It is time once again for the Write ... Edit ... Publish - February Bloghop: In too Deep ....
They had talked about this hike for weeks ... now the day
was here - was she ready? She
had no choice she'd committed herself.
The chitter-chatter with friends standing in the Wynberg, Cape Town drive-way
making those early plans, she listened intently, worryingly at times, but asked
one final question - after the others had left - that jump or dive into the
canyon, as the river plunged down ... how far would that be?
She didn't much like swimming, even less jumping into water
... the answer didn't allay her worries ... 'about
from the top of that tree - a huge ancient oak' - her heart sank ... that
was some height - it can't be true can it ... now was the time to find out, the day
had arrived.
Pick up at 6.00 am ... a light back-pack with lunch and
drinks ready ... and off they set. There would be 25 or so ... a few cars all
met up at the designated parking area in the Hottentot Hollands Mountains.
They drove up into Elgin, the apple centre of South Africa,
a lush, verdant part of the Cape, surrounded by mountains.
The beautiful sunny South African day ... clear sunshine,
beautiful views, warm but not hot - ideal for walking - it augured well. They all gathered, introduced themselves and
set off ...
Across the low veld
up into the higher reaches of the Nature Reserve ... she looked around her, at
the new vistas and landscapes, the different grasses and bright wild-flowers
... just loving the feel of the area.
Out onto the plateau above ... where the babbling stream was
gently easing its way across its rocky base ... peaceful quietude reigned,
soaring birds of prey were pointed out ... the sun beat down, a cooling wind
blew ... a lovely place for a picnic stop.
She could see just landscape with the gently sprawling river
bed tingling its way along its own path ... nothing to interrupt the view.
Lunch was over, back-packs on, to now potter down the
stream-side ... the lower they went, the darker it was becoming ... suddenly
the stream 'fell over' a small mossy,
slimy waterfall ... about twelve feet - not far ... yet she realised there was
no way back.
Onwards with more small gashes as the river had started to
cut back ... the trees, that had only been apparent as a dark patch in the
distance as she'd look out across the landscape, came ever closer.
Down they clambered, chatting away ... she went along
listening to the babble of water, as too the voices ... down and down into a
cavern of trees - the river pushing forward, faster and faster as it tumbled
along.
Suddenly all was distinctly darker ... the sun shone way
above - it was colder ... there was an enormous black space ahead ... the
trees continued on, yet the river disappeared ...
Everyone gathered, some just jumped, she watched as others chucked their back-packs over ... the group got smaller as people disappeared ...
Now she was worried - this was really the situation she'd
been dreading ... she edged closer - but no ways was she going to jump - yet
what choice did she have ...
She did see people swimming away along the long length of
the canyon ... others treading water below, having made the jump - a few like
her, were standing very dubiously on the edge - plucking up courage.
One after the other they leapt off ... she watched them, and
saw them come up ... yet she had to jump - or be pushed ... could she summon up
courage ... because that's what it would take.
 |
Not to be recommended ... ours was straight down:
this pool, I gather c/o Philalephia Magazine,
is exceedingly dangerous and they were recording
serious incidents in the area known as Devil's Pool
c/o Philadelphia Magazine |
Horrors of jumping ... and it was 'miles down' ... she was really worried - fear abounded, her heart pumped ...
People were patient - eventually, eventually after talking
and worrying, she did go or that push would have happened ...
She'd been told to keep her legs together, she plunged ... splodge,
splish, splash, the chilly water encased her ... down and down she went - her
lungs weren't used to this ... she was still with it - she remembered they'd
said she'd come up ... but this was too much ... down and down ... chest pains
... down and down ...hurting, bursting ... in too deep ...?
For other entries see below ... and please join us!
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
