National IV is the most exciting time for engineering students apart from department symposium and college culturals. This trip for me with my classmates was the same. I’ve already written about my entire trip here. There was one incident during the trip that helped me make new friends and a memory worth mentioning.
Let me start from Wayanad. We all got up early in the morning, packed our things from our rooms and boarded the bus. We were all set to go for water rafting in Coorg. The plan was to directly go for rafting and then settle into the resort. We had fun on the bus with lots of dancing, laughter and some catching up on sleep.
After reaching the location, we all were given helmets and life jackets to keep us safe. At that time, we didn’t realize we would need them the most. The class was being split into three different groups to occupy three different rafts. We were stuck with the day scholar boys with whom we’ve never spoken before. My friend and I wanted to talk to everyone during the IV, so we thought this was the chance. We were in the first row and two guys were seated in the outer corner to row according to the correct count. We looked forward to this new adventure. The sun shining bright with the sky as clear as the day and an endless stream of water ahead of us, we started rowing forward. The beginning was a bit wobbly as everyone was off beat with the rowing. But eventually, it was alright. The view was beautiful with thick trees on either side of the wide stream.
After we reached a certain place, people from the other raft started jumping into the water. Our instructor also asked us to just swim for a bit since it was a low stream area. A few who didn’t know to swim struggled but got through it. After being pulled back onto the raft, we were told that we were going to start the real rafting then. We reached the place where the water was moving in full speed and we were rafting steadily into that area. After this, things were a blur for 15 seconds. Our raft tilted and all of us fell from our raft. Our instructor got hit by a rock and was slightly injured. Half my friends were being carried away by the water and few of us held onto the raft. The instructor shouted and told us to go and hold on to some tree so we all can get back in.
I was holding to the raft and swimming behind it but felt like I was being pushed further down. I let go of the raft thinking I will be able to catch it soon. But I was carried away in another direction while the others safely held a branch and the raft to try to get back in. I had to hold on to some other branch so they could come and rescue me later. I passed a few of my friends on the way who were holding the raft and trying to row themselves. Finally, one of my friend and I reached the end of the huge trees, so we tried to catch a branch and, we somehow did. We could see water only and no way to reach the shore if we went past the bridge. The thought of it sent shivers down our back. We continued screaming for someone to save us. The instructor got on to the raft and saved a few people who were holding on to their lives along the way. Another raft saved two of our friends who were a little before us. A different raft came for my friend and me. They asked us to let go of the branch and, we reached that raft for them to effortlessly pull us in.
When we all reached the final safe shore, we all were still recovering from the fact that this happened. We all honestly thought it was a prank most of the time and were giggling. It was a good thing we didn’t panic and managed to catch a branch. We all got out safe except for some scratches from thorns, some lost camera and lots of shivering.
We took a photo of our group and called ourselves survivors. My classmates from the 3rd raft were asked to jump into the water at the end only and, we saw a few struggling, few who jumped in to save them and faces of relief when they reached the shore as well.
I guess it was memorable and one of a kind rafting experience for all of us.
You can read our overall IV experience from this link – https://thejworldsite.wordpress.com/2018/06/01/the-class-trip/
World of Jeana 