Monday, August 8, 2011

Jumping off the cliff

Last Friday I executed a beautiful swan dive off the cliff (not to be modest or anything), but as I pulled up underwater I scraped the top of my foot on the rocks.  While completely minor as far as cuts go, this is a signal that the water level is getting a bit low this season for diving.  Even jumping should now be done with caution since shortly after I scraped myself, a girl did the same thing with a very ordinary jump.  The water has now dropped to the point that the rock pile on the island is showing, which means we've probably only got a week or so before it's truly hazardous to jump.  Better get there while you can!

This got me to thinking about exactly how people take the initial plunge of naked swimming, in daylight, with people they've just met.  For people who've never tried it before, visiting The Ledges may seem like a long way to go for an experience whose benefits are unclear.  I can well imagine the internal conversation about whether it's worth the effort, balanced against the fear of trying something society as a whole is not sure what to make of.  But I always tell people who are sitting on the fence (or waiting to jump off the cliff!) the same thing: everyone should try this at least once.  If you make it all the way there, and spend the afternoon, get up the courage to immerse yourself in the experience, you will almost certainly come back for more.  So I encourage you to think about that next time you're in the process of talking yourself out of going for the first time.



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