swimming around the rock

(obviously not this *exact* rock)

Not just any rock.

Black Rock.

Your brother has been gushing about how awesome the swim is, how beautiful the coral is.

Seeing colorful fish. Rumours of swimming with sea turtles and manta rays.

Getting to jump off a ledge on the other side.

The current just whips you all the way around- if it's going the right direction.

So after two years of listening to this, you decide to swim it with a group.

Nobody told you how deep it was. You don't like swimming in water more than 12 feet deep.

Nobody told you that the water would get blurry and you wouldn't be able to see clearly for a few minutes as you passed the part where the stream emptied into the ocean. A prime area for a shark to look for his next meal, you think to yourself and you start breathing heavier and swimming faster.

Everyone else is swimming so slowly.

You cast nervous glances to the open water on your right, waiting for something to materialize out of the calm blue.

You look up above the water to try and find out where everyone else is. They are close to the rocks. You don't like swimming that close to rocks- you don't want a wave to come and dash you against them.

Nobody told you it was this long of a swim.

You try and enjoy the scenery, but are still focused on looking out for the sharks your brain insists are just around the corner.

Everyone finally reaches the point. The water is shallower here, as the reef gradually slopes out from the rock to the floor. There are a lot more fish. You start settling down- the water not being so deep helps.

And then, you are on the other side! You give a sigh of relief. Everyone pops their head above the water.

Then somebody asks "Who's gonna jump off?" They point up to a natural platform in the rock, about fifteen to twenty feet above the water. "Absolutely not!" You are adamant.

You aren't confident enough in your climbing abilities to get up there in the first place, neither are you confident enough to climb back down after you chicken out up there.

Others jump off, and appear to have a good time. You enjoy alternating between watching them jump and looking at the coral and such.

Finally, everyone heads for the beach.

Everyone gets out and makes their way back to the other side of the rock via land, as swimming against the current does not appeal to anyone.

The sidewalk is hot from being in the sun.

You are pretty much shot and end up reading for most of the rest of the day.

Next year, you try again.

It's a little bit better. You don't freak out when the water blurs. You still are scared of the possibility of sharks. And you still don't like swimming as close to the rocks as everyone else.

You aren't as tired when you get back to the cabana at the end.

You still refuse to jump.

The next day, your brother goes out with one other person, and they do bump into a couple of sharks.

The sharks leave them alone, but your brother said that he was still freaking out.

You decide that you don't need to swim around that day. You joke and say you won't go out the next day, but you do anyways because it will be the last time for most of the group you go with.

It's almost as scary as the first time.

The water is extra choppy, and you can feel the current dragging  you. You stay as close to the others as possible.

The blurry water seems to go on forever.

You are almost hyperventilating.

Even on the other side, you still are on the lookout for the sharks. "They aren't around," someone says, "There are too many fish out. If there were a shark they would be hiding."

You settle slightly. Nobody really jumps that day.

You are so tired from internally freaking out the entire time that you are done for the day in terms of being out in the water.

All of that aside, it really is a gorgeous swim!

Until next year, Black Rock!




I burned my face because I was stupid and bobbed out in the waves for five hours without sunscreen on it. It's not tomato red anymore, but it's started peeling. I was hoping it would skip that part. Blegh.