That’s a picture of the Salerni crew whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River in the Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains a couple weeks ago. Yes, we’re all having a great time, except possibly for Gabbey, who is clearly wondering, “WTH were my parents thinking???”
This picture was also taken before I was de-rafted.
As near as I can recall, I was yelling at my husband right before we hit the big rock, arguing with him about how to steer the darn raft. And the next thing I knew, I was in the air – and then in the water.
Didn’t seem like it would be too hard to grab the raft and climb back in – except that suddenly the raft and family were yards away, and I was floating on my back downstream next to a gentleman who had also abandoned his family involuntarily. “Uh, meet you on shore?” he said.
“Looks like it,” I replied. I figured we’d float to a calmer section of the river and swim over to the bank.
Then we hit more rocks.
I wasn’t alarmed until one of the rafts nearly ran me down. That’s when it occurred to me that I could actually get hurt. Enough of this, I thought. I’ll just climb up on one of these rocks and wait for someone to rescue me. Huh. Easier said than done.
Finally, a raft full of strapping, 20-something young men with Caribbean accents snagged their boat on a rock beside me and hauled me in like …(I won’t claim to be anything as graceful as a mermaid) … like a great big flounder.
Eventually, they steered me over to my family’s raft. Turns out my husband had managed to haul in the floating man. Afterwards, I mentioned to Bob that maybe I should have stayed with the nice-looking Caribbean guys, because they seemed to know what they were doing. And my husband replied that maybe he should have kept the fellow he found, because he paddled a lot stronger than I did.
Over a week later, I’m still black and blue. Nevertheless, I might be persuaded to go rafting again, sometime in the future — when the memory of this event is more humorous than humiliating! 😉
Glad to hear you’re ok! This post made me laugh out loud at least four times, by the way.
wow. I would’ve been scared. But it turned out well and what a great story.
hi miss dianne!
hooray fe de bwoys dem frem de caribbean!!. ha ha! im just soooo happy you didnt get drowned and got saved and didnt get broke up on those rocks. i could like to do that rafting stuff.
…hugs from lenny
Glad everyone is okay! I love rafting even though I haven’t been for years!
Wow.. What a traumatic, err exciting time you had. Glad you are okay.
OUCH!!! You guys are such an active family!! I love the look on your daughter’s face. 😀
Oh my gosh, what a funny story!!! So glad you are okay, and probably not the funniest thing at the time… but I loved it (and I totally bet you floundered as delicately as a mermaid!! 😀 )
LOL! Also, ouch! You guys have the most exciting adventures. Hope your bruises fade soon. 🙂
Oh, poor you! I would’ve been frightened. The dynamics between you and your husband made me laugh though.