The River

I want to share the following event. Some moments in life are so joyful that
they have to be shared.

“We’re going down the river”. The text triggered both excitement and anxiety. I was excited to kayak the river again. I was anxious because it would be the first time going down the river since my neck and spine surgery last December. I had already kayaked a few times but the river demands a stronger skill set due to the current and the sudden appearance of obstacles in the river. Although it had rained hard a few days ago, the river level was dropping fast, so staying very alert is required.

As I dragged the kayak down a path to the river, I could hear the rushing water. My anxiety level rose. Then, I could see the turbulence in the river which did nothing to calm me. I asked my partner if they felt nervous. She said “Every time”. That helped. Nothing to do now but get in the boat and go. I watched the others launch and followed their route through the initial turbulence. It was a very easy beginning!

What followed was six hours of breathtaking beauty mixed with a few moments of terror while almost capsizing twice. The weather was perfect. The water was fantastic. There were many salmon jumping out of the water. One huge salmon just barely missed my boat, splashing me as it swerved to avoid hitting me! Salmon were spawning, there were many Bald Eagles around. A Merganser duck herded their babies quietly past us. A natural world spread before me in all it’s power and beauty.

By the end of the trip I was both tired and completely saturated with the beauty of the river.My performance was good. I was a good sport, which used to be difficult at times. My maturation was reflected in my social behaviour and it felt really good. A magical magnificent day.