The Fisherman's Life Vest

Storms had just raked the region for much of the past few days, and when we showed up that morning in the pouring rain, we found a much different river. What had been a placid waterway now gushed with the force that crusted both banks and flooded the surrounding lowlands. From the shore, i watched a whole tree, complete with roots and branches, churning down stream. We clung to overhanging branches, exposed roots or secure vines to catch our breath. Whirlpools, sometimes three feet wide at the top, materialized next to my paddle, nearly sucking it from my hands.