Posted by kat on December 22, 2001 at 23:14:51:
In Reply to: Re: blackwater thoughts posted by john on December 19, 2001 at 06:18:32:
john, your story reminded me of some of my own diving expereinces (there were very few) in murky water. One of my favorites is in Catfish hole up in Crystal River. It was so silty you could not see a thing until you got down about 15 feet and then you swim down to the bottom about 30 ft and you figure out why they call it "Catfish Hole" lots of 'em! I just sat down there looking at those bottom feeders, it was so peaceful, I had this sense they were all just staring back at me and waiting for me to leave!
: Thank you both. Honestly this is the first thing I've been able to write and finish outside of work for about a year. I've been wanting to do more nonfiction. I love the classic nature writings. They seem to perfectly combine experiencial life with the best aspects of literature. I'm no longer content to sit and think up a story. I want to live it!
: : John, I liked your story too. The whole time I was recalling this dream of blackwater I had where no matter which direction you swam it was like you could never really find the surface. Even bouyancy didn't matter since it was all psychological distance and isolation. I recall seeing hints of light in certain directions but not seeing clearly in the water, and also, knowing that at least one angry plesiosaur was loose in the murky depths. i recall the feeling of giant black hell-grouper, and large dark coelocanthii stirring and prowling in the depths of dream reality and mechanical jewelfish that would move about an inch an hour, just hanging like spectres. then, lifting out of the waters of dream and diving into the waters of waking reality, I can reconfigure soft-shelled turtles with their brutal, uninvited heads turned every which way, looking for sixth graders fingers. I can visit one again the slime-shelled musk turtles with their relaxed gothic arches ready to snap into those meaty little morsels. Or the loggerhead we stole from the Ichnetucknee. Then there are those alligator snapping turtles which caused me to go tubing with a mask on. I used to go to the bottom, here we have left black-water, but we still have potential run-ins w turtles. At one point as I was passing a rather large, but not very exciting stump, suddenly, emerging from the hollow of it's rotted inside, there came a huge black garfish, which looked rather curious. This was one of my most favored encounters in nature. To think that I was near such a large, sleek beauty. Wow! I only want to see some barracuda now. That would be great! Thanks for your story which was truly adventurous. I'm sure that if you were into Florida writing, the folks who read that genre would make you a local celebrity.
: : Peace, Bill
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: : : john i have to tell you i've been thinking about your story quite a bit. one of the things that strikes me is that you seem to be in very good at viewing the world with childlike eyes. i remember when i was a kid that i would get immersed in nature simply by being outside and running around. i enjoy going for a run at times, not because i'm all that into running per se, but because it connects me with the outside world. one time when i was living in atlanta i went on a run. there was this park area, a bunch of connecting paths and sidewalks around the carter center which was a few blocks from where i lived. i went running and i had not done anything like that in years. i didn't even have the right shoes or anything, it was a little bit ridiculous. but i went anyway, i had a roommate who ran all the time and i think i finally got inspired this one day to do it.
: : : i remember coming back from the run. i had been breathing very deeply and kind of feeling my breath. and there was this wall of kudzu that ran up the side of this building that was next to ours. actually it might have been a very tall fence, i can't remember its been a while. but it was completely covered in kudzu. i climbed the fire escape to get back into the building, up three floors, and the wall of kudzu was as tall as the fire escape so it was there the whole time. i was fairly close to it, but i had never been that aware of it ever. i could see every leaf moving slowly in the soft breeze, it was all undulating, dancing in a quiet harmony. the sun was just starting to go down. it was warm but beginning to just get cool. i remember thinking that i had not felt that alive since i had been a boy running around the neighborhood or trekking through the woods or playing football with the guys in someone's yard.
: : : anyway, i love your story. your description of the black water and the fellow you were helping were wonderful. thanks for sharing it.