My friend Buddy took this picture of me on the Sabine River in 2009. I hadn’t seen it in years, but I found it yesterday when going through files on my old computer. Here’s the story behind the photo—one of the weirder episodes from my first book, Running the River: Secrets of the Sabine.
About a mile from the boat ramp, we came upon a waterfall gurgling over a rocky ledge, into a sheltered green pool beside the river. The cavelike walls of the cove were painted green with moss. Sunlight reflected off the water and danced like currents of electricity through the shadows. I had never seen anything so pretty on the Sabine.
“We might have to go swimming later,” Buddy said, and I agreed.
Not far beyond the cove we came to a strange scene: an unmanned boat floating in the middle of the water. It sounded like the engine was running. When we came closer, we saw a long, white hose extending from the boat into the river. At one spot a few feet away, we noticed air steadily bubbling to the surface. Just then a man’s head bobbed up from the brown water, wearing a scuba mask, goggles, and a breathing apparatus.
“Looking for mussels?” I asked.
The man affirmed my question by lifting his bag of shells out of the water. But my camera and questions aroused his suspicion. “Are y’all from the FBI?”
We said no, and when we boated past, the diver sank beneath the water. We eased a little farther downriver, through frequent rapids where the flow quickened and the boat scraped over rocks and gravel, and we passed the many abandoned concrete and wooden oilfield structures that I had marveled at during my earlier trip with Jacob. I watched the shoreline for signs of hogs, but my attention soon began to wander, and I started to imagine the view of the riverbanks from two hundred years ago, when the first settlers arrived.
Today, East Texas is scrub country. What land has not been paved or plowed is choked with thorn vines and brush. But at one time, the forest canopy was so thick it blocked the sunlight from the undergrowth, and the smaller plants that did manage to survive in the dark forests were cleared by occasional fires, leaving trees so large and well established that early travelers called this place the Pine Barrens.
“They say the pine trees used to be so tall in East Texas, you could ride a horse for miles, fall asleep in the saddle, and never hit a tree limb,” I said to Buddy as we drifted downriver. “There used to be huge trees here on the river, too. Just think how much prettier all this would be if we hadn’t cut everything down.”
Buddy glanced up from the trolling motor and studied the brush on the bank. “You can’t think about it that way,” he said. “It’s still pretty. East Texas is still pretty. Just be thankful you get to see it the way it is, because someday all of this will be gone, too.” He had a point, but I hoped he was wrong. Growing up, I had never given a second thought to this wild river running through my hometown. Now that I had spent some time on the Sabine, I didn’t want to lose what remained.
Buddy and I never saw the hogs, so we turned back. The flow that had seemed so calm when we floated downstream was now a force we hadn’t reckoned with, and we spent most of the journey trudging through the water and fighting the current as we dragged the boat upstream. At times the water came only to my hips, sometimes up to my chest, but then I would step off a precipice and fall into a deeper channel. I learned to use my foot to feel for the firmness of the riverbed before committing my weight to a step forward. Before long, I forgot about my fear of being swept away by the river. As long as I stayed alert and moved slowly, I didn’t have to worry so much about drowning after all.
When we returned to the waterfall and the pretty little cove, we parked on some boulders at the entrance and jumped in. The water was cold and deep here and stunningly clear: I could see the bottom some eight feet below. Above us, the clearwater creek had worn the ground away to the eroded rock, cascading through a series of precipices, before tumbling into the cove. Buddy swam over to the waterfall and let it pound his back and shoulders. “It feels just like a back massage,” he said with glee. “You gotta try this.”
I did. It felt great. “Man, I could even bring a woman here,” I said.
This was the discovery of a lifetime, the kind of place that Buddy could enjoy with his wife and kids for years to come. We swam for a long while, then waded out of the cove and into the river. The water was much warmer here, around waist deep, brown, and muddy. Our toes sank into the silt.
When we returned to the cove a few minutes later, something had changed. “Wasn’t the waterfall a lot bigger when we first got here?” I asked. Instead of gushing over the ledge, the water had narrowed to a trickle. Then, as we watched with increasing horror, it began to grow again. Within minutes, the waterfall was surging at full strength. It was like someone had flushed an enormous toilet. Oh no, that was it! We were swimming in sewage—the discharge from the wastewater plant in Gladewater. No wonder the cove was so cool and clear. No wonder we kept smelling that faint odor of chlorine. I spit what I could out of my mouth.
We climbed out of the cove and then ascended a steep, grassy bank to see where the creek led. We came to an even bigger waterfall and then a series of smaller ones. We walked as far as we could through a leafy forest to a barbed-wire fence, then returned to the river and stood for a moment on the big gray rocks beside the beautiful cove.
“I don’t even care,” Buddy said. “It might be sewage, but they treated it first.”
We jumped back in. At one point, Buddy even swam under the waterfall, where he indulged in another back massage.
Excerpted from Running the River: Secrets of the Sabine by Wes Ferguson and Jacob Botter and published by Texas A&M University Press.
3,744 responses to “A Sheltered Cove”
Good day I am so grateful I found your web site, I really found you by error, while I was browsing on Askjeeve for something else, Nonetheless I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a remarkable post and a all round enjoyable blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read through it all at the minute but I have bookmarked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much more, Please do keep up the great work.
Right here is the perfect webpage for anyone who hopes to find out about this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I actually will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a fresh spin on a subject which has been discussed for decades. Great stuff, just great.
Güvenilir bir dan??man için medyum haluk hocay? seçin en iyi medyum hocalardan bir tanesidir.
Nice post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely useful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for such information much. I was seeking this certain information for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.
Thanks for your tips. One thing I’ve got noticed is banks in addition to financial institutions have in mind the spending behavior of consumers and as well understand that most of the people max out their own credit cards around the holiday seasons. They sensibly take advantage of that fact and begin flooding the inbox plus snail-mail box using hundreds of Zero APR credit card offers shortly when the holiday season ends. Knowing that for anyone who is like 98 of all American community, you’ll rush at the opportunity to consolidate personal credit card debt and switch balances to 0 interest rates credit cards.
Hello there I am so thrilled I found your weblog, I really found you by mistake, while I was searching on Askjeeve for something else, Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say many thanks for a marvelous post and a all round interesting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at the moment but I have saved it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the excellent job.
A lot of of the things you mention is supprisingly precise and it makes me ponder why I had not looked at this with this light previously. This particular piece really did turn the light on for me as far as this subject matter goes. However there is 1 position I am not too cozy with and while I try to reconcile that with the central idea of the point, permit me observe exactly what the rest of your readers have to say.Very well done.
This is a topic that’s near to my heart… Best wishes! Where can I find the contact details for questions?
I love it when folks get together and share ideas. Great blog, stick with it.
Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!
I have really learned newer and more effective things from your blog post. Yet another thing to I have recognized is that in many instances, FSBO sellers are going to reject people. Remember, they will prefer to never use your services. But if you maintain a reliable, professional connection, offering support and keeping contact for about four to five weeks, you will usually be capable to win interviews. From there, a listing follows. Thanks
I’m amazed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both educative and interesting, and without a doubt, you have hit the nail on the head. The issue is an issue that not enough folks are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy I came across this in my hunt for something relating to this.
I simply could not go away your web site before suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard info a person provide to your guests? Is gonna be back incessantly to check up on new posts
Hi, I do believe this is a great blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will come back once again since i have saved as a favorite it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.
What I have continually told individuals is that when looking for a good internet electronics store, there are a few components that you have to take into account. First and foremost, you should really make sure to locate a reputable and reliable shop that has got great evaluations and ratings from other individuals and marketplace analysts. This will ensure that you are handling a well-known store that provides good services and support to it’s patrons. Many thanks for sharing your ideas on this blog.
One thing I’d prefer to say is that often car insurance cancelling is a terrifying experience so if you’re doing the correct things like a driver you simply won’t get one. Many people do are sent the notice that they have been officially dumped by their particular insurance company they have to scramble to get more insurance from a cancellation. Affordable auto insurance rates are generally hard to get after the cancellation. Knowing the main reasons pertaining to auto insurance canceling can help motorists prevent sacrificing one of the most critical privileges accessible. Thanks for the concepts shared via your blog.
We are offering Concrete Parking Lot Contractor, Concrete Installation Contractor Service, warehouse flooring, commercial, and industrial concrete roadways.
Right now it seems like Drupal is the top blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?
We are offering Concrete Parking Lot Contractor, Concrete Installation Contractor Service, warehouse flooring, commercial, and industrial concrete roadways.
Thanks for the guidelines you have discussed here. Something else I would like to express is that personal computer memory specifications generally rise along with other advances in the technological know-how. For instance, whenever new generations of cpus are brought to the market, there is certainly usually an equivalent increase in the dimensions calls for of all computer memory and also hard drive room. This is because the application operated by way of these cpus will inevitably rise in power to use the new technologies.
Saved as a favorite, I really like your site.
Hi just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different browsers and both show the same results.
I?ve recently started a site, the information you provide on this site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
You’re so cool! I do not suppose I’ve read something like this before. So great to discover another person with a few original thoughts on this topic. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This web site is something that is needed on the web, someone with a bit of originality.
An additional issue is that video gaming became one of the all-time main forms of fun for people of various age groups. Kids play video games, plus adults do, too. The XBox 360 is amongst the favorite gaming systems for individuals that love to have a lot of activities available to them, as well as who like to play live with people all over the world. Thanks for sharing your notions.
It’s hard to come by experienced people for this subject, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Good day! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any suggestions?
Throughout the great pattern of things you’ll get a B- just for effort and hard work. Exactly where you lost me personally was on all the particulars. As people say, the devil is in the details… And that could not be much more correct right here. Having said that, permit me say to you precisely what did deliver the results. The text is certainly quite powerful which is probably why I am taking an effort in order to opine. I do not really make it a regular habit of doing that. Secondly, although I can notice a jumps in logic you come up with, I am not certain of just how you appear to unite your points which inturn help to make the actual final result. For right now I will subscribe to your position however wish in the foreseeable future you link the facts much better.
Hello there! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established blog. Is it hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about making my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Cheers
After exploring a few of the blog articles on your website, I truly appreciate your technique of writing a blog. I book-marked it to my bookmark site list and will be checking back in the near future. Please visit my website too and tell me your opinion.
I love what you guys are usually up too. Such clever work and exposure! Keep up the amazing works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to our blogroll.
Aw, this was an exceptionally good post. Finding the time and actual effort to generate a very good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.
Good web site! I truly love how it is easy on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I could be notified whenever a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a nice day!
F*ckin? amazing issues here. I?m very glad to peer your article. Thank you so much and i’m taking a look forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
Thanks on your marvelous posting! I truly enjoyed reading it, you happen to be a great author.I will remember to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back at some point. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great posts, have a nice morning!
I savour, lead to I found just what I was looking for. You have ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
Some genuinely superb info , Glad I discovered this.
Thanks for your posting. What I want to say is that when looking for a good internet electronics go shopping, look for a web site with full information on critical indicators such as the level of privacy statement, basic safety details, payment procedures, along with other terms and policies. Always take time to see the help as well as FAQ segments to get a far better idea of how a shop operates, what they can do for you, and just how you can use the features.
Greetings! Very useful advice in this particular article! It is the little changes which will make the largest changes. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness! Impressive article dude! Thanks, However I am experiencing problems with your RSS. I don’t know the reason why I can’t subscribe to it. Is there anyone else having identical RSS issues? Anyone that knows the answer will you kindly respond? Thanx!!
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an incredibly long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say excellent blog!
I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my problem. You’re wonderful! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your ideas. A very important factor is that individuals have a choice between federal government student loan along with a private student loan where it really is easier to select student loan debt consolidation than with the federal education loan.
I like it whenever people get together and share views. Great website, keep it up.
Excellent write-up. I definitely love this site. Keep writing!
I can’t express how much I admire the effort the author has put into writing this exceptional piece of content. The clarity of the writing, the depth of analysis, and the abundance of information provided are simply astonishing. Her zeal for the subject is obvious, and it has definitely resonated with me. Thank you, author, for sharing your knowledge and enriching our lives with this extraordinary article!
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you penning this post plus the rest of the site is also very good.
Thanks for your write-up on this blog. From my own experience, there are times when softening right up a photograph might provide the digital photographer with an amount of an imaginative flare. Often times however, this soft blur isn’t precisely what you had under consideration and can sometimes spoil a normally good picture, especially if you anticipate enlarging them.
Your place is valueble for me. Thanks!?
I truly love your site.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you develop this web site yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my very own website and would like to know where you got this from or what the theme is named. Thank you!