Fun on the Water

 

Hey Guys, 

    I spent the weekend with my family- well some of my family anyway. Two of my sisters, my dad, a family friend, one of my cousins, and I went tubing down the Green River in Saluda, NC. This was my first time ever going and I was excited. I love being outside but don't do anything recreational like this often enough. Usually, I'm at home and working with the animals. And not only was I getting out and having fun but I was trying something new! 

    But in my haste, though, I forgot two necessary items- my EpiPen and proper footwear. The first one was just plain risky. I am allergic to bees and am supposed to take it with me everywhere I go but I left it at home instead. I could blame it on the ADHD, the fact that I am blonde, or because I was running late. And all of these are true but I honestly just didn't think about them until I was already floating down the river. Now for the footwear, I chose to pack a flimsy pair of flip-flops. Why you may ask? Because they had glitter straps and I wanted to bring the glitter. Yes, I left my perfectly sensible Chaco sandals that are meant for getting wet and being in the woods right by the door because I was distracted by something shiny. 

Just to give an idea of what I should have worn
Click here if you want to check them out Paid Link).

    On the way to the river, I was so excited that I talked my sister's ear off which is usually her job. We both just laughed it off as she drove down the mountain on this zigzag road with some really sharp turns. We get to the check-in point and it s not even noon yet and it was already 90 degrees outside. We all lathered up in sunscreen. Me, I put on three layers!!! I am really pale and after a really bad burn from going to a country music festival I didn't want to risk another one. We signed the waiver and waited for the bus to take us and our tubes to the drop-off point under the blazing sun. I was drenched in sweat long before it was my turn to get on the bus. but what can you do? This heat wave is brutal for everyone. 

    Finally, we get on the water and it was no lazy river. Oh no, the current was swift moving and there were definitely a few rapids. My first clue should have been the kayakers coming out of the water that had on hard hats. But, being me, I shrugged it off and hurried to get in the water, and oh man was it COLD. After a few minutes of floating with my family, I realized I got in the tube backward. Did you know that was possible? Because I didn't and was definitely going to flip over soon, I brilliantly tried to twist around in the inner tube to prevent it from tipping over. However, this only sped up the inevitable- I tipped over. 

    Do you remember me mentioning the water was no lazy river? Well, I got dragged by the current and even though the water was shallow it was rather difficult to keep my head above water because I could get my feet under me. And remember those flimsy flip-flops? Yeah, they were completely gone at this point, and the least of my worries. I did have enough sense and water safety recall to grab my tube and get my head and arms through to make sure I didn't drown but, my bottom half was still at the mercy of the river. It was scraping against every rock and the current was so strong I could not stand.

    It felt like an eternity before the river opened up and the water slowed enough for me to grab my feet. And I'm not going to lie, if it wasn't for my Dad I don't think I could've ever made it to my feet. I was so tense and sore already from trying to fight the water that I didn't have much strength left. And we had just started the trip! Thankfully, after the reminder that I need to get in shape nothing too strenuous happened for the rest of the way... at least not to me. 

    When my Dad and I were able to catch up with the rest of our group the greatest thing happened. Our family friend was able to find and get ahold of not one but both of my shoes! I felt like I had won the lottery it was such an amazing feeling to see those shiny flimsy flip-flops again. I thought I was going to have to walk barefoot back to the car but not anymore! I tied them suckers to my tube and made sure to not lose them again. Keeping them together after that was easy.

     But keeping a group of six together was pretty much impossible. There were obstacles like rocks and branches to move around as well as making sure we took the right way when the river path forked and branched out. At one point, both my sisters and my cousin weren't able to make the correction needed to float down the right path and when they were trying to get back in the right direction one of my sisters had a bee fly into her bathing suit and sting her. Fortunately, she wasn't allergic so no danger there but any bee sting hurts so bad it's not going to be forgotten anytime soon.

    Our trip ended soon after my other sister jumped out of her tube to avoid a water snake that was crossing the river. She screamed so loud it was hilarious until the rest of us saw the snake too. But the snake was harmless and no one was hurt. 

Photo Credit goes to our family friend.

    Once we got out of the water and our tubes were returned. We enjoyed some great BBQ at Green River BBQ. I've been there before and the place didn't disappoint. However, with the going green movement to save turtles and limit plastics going to landfills they stopped keeping straws of any kind in stock (i.e. paper, or selling reusable straws). As much as I would like to help save the planet and the turtles they didn't take into consideration that some people have facial deformities or nerve damage or any other form of disability that makes straws a necessity for some people to drink without making a mess. We made good use of my sister's stash of extra straws in her car though. It was a moment that proved keeping extra straws stashed in your car does come in handy. Or to always have a reusable straw on hand instead of expecting a restaurant to supply straws, I'm not sure which one was the lesson there, maybe both?

    It was a long and eventful from getting dragged by the current, losing AND finding my shoes in the river, fighting bees, and running from snakes. Lots of memories were made this past weekend I loved every minute. Even as I type this bruised and sunburnt I'm smiling remembering how much fun I had. That's the thing about getting out and trying new things. It's an adventure and things don't always go according to plan but in the end, you'll remember the fun you had and laugh at the memories you made. 

Water pictures are of the Catawba River near my home. I did not risk my phone for photos going down the Green river.