There would follow other very dangerous water or river related events in my pre-teen and teenage life.
Such as when I was with my brothers and friends and jumped off a 2 metres high cliff, and, not having the experience to know that I should keep my mouth closed or not breathe under water.
Quickly found myself swallowing lots of water and starting to drown.
Had it not been for a much respected family friend, Edwin, I might have been a goner, as the saying goes.
There would also be the times when, when the river became swollen with lots of rain and become discoloured and spectacular with large waves, 'govans'.
Groups of us boys would make our way to a chosen point up river. Removing our clothes, we would then take our lives into our hands, as it were, especially in the case of younger novices like me.
And wade into the swiftly flowing and thunderous mud coloured water, and 'ride the govan' down-stream.
Trying to avoid the concealed rocks and over-hanging tree branches.
While at the sametime looking out for the over-handing branches which we will have to catch to exit the river, if we are not be washed too far down-stream and risk drowning.
There would be other times when I would be swimming in the local hydro-electric dam, and looked down into the deep void and became somewhat petrified that I was going to drown.
Or that duppy mermaids or the duppy of someone who had drowned in the dam, would rise up from the deep and pulled me down.
To be continued!
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