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Descriptive Power Of Nature

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Deep in the mountains in the southwest corner of North Carolina is a river unlike any other. Halfway through my perilous rafting journey, there was a moment when time stood still. I witnessed a natural phenomenon which displayed the beauty of nature at its finest. During that moment, I realized the insignificance of humanity, and why we should respect the overwhelming power of nature. The Nantahala is a whitewater river nestled in a valley with steep mountains flanking it on all sides. The forest it was situated in is the only temperate rain forest east of the Mississippi River. The rafting Industry has adopted this river as its premier destination. I was a 14 year old Boy Scout on a three day camping trip in the Nantahala Gorge. The weather was cloudy with periodic rain showers throughout the day and night. The temperature was at the mid 80’s but never got above the 90’s. I was in a bright yellow raft shared amongst five of my companions and a rafting Guide who went by the name “Bones.” “Bones” was a Caucasian man with dreads in his hair, tattoos of paddles shaped as a pirates cross on both of his arms, and was massively strong. We floated down the river like leaves down a stream; constantly fighting to stay upright and not be cast overboard by the restless aggression of the rapids. We were part of the way through a two hour journey down the Nantahala river. It had rained continuously throughout the trip, which meant we were soaked to the bone and fighting hypothermia.

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