Writing — Photography & Travel
Don’t Let the Frozen Snake River Fool You — It’s Still Moving Underneath
March Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Movement”
Looks so still, but still breathing.
Shortly before returning to the tropics of Trinidad & Tobago, my good friend Jim and I took a walk along the Snake River to check it out and get some photos.
The snow was thick and a bit icy from all the freezing and thawing, and thus our shoes crunched as we walked. We had to be careful to not slip on the slick stuff, as well as avoid some of the larger pools of run-off water.
Such is Idaho in March. One must walk carefully.
This area of the river winds through the eastern part of Idaho, and though it’s difficult to tell from the photo, before the dams were built this very riverbed was actually an extensive canyon in certain sections and thus the water is quite deep in some spots, and the undercurrents can be crazy dangerous.
Many a person has fallen prey to the Snake River, as they underestimated its strength and vitality. It can look so harmless and safe, but, even when the river seems completely frozen over, there is always water flowing underneath.
Growing up along the Snake River, we used to hear all the stories of people who had not been safe around the treacherous waters and had not lived to tell the story. The worst was hearing the stories of the young people and even children.
Thus, though I’ve always loved the Snake River, I’ve always been fearful as well.
At some of the shallower points of the river, there are footsteps out in the snow. Brave, me and Jim thought. One crack of that ice and things could take a dangerous turn for the worse. That undercurrent can be like the hand of the devil himself, latching on and not letting go.
Far better to stand on the bank of the river and admire it from a safe distance, or at least that’s what we thought.
Thanks to Mary Chang Story Writer for this excellent prompt:
Do check out these Six Word Photo Story writers and their work:
Vidya, Anne, B.R. Shenoy, pockett dessert, Rhonda, Dr. Preeti Singh, Erika, arun, Osan, Allisonn, Ellie, Barb, Penny, Dennett, Krasi, Sanghita, Julia, Rodrigo
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