When I was a kid, my mom would always take us out to all sorts of watering holes. Whatever she could find near us at the time. Lakes, rivers, oceans, creeks, springs. Literal holes of water, that go 200ft deep into underwater caves.
I even remember the 50 thousand hours of swimming lessons she made us take. And being annoyed that I had to go to ANOTHER swim lesson.
“I want us to enjoy the water and not have to worry about any of you drowning!” She’d say.
Mostly our water time was spent in the lakes, and rivers of Oklahoma. A precious landscape in our state.
I have one memory in particular, on a river in South East Oklahoma. I couldn’t even tell you where. I wish I could remember for myself.
A nice wide river, lined with trees, and a small slide like waterfall. My mom was just laying there, not moving at all, floating in a still patch. While me, my brother and sister sat in the waterfall. Letting the current push past us as we tried to keep from sliding down.
Next thing we knew, a large water snake, swims right up next to us. We panicked, screamed, and ended up slipping down the mossy rocks right along side the snake.
We were headed straight to the calm patch of water, where my mom was floating.
My mom, still not phased at our screaming say’d something along the lines of
“Just let it go by you.”
And as we splashed into the water, my brother, sister and I, panic swam to the the nearest escape. Grabbing branches and rocks to defend ourselves. Screaming at the top of our lungs for my mom to safe herself.
My mom never moved. Not once. And the snake moved along too, we never saw it or another one, the rest of our trip.
“Probably scared to death of its encounter with human kind, and it told all its friends”
My mom said.
I haven’t had any snake encounters like that since then, thankfully. Pretty sure even in adulthood, I’m not sure I could react as calmly as my mom. But I did learn a valuable lesson when it comes to being in nature. Panicking does not result in any positive gain.
So that’s my story folks. And remember, if you come across wildlife. Don’t panic, stay calm and then make the necessary next steps for the encounter. In our situation, letting the snake calmly pass by.
All Images taken on GoPro Hero 7 at the Illinois River in Oklahoma, with my family.
2024
