We have an adventurous family with lots of travel interest.
White water rafting on the salmon river in the wilderness of Idaho during the hot summer month of July 2021.
This was during the pandemic and a 5 days river trip vacation seemed like a reasonable idea.
You see we had had a great time floating down the Colorado river the previous summer with our extended family, so this time we invited several family friends to float down the Idaho salmon river with us.
Our traveling crew consisted of at least 6 different families , some were life long friends while others just met for the first time the morning we set out on our on River trip. Everyone was wonderful.
In fact there are so many stories to tell you about this trip however I will focus on one particular floating day .
We had river guides who were truly shepherding us and keeping us safe while we enjoyed the adventures on the river.
There was an inflatable raft called the “ Duckie” that was an option for any takers to raft down the river . I asked DH if he would ride with me and he gladly accepted ( ofcourse not before making sure that no other takers who wanted a turn to float down on this particular Duckie)
Our kids stayed on more sturdy rafts with family friends and were having a blast . Some of the moms were either on other rafts or on the bigger boat calmly enjoying the warm breeze and nature with a cold beverage…. Smart😉
I choose more adventure ,so off DH and I went on this “Duckie” . I sat in the front providing the “ power” while DH was behind steering us in the direction we needed to travel . I had a lot of laughter and squeals as I enjoyed riding the waves while DH seemed to be enjoying hitting rapids that produced even more laughter and squeals from me.
Then I started to overhear the guides talking about needing to stop to “regroup “ before the last rapid before we get to camp for the night . The head guide was giving instructions to the order guides who were rating the order boats.
I started to feel a bubble of worry rising within me as I observed them “plotting“ from our Duckie. So I asked the female guide what they were “plotting “ but her only response was “ it’ll be fun” with a coy smile and a shoulder shrug that I immediately interpreted as a way to calm my nerves.
So I sat back focusing on my rowing to provide the power for our raft while encouraging , okay maybe warning him, DH to steer us safely.
On white water rafting trips, the thing is you can hear the rumbles of the rapids before you even see them, so the suspense is real and palpable!
The guides had given us very specific instructions before that last rapid to avoid the left side at a particular point “ no matter what”.
Apparently that spot on the river has a “ hole “ that people can literally get sucked under into a vortex that seems like a washing machine cycle that is hard to escape from.
So off we go with DH maneuvering our way through the rapids . At the start I felt DH and I working well together and I clearly was trusting him with my life in those moments more than ever .Oh , did I mention that I am not a strong swimmer? Like at all!
Things seemed to be going well until BOOM! … I feel myself get knocked off the Duckie from the side and I went under the water for what felt like A LONG QUIET EERIE TIME.
I popped up again briefly again only to be hit in the head by the same Duckie. That was actually my saving grace as I grabbed on for dear life while my feet dangled in the rushing water.
Let me back up a sec to say that I actually began praying in my mind once I felt me worrying about the upcoming rapid as I was observing the guide prepping.
Psalm 23 was on my mind and I thought about God’s protection of us as we go through “ raging waters”. Those rapids definitely were raging waters😏
God had allowed me to hold on to that Duckie and then I realized too that DH had managed to stay on the Duckie the whole time. This was a double lucky blessing 1) DH was safe 2) DH was able to continue steering the Duckie so I just had to keep holding on to it since I was no strong swimmer.
Truth is I somehow managed to stay calm throughout the raft accident.
I believe it was purely the Holy Spirit that accompanied and encouraged me in those moments when I was under water or struggling to get a hold of that Duckie.
Ofcourse our Duckie accident caused some panic with our children and friends watching as all of this took place. I had lost a water shoe in all the chaos but can you believe one of the other boaters somehow found my shoe and we reunited post Duckie drama.
Shortly after the ordeal we made it to camp for the night and I was mostly quiet and reflective., probably still in shock from all that had transpired.
Nonetheless , the hugs with my children, DH and time spent at camp friends somehow held more value that evening because being alive felt like SUCH a gift!
Have you had a time when you felt you were close to loosing your life? What thoughts did your mind entertain?
As always, thank you for reading my blog and of course I welcome your comments and any shared experiences .
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MindMuse 
Kelechi, I felt like I was in the water holding on to the Duckie with you. Keep sharing your adventures with the world. Your beautiful kids are growing up so quickly. Love Denise.
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Wow!!!! One heck of an experience….I have had too many similar drama experiences to even remember the separate thoughts but I remember very well my ghastly car accident of December 2022….
Unlike the DH accident, mine was rather too quick as it all happened in barely a few seconds. In that foggy moment when I was being pulled out of the car with a dislocated arm with my mind struggling to confirm that my spirit was not just in my body but also in this world….All I thought of were the beautiful memories of my wife and moments with familiy over the festive periods which may have been my last….it was all memories till I heard a familiar voice ,”Micheal what happened…” from a family friend driving by….it was like something snapped and then I realized I was still alive….then my mind immediately switched to gratitude…..
God is indeed kind !!! But just know I can’t be found on a ‘Duckie’…I am officially scarred ☹️
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I am so grateful your body and spirit were together after that accident ! God will continue to preserve you to make more lovely memories with your beautiful wife and family ♥️
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Awesome as always.
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Aww thanks for going on the adventures with me Cuzzie 💕
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Wow. This was phenomenal.
First off, I’d just like to say that, you guys have the best time! Like, your family has the best time together. These adventures sound and look amazing.
That split second you got under, I imagine life would flash before your eyes. You’d imagine *the end*. I can see the “going under” so clearly, just out of nowhere. The shock in your eyes as you’re subdued and out of breath beneath the water. The attempt to hold the air up in your mouth while you struggle to stay alive and under. Gosh. It sounds life threatneningly scary.
I thank God that He is always with us. That we always get a chance to look back on these things because we overcame them. These ordeals. Thank God that they make up the testimonies of our lives.
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Amen !!! I love your comments so much because they resonate so well with me. You communicate so well!Thank you for reading the blogs 🥰
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I have had multiple near death events. First was on November 17, 1996 (a day after Zik’s burial) when I was drowned in Ora River. I passed out after struggling to swim my way out. I woke up like about 30 minutes after my body was discovered and retrieved by swimmers. I later learned how to swim in the same River. In 2010, on the new year day, I was ridding a bike across a “monkey bridge” in the village while carrying my two brothers. In the middle of the bridge, the bike suddenly stopped and before I could maneuver I saw all of us heading off the bridge. Miraculously we landed and all of us fell on top of the motorcycle with no injury, not even a scratch from an altitude of about 4 meters. Our punishment however was getting the bike out of the ditch. It took us nearly 3 hours to do that albeit with reinforcements from other guys passing by. Next was on June 8, 2011 at Ugwu onyeama along Enugu- Onitsha expressway on my way to 9th mile. I was riding a motorcycle and was hit by a Trailer. The jam was incredible as I was tossed up while the trailer crushed my bike. Upon landing, the edge of the left back tire of the trailer pushed my head away from the road but crushed my motorcycle beyond repair. Miraculously there was no head or spinal injury. Following the loss of my bike to the accident, I bought a car that would last less than 6 months in July 2011. On December 20, 2021, on my way from Ebonyi State University back to Enugu, I was accelerating when a trailer left its side of the single lane road forcing me to make a quick maneuver into a big pot hole that pulled out the bolt joint of my left front wheel causing the car to detour and head into a sloppy bushy pathway. The car tumbled twice and stopped on the third turn with tires facing up and the roof being on the floor. It was a dry harmattan season when everything is easy to catch fire. The ignition was on with the engine running and fuel leaking from the tank but the car did not catch fire. We were two in the vehicle. The stirring and seat belt trapped me and I was unable to move. The other guy was in a better position and kicked on the window of his side breaking the glass and crawled his way out. I was able to later locate the button that wind down the window on my side and crawled out too. The Nigerian police was very professional that day. The help they rendered was beyond expectation. Their team was led by one Mr. Akpan. While rushing us to hospital to be examined, they also brought a towing van and moved the car to their station. Apart from body pains, no open wounds or head injury or any internal bleeding occurred. When it is not your time, they will come, they will try but they will fail. It is normal to feel scared in such situations as you did in the water, but our ominipresent and ominipotent God sometimes allows us to experience such to be able to testify about his goodness and greatness. Such miraculous encounters cannot be explained by science because his presence in any situation is more than any science.
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Whoa!!… I have chills reading this!
Your work for God here in earth is important to have been spared all these near death experiences! Praise be to God🙏🏾
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Bless you guys always! Your all Brave hearts💪👏So inspiring ! Wish I had half the liver to venture out into the wild. Kudos to you all! Keep up the amazing spirits. God’s continued Guidance through your journeys.
Loved reading the blog as always.
Your way with words ,so endearing and heartfelt. Sending ❤️
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Team work makes for Dream work! On the team…
Thank you God! For answered prayers of protection.
Thank you DH! For keeping the Duckie steady.
Thank you Kech for those “guns” that didn’t let go😉!
Even if I tried I couldn’t remember anything that went through my mind at any Life threatening events. All I know is that I try not to get back in that fear and think of how to praise God for life spared…and that is probably what u were feeling that night.
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We gain strength, courage and confidence by every scary experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face…. Fear is the path to the dark side 🫣
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