Me jumping into the ocean last year, I tried to play it casual and cool to coax my cousins to take the plunge!Jumping off the dock has become a ritual for us and a right of passage for any new friends or family we bring along (if they're really nervous we bring them down at high tide when it's less of a drop). While I am proud to say I have done the leap many times, even some at a level approximating low tide, I am Captain Wussy Pants compared to some of the younger Peaks residents. Our first year on the island we were just lounging in the sun on the floating dock when we suddenly saw a whole mass of teenagers and pre-teens race down the hill to the ferry terminal and start to swarm around. As quickly as they had come, they began climbing and leaping off any tall surface they could get to; the wooden pilings, the shed on the dock, and some even climbed up to the top of the Peaks Island sign (see my first Peaks post) and as we screamed in shock they seemed to float down to the frigid water before popping back up with a triumphant yelp (or a "Good god this water is freeeeezing" yelp, they often sound the same). With as much frantic momentum as they arrived they would soon depart to avoid getting in trouble with the one police officer stationed on the island during the day. Whether it's your first jump and your heart is pounding in your chest, or you're a veteran who casually leaps in to cool off, or you're a thrill seeker who raises their nose at the pitiful distance of a 20 foot jump at low tide, the dock has something to thrill, excite, (and sometimes scare) everyone.
3 comments:
ocean tried to play with u...hahahahaaaa
Well I have jumped off of cliffs before. I can handle that. But "frigid" is what scares me. Ouch! That sounds so cold.
Yes, if you want to see people get out of the water really, really, really fast, see them jump into the Atlantic Ocean. There's an old-time Maine saying about swimming in the ocean here; "Your numb to get in and you're numb when you get out!"
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