Lauren Elicks

Personal Narrative

Ms. Gokturk- Comp. 18

The water was freezing. It was probably like thirty-three degrees, at most. It

really was. From the second I took my foot off that rock and stepped into that water, I

thought my toe would fall off right there, just get so cold it couldn't take it and fall off. I

tried to push the thought of coldness out of my mind. I pushed my kayak up along side

Nikki's. After exchanging some nervous glances and smiles, I sat into my kayak, and

prepared myself. The excitement of what I was about to do began to hit me full blast. I

really didn't expect myself to get that nervous, but I began to find myself with butterflies

in my stomach and myself shaking and biting my lips. I can really overreact

sometimes. Anyway, the next thing I knew we were pushing ourselves off the shore

and into the freezing and turbulent waters of the Cheat and Narrow River. I could feel

my blood rushing, and my heart beating. As we went through the first set of rapids, all I

could do was repeat to myself, stay in control, paddle hard, stay in control. Boy was I

nervous, I was terribly afraid to flip. I knew that one of our instructors would rescue my

eventually but I still was afraid that I would flip and just have to wait, curled up under

my boat, holding my breath and wait, for someone to come and flip me. That just really

terrified me. But I didn't even have time to think about it for a while, before we

approached another rapid. Splash- right through the gigantic charging waves. There

must have been thousands of them, most if them at least five feet tall, just constantly

exploding in your face. I kept paddling hard trying to push my way through them all the

while getting more and more excited. Behind my I heard Nikki just constantly saying, "

Oh God, Oh God, what the hell is going on, I can't do this anymore, when is it going to

be over!" Now I have to admit that I was also scared out of my wits, but it really bugs

me when people constantly complaining. Even after we burst out of the white water,

and were sailing along a tranquil part of the river, she was still complaining about how

she couldn't go on. She just wouldn't shut up, I mean, there is only so much a person

can take. After a while I just turned around and said " You know what Nikki, we're here

and we're doing it so deal with it and get over it." That shut her up for a while but within

fifteen minuets she was back to complaining, what a pain. We continued for a couple

more hours going through some more difficult white water areas. All the while waiting

for myself to flip. The last rapid is coming up, and I prepare myself for the end of our

trip. I crash through the water and I can see this little waterfall drop that marks the end

of the rapid. I start to paddle hard and then, crash! All of a sudden my kayak is stuck

between a large rock and a tree truck. My boat is half in the water half out. I struggle

for a hold on the rock with both hands to keep myself up. It feels like an hour, and no

one has come to get me yet. I see the helpless faces of my friend's stare back and

they charge pass me. My grip begins to slip and I can feel my body sinking into the

water. My boat completely flips and is upside down. I refuse to be stuck underneath

my boat helpless, and waiting to be saved. I can't let myself go under and all of a

sudden I'm doggy paddling to keep my head above the water. It feels as if another hour

has already passed and finally I feel my boat being turned around. I'm all of a sudden

right side up. Going down the rest of the rapid with an instructor. I'm not stuck under

the boat, I'm not holding my breath, and I'm not waiting for someone else. It was scary

as hell but at least I had been able to help myself.