I stopped. I knew from there on out this wasn't going to be emotionally an easy save. It wasn't a child who swallowed too much water or an adult who got nervous because they forgot how to swim, it was a fellow lifeguard, a friend.
Looking into the opening from the top of the waterfall makes me feel excited, exhilarated, thrilled, it’s incredible. But on top of that I also feel worried. Worried because there’s always a chance of slipping on the canyon walls that have been smoothed by the tumbling water for who knows how long. And what if I fell? How would I get back up, if I broke my arm or leg I couldn’t very well finish the climbing down. There’s a chance that my friend or the guide with me could help me finish, but not a good chance.
My sweat soaked shirt was clinging to my throbbing sunburn, and the salty droplets scalded my tender skin. “I need this water,” I reminded myself when my head started to fill with terrifying thoughts of me passing out on this ledge. I had never been so relieved to see this glistening, blissful water. As inviting as the water looked, the heat wasn't the only thing making my head spin anymore. Not only was the drop a horrifying thought, but I could see the rocks through the surface of the water and couldn't push aside the repeating notion of my body bouncing off them when I hit the bottom. I needed to make the decision to jump, and fast. Standing at the top of the cliff, it was as if I could reach out and poke the searing sun. Sweat dripped from my forehead, down my nose, and on its way to my dry, cracked lips which I licked to find a salty droplet. My shirt, soaked with perspiration, was now on the ground as I debated my
As I inched my way toward the cliff, my legs were shaking uncontrollably. I could feel the coldness of the rock beneath my feet when my toes curled around the edge in one last futile attempt at survival. My heart was racing like a trapped bird, desperate to escape. Gazing down the sheer drop, I nearly fainted; my entire life flashed before my eyes. I could hear stones breaking free and fiercely tumbling down the hillside, plummeting into the dark abyss of the forbidding black water. The trees began to rapidly close in around me in a suffocating clench, and the piercing screams from my friends did little to ease the pain. The cool breeze felt like needles upon my bare skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps. The threatening mountains surrounding me seemed to grow more sinister with each passing moment, I felt myself fighting for air. The hot summer sun began to blacken while misty clouds loomed overhead. Trembling with anxiety, I shut my eyes, murmuring one last pathetic prayer. I gathered my last breath, hoping it would last a lifetime, took a step back and plun...
Without delay, I sunk right back in the water. My doubts began coming back to me, making me realize I might of been over my head on this one, but I persisted. I reached surface again and began swimming towards the rightmost shore. It wasn’t the best journey, as I kept bobbing in and out of the water, but I managed to reach the shore. The moment I got stood back on my own feet I stood back on them as a new man; I enjoyed the danger I just experienced, besides drinking a hefty amount of lake
...ove the ground, I yanked down on the parachute control straps with all of my strength. The parachute got more air, and I slowed, almost to a standstill, and gently touched the ground. As my feet touched the Earth, I went into my roll and then stood back up. No broken bones or bruises.
I feel water hitting my arms, and I begin to realize that I am crying profusely. A thought crosses into my mind telling me to jump. I am faced with the decision to follow my captivator into the unknown or take the jump to immediate death. With tears rushing down my rosy cheeks I jump. For the first time my body responds to my wishes and I am falling.
On my second dive, I yanked the w-shaped anchor from the sand, as if it was a trap door. After that, I propelled my way up to about four inches underneath the surface of the water. Suddenly I started to run out of breath, so I lobbed the 40-pound w-shaped anchor through the water towards the shore. When I reached the surface, I was gasping for air, trying to catch my breath, like a dog after a run on a hot
I flailed under the water, it was completely dark and very deep, the current attempting to pull me with it but pushing my arms up I felt my kayak and I was under it. Quickly as I could I swam to the side, breached the surface of the water and gasped for breath. The boat had tipped over under the dock and that’s why it was so dark. I then pushed the kayak out from under the dock and flipped it
Suddenly, I just felt the wave pick me up. Thats when I popped up and had to make a choice. I could’ve either gone straight to the bottom and make a big bottom turn or I could’ve taken a higher line. Because this wave was as fast as it was, I chose to stay up on the higher line so I didn’t make a bottom turn, get caught outside, and blow the whole
As I become comfortable with this finitude, I become comfortable with my mortality and with all my limitations. Gradually, I begin to float. As the splashing of my youth subsides I perceive that I have been swimming against a current. Paradoxically, it is only when I relax and accept my place in the river that I begin to make progress. Even now the river is sweeping me into new vistas.
Vines weaved their way down from the trees that towered from on top of the rocks. We decided to take off and climb down towards the water pool.
...e became more and more overcome with suspense and anticipation. Before we plunged to the bottom, we noticed a kayak broken in two pieces. It had been caused by a collision with a boulder, at the bottom of the fall. We were scared to death, because we thought we would hit it and flip over. However, with the help of our fast-thinking and skillful guide, we were able to make it down the fall safely. All the action was over, so we let out a sigh of relief and allowed our nerves to relax.
The lonely empty silence is overpowered by a wall of foam rushing towards me. Wheels of sand are churning beneath my feet. My golden locks are flattened and hunched over my head to form a thick curtain over my eyes. Light ripples are printed against my olive stomach as the sun beams through the oceans unsteadiness. I look below me and can’t see where the sand bank ends; I look above and realize it’s a long way to the top. Don’t panic Kate, you’ll get through this. I try to paddle to the top but am halted by something severely weighing me down- My board. That’s what got me in this mess in the first place. I can see the floral pattern peeping through the sand that is rapidly crawling over it. I quickly rip apart the Velcro of my foot strap and watch my board float to the surface effortlessly as I attempt climbing through the water to reach the surface. The fin of my board becomes more visible to me as I ascend. Finally, an alleviating sensation blasts through my mouth.