Into the Water

As I was about to leave the boat memories surfaced of being about eleven years old and going often to our local outdoor swimming pool.  I used to love to climb to the top diving board – walk out to the very edge and launch myself – jumping not diving – hitting the water at goodness knows what speed, only to surface, climb out and repeat the procedure over and over again.  No fear whatever!

Encouraged by the smile those memories brought me I took a leap from the boat entering the water with a thundering crash, no slow, elegant descent for this child/woman – oh no!

I flailed around at first, trying to acclimatise myself, my breathing somewhat staccato – aqualungs take a bit of getting used to.  The waters enveloped me and I began to be calmed by them, a rather pleasant sensation creeping thoughout my body as if coming back to life.   I floated, splashed a little, playing in the water, allowing myself to totally enjoy the experience.

Coming out of my self- absorbtion I began to see all the glorious colours of the life around me, the various fish, the corals, things I had no name for – so beautiful.  I swam gently on taking in the sights surrounding me and counting my blessings, wondering how many folk were given the opportunity of an experience such as this.

What had been a flatish surface below me began to change as I swam on, undulating and become very rocky, more and more so giving out onto an opening to further depths.  My intuition told me I was to follow the rocks, using them to feel my way down.  The water became much cooler and murky, the fish and other creatures were still present but not quite as visible.  A moment of fear struck me, I clung to the rocks.  Something was at my hand, winding itself around my wrist and pulling – what on earth!!!  I tried to stop it, tugging away, but it was too strong and this environment so alien to me, I had no purchase so as this thing pulled I went with it.  Down we went, deeper and deeper.  I started to worry about air – did I have enough?  Our direction changed, we were moving forward, I could see ahead what appeared to be an opening, a much darker chunk of dark!  We entered.  Twisting and turning it seemed to be a tunnel and although I was scared I was also aware of enjoying the sensation of floating along, feeling like a fish, my body rhythmically bending and flowing through the water by the pull of this creature.

We rounded a corner and the tunnel opened out into a much lighter area.  I could now see that it was some kind of eel which had hold of my wrist.  It dragged me forwards through a mini-forest of seaweed-type growth – again that delicious flowing/floating sensation.  We cleared the dense growth coming into a clearing and there, ahead of me, was – well – a creature.  This creature:

I assumed he was the Triton of whom Gruff had spoken.  I must admit I was more than a little in awe at the sight of him.  He signalled me to come closer.  I felt like Little Red Riding Hood approaching the wolf – “what big teeth you have”; “what RED (?) eyes you have” – I was terrified, certain this was it, my last day.

As I approached he held out his hands to me.  I wasn’t sure what he wanted but raised mine to meet his.  He took my hands in his and looked into me as if  reading me.  My fear dissipated.  I actually felt safe.  He drew me closer……closer still.   He hugged me!!

“You are ready”.  These words I heard distinctly yet he had not spoken.

“You are ready, go now on to Mudjimba, you have all that you need”.

He released me,  whilst still looking at me with such intensity he seemed to just dissolve into the waters.  He was gone.

The eel returned, circling me then veering off towards the surface.  I guessed I was to follow.  I swam up and up, the eel leaving once the sunlight could be seen through the waters.

I surfaced, right beside the boat – how odd, and there was Gruff waiting for me, hand outstretched to help me aboard – with a big smile on his face!