Disappearing Plunge
For the past few years, Sarah and I have split up our summer vacation days to go on vacay with both of our families. Last year, Sarah’s family vacation in the White Mountains of New Hampshire happened to coincide with my 30th birthday. Sarah invited a bunch of our college friends and my sister for a couple nights to celebrate together. There were so many great moments sitting around the fire, sharing drinks, watching the sunset over the mountains, and staying up late telling funny stories, but my favorite moment of the weekend was on a short hike with all my friends and my boys.
The week was unseasonably cold, but it was the middle of August so all of us wanted to go for a hike that would also have some water recreation involved. We settled on Diana’s Bath because it was right around the corner from the house and got us some wet terrain. It wasn’t like we really needed it though because it was already raining. Nonetheless, we weren’t going to waste the nature around us because of a little cold weather and some sporadic rain.
When we reached the bath, we realized the only thing more cold than the air was the water coming down the mountain. It was freezing, but we still splashed around in it as we climbed up the series of pools cascading down the mountain. The best part about this was that it was an activity we all enjoyed. The night before had included drinks and storytelling, which was not so interesting to my boys, so they opted to explore our rental house and play on their phones. But climbing up waterfall rocks and splashing around in a stream is the type of activity my kids AND friends all love to do. It was nice to see the boys and my friends laughing and showing each other different ways to get up the rocks (there was also an easy walking trail that follows the creek, but where’s the fun in that?).
As my friend Rachael and I were climbing up, our friend Matt was up ahead. Throughout the way there were some shallow pools less than knee-deep that I had gone in, but as I rounded a curve in the creek, I saw Matt chatting with some other hikers, take off his shirt, and jump in the middle of the giant rock he was standing on, and then disappear into it. For about 3 seconds, I had thought he was gone to somewhere unknown. I had no idea where. He was standing in the middle of a rock. He didn’t jump off. He didn’t land. But just submerged into the rock. Completely vanished. After a few long confusing seconds, Matt’s head appeared out of the rock and he pulled himself up with water dripping from him. I rushed up to the rock as quickly as I could, filled with curiosity.
When I reached where Matt was now standing all wet, I saw where the water streamed down the rocks and flowed into a dark gap. That dark gap was about a foot wider than a pair of shoulders and about 5 feet long. I could not see the bottom of the hole, but Matt said that it was deep enough to jump in and dunk under water. I was a little apprehensive (my normal demeanor). Then I got excited remembering the feeling I got when I saw Matt disappear from afar. The rest of the 15 person group was still behind us down the falls a bit, and they hadn’t seen what happened.
I had Matt get in place and waited for my boys to round the bend. When they did, Matt called out “Detrick! Trey!” As they looked up, Matt disappeared into the rock. The look of confusion on their faces as he disappeared and then popped out of the ground was priceless. They then ran up to figure out what was going on. As quickly as they got there, they were almost instantaneously in their bathing suits ready to jump in, too. I had them wait and this time be the catalyst for the next confused onlooker. Each look was better than the last. As we were waiting for our next victim, each of us took a plunge. When I went I was so nervous about hitting the edges, but my bulk-less body slid right in. The water was so cold and the dark hole completely disoriented you as you barrel towards the sandy bottom and push back up to re-emerge. But as soon as you realize it is just a 7 foot deep hole, it seems silly to be scared.
My favorite victim was the last one: a totally unsuspecting Sarah slowly meandering through the creek. Trey shouted her name, which already seemed to surprise her. As he disappeared, her look of confusion was unmatched. Her cute little confused scrunches across her face stayed that way the whole time Trey emerged and climbed out. She just stood there for about 30 seconds, not knowing how to react. She eventually made it up to us and was still in disbelief of this plunge hole cut out of the boulder. Eventually she came to and quickly hopped in herself. My memory bank will always have that snapshot of her look of confusion, and it will always bring a smile to my face.
If you are ever in the area, make sure to check it out. But maybe leave out the details when you bring your friends. It will be well worth the surprise.