Swimming the Reef

During breakfast one morning, Uncle Jack says, “I have a surprise for everyone, and it requires swimsuits, so get changed and we’ll go!” When the dishes are washed and put away, everyone quickly changes into their swimsuits, with towels over their arms they all pile into Uncle Jack’s car.

An hour later, he pulls into a stretch of beach with several water-sport themed shops on it – naturally. He leads them to one with pictures of swimming people painted on the outside. Walking in, Uncle Jack is greeted warmly by the owner, a short thin older woman of about fifty with laughing eyes, “Jack, your old sea dog, how have you been?”

“Fine, Aggie, just fine,” Uncle Jack says with a smile. “And you?”

“Oh, well, can’t complain, can’t complain,” she says while waving her hands, “wouldn’t do any good anyway. So, what can I do you for?”

“I’ve brought my family here to swim the reef,” Uncle Jack says with a wide grin.

“Great! How many sets of snorkel gear do you need?” Aggie asks.

“Six,” Uncle Jack says.

Mama chimes in, “Oh, no, Jack, none for me. I’ll sit on the beach and enjoy the sun.”

“Okay, five,” Uncle Jack says.

“None for me, Dear,” Aunt Evelyn says while shaking her head. “I’ll visit with Aggie.”

Laughing, Uncle Jack asks those left, “Anyone else want to back out?”

Bob and Alice shake their heads, ‘No,’ with their eyes dancing at the thought of swimming in the ocean. Back home they swim in a lake, this will be their first experience in salt water. Daddy grins and shakes his head, ‘No,’ also.

“Okay,” Uncle Jack says with a smile. “Four sets, please Aggie.”

“Great! Follow me and you can choose your favorite colors,” Aggie says while laughing. The inside of the store has fish and other sea creatures painted on the blue walls, so that you feel like you’re already underwater. There are shelves and shelves of swimsuits and things Bob, and Alice doesn’t recognize. Mama and Aunt Evelyn each buy a wide brimmed hat, Mama also buys some sunscreen. Toward the back of the store are sets of snorkel gear, they include a wide mask to cover their eyes, a long stiff rubber tube to breathe through once attached to the side of the mask, and a set of rubber flippers to go on their feet to help them move through the water easier with less splashing.

Alice choses a bright green set, Bob choses a bright blue set, Uncle Jack choses a purple set and Daddy choses an orange set. Daddy also buys four water-proof cameras. Aggie gives them net bags for collecting treasures. After a short lesson on how to use the mask and snorkel properly and what to be careful of on the ocean floor, she pushes them out the door with a laugh, “Now, y’all have fun!”

Laughing, everyone except Aunt Evelyn leaves the store. Mama spreads her towel over a lounge chair, puts sunscreen on and her wide brim hat before sitting down to watch her family move carefully into the surf. Uncle Jack leads them through a shallow area where the water doesn’t get over their knees to a nearby reef. Its top is about three feet beneath the surface, but the rest goes much deeper. He explains, “Be careful of the currents, stay as close to this spot as possible. Watch for Mama on the beach to keep from being moved too far down the shore. Remember what Aggie said about the dangers of holes in the reef – some animals don’t like strange objects pushing in and can bite! Otherwise, have fun and listen for our call to leave.”

Bob and Alice nod, put their masks on and snorkels in their mouths, and dive underwater. It’s a beautiful sight! Lots of brightly colored fish swimming around and through the reef in the crystal-clear water. The reef is covered in many diverse types and colors of coral. The ocean floor is sandy which rises and swirls around them with each kick of their flippers. Sometimes revealing small manta rays or eels, sometimes shells and glossy stones. The children surface often to catch their breath, then dive again, collecting shells and things; taking pictures of themselves – some are silly, and some are serious. Time slips by, they forget to watch for Mama on the beach and move with the current further down the reef and coastline.

During one dive, the children find a tunnel into the reef. It is brightly lit by beams of light coming through holes in the walls, following it to the end, they find a small room with an air pocket at the top and a small sandy beach. They climb out of the water and explore. But find nothing of interest, so they return to the water, only to realize that the tunnel is now dark! While they were exploring, the sun has set!

Suddenly afraid, how will they find their way out? When the tunnel was lit, it was fun and easy to stay in the main part, but now that it is dark, they could accidentally take a side tunnel and never get out! They sat on the small sandy beach and tried to think what to do, but they were afraid and couldn’t! Bob hugs his sister and says, “I will use the light of my camera flash to light our way and that way stay in the main tunnel.”

“Okay,” Alice says, wiping her tears away. “Then when your flash stops, I will use mine.”

They take a deep breath and start down the dark tunnel. Bob’s flash lets them see only a short distance at a time before fading. When it finally stops all together, he thinks they are halfway. Alice’s flash gets them to the opening, out into the ocean and to the surface! Their lungs are burning, their hearts are thumping loudly in their ears, their legs are very, very tired, but as they break the surface their first fresh breath of air is wonderful!

Standing on top of the reef, they look around. Suddenly realizing their backs are to the shore, they turn and see lots of lights and hear lots of noise on the beach. People are moving around and talking loudly, how will Bob and Alice get the people’s attention? Taking a deep breath, they call out together, “HELP!” Pausing, they do it again. Just as their voices are getting scratchy and tired from yelling, they hear a man’s voice come back to them, “We hear you! Stay where you are, we’ll send a boat!”

Bob and Alice gratefully sit down on the top of the reef and wait, glad that this seashore adventure ended well.

The End.