Waikuku Chasm

The Camp Chasm Swim 

By Finn Mo

If I thought a walk through freezing water stuck in the middle of a giant chasm was bad it was nothing compared to what lay ahead...

THE SWIMMING HOLE with its bone chilling, teeth gritting, head aching forming water.

Once we reached the swimming hole we had a chance to swim in it with whatever gear we brought with us. For me and most other boys that was just swimming shorts.

The water must have been like -2 degrees because when I stepped in my whole body went cold, that’s when I saw the girls were somehow coping with the cold and I thought it would be easy. I took another step and at that moment Michael stepped into the water so I knew I didn't have to cope with the swim by myself.

Soon Zac,Michael & Thomas and I were jumping into the freezing, watery. The moment I went under my whole body froze. I could barely stand it. All I could hear was cheering, shouting, splashing and talking, this gave me enough distraction to keep going.

Just when I thought that was it. Mr Eames asked the group of us if we could fall in the water backwards  to get a falling snapshot even though I knew It would be freezing but I was willing to give it one last shot.

As we lined up I realised this was completely insane I nearly got turned into an ice cube. I wondered what was going to happen me this time? I readied myself for my second leap... "JUMP" everything went so fast and I was in and out in less than second.

I felt proud myself for taking the leap and not chickening out.

Finn Mo

Chasm Walk

By Marina

Walking down the hill, brushing past bushes and trees, I could hear the splashing of the river, as the rapids crashed over my feet. My shoes started to fill with freezing cold water, each step I took sounded like “Splish, splash, splosh.”, entering the chasm was like entering a world of darkness, I couldn’t see where I was going.It was dark as coal. Halfway through I looked back, I couldn’t see the entrance all I could see was the track ahead of me.The green walls would go sky high and the big trees would cover the top of the chasm making it look like a roof. Walking on the green mossy rocks made walking turn to ice-skating and the strong current of the river made it hard to balance. Mirella and I were walking together and each time there was a slippery rock or a deep hole, we would always grab on to each other to keep our balance. The water was probably as cold as ice, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was to have fun and enjoy myself!  

~Marina

That first step

By Livvy

Just one, tentative step.

Easy.

Gently… aaugh!

An icy blast rushed up my legs, making me gasp.

I stepped again, my foot surging through the water, testing each slippery rock, and gazed into the inky mouth of the chasm. Ready, to swallow us whole.

That first step into that massive, yawning mouth, again, took my breath away, but not because of the cold.

Rock, rock everywhere. Rising and falling, as if moulded by giant hands. Towering above us. A thin shaft of sunlight - blurred green from the curtain of the plants reaching down from oh so very far above, faintly lit up the walls.

The only sound a constant swish, swish, swish, of the river licking our knees.

                                                                                                                                       ~Livvy

The Chasm

By Emma

Cold water seeps through my shoes, making me gasp as I grapple against the current. Let your eyes wander for a second and you could tumble to soggy clothes related doom. Stumbling through the icy water I gaup at my surroundings. Momentarily the stinging cold is forgotten. I slide and nearly tumble. Focus.

How? How do you focus in a place of such beauty. That is so old, it has the seen thousands of years come and go? Silently watching his the world moulded by ice.

I drag myself back to reality and prepare to again plunge my foot into the bitter depths.

~Emma

The Chasm

By Ela

Water sloshed through my tramping boots as I waded through a knee deep stream. Was this the chasm? I was disappointed. A short walk through a shallow stream?!

We left the river and walked up and over a small rise, through a similar stream, and through 10 minutes of bush. We stood on the bank of a waist deep, but not too wide, river. It was coming out of a large cavern; a cave with a wide crack running along the roof.

It was a breathtaking scene. the large, marginally dark cavern, plants dangling through the cracked roof. It was like the mouth of a giant serpent, a long, winding cavern, with sections of deep water, and others of sandy gravel islands.

This was more like it, I was going to enjoy this!  

                                                                                                                                                          ~Ela

   The Chasm Walk

By Abel

The shrubs begin to disappear from sight as we step closer to the watery chasm. We slowly enter, and small shouts echo through the chasm as water seeps through people. I step in jumpily to get it over and done with. I shudder as water seeps into my shoes and freezes my toes. Someone shouts.

“Freezing!”

And Mr. Eames humorously retorts.

“Don’t be silly, if it was freezing it would be ice.”

The water was inside my waterproof shoes, and the water was waist height. I don’t think my shoes are that waterproof anymore. A glistening eel inches by and everyone stops quietly to watch.

I now know the beautiful Patuna chasm is going to be an amazing experience.

~Abel

   The Jump

By Eleanor 

I look down to the glistening water below me. I take a last look at my class and close my eyes.  And jump. As soon as my feet touch the numbing water of the chasm, a tingling sensation overcomes me, I crash down to the bottom, colliding with the rocks and sand sending surging pain through my body. I flap my hands taking a big breath as I reach the surface.  I open my eyes again. Tears well up and trickle down my face, my hands support my bruised knee. I slap the water attempting to swim to the dry rocks.

~Eleanor

By Jackson

My boots felt like they weighed 100 pounds as I trudged down the murky river. Every step I took required immense strength to haul my boot up. Woah! My arms flailed around as I tried to keep my balance on a slippery rock. Luckily I fell into a pile of soft gravel next to the flow. “We’re here!” Mr. Eames shouted at the top of his voice. I took in the scenery of this place. All around there was a pool of deep water, with trees hanging down from the cliffs. In the centre stood a small island and behind the pool was a great cliff, that had been split in half by an earthquake. A small waterfall seeped down from a crack in the cliff and splashed serenely into the water. The sounds of peacefulness and tranquility were suddenly interrupted by excited screams of the class. Unfortunately, someone thought it was a great idea to go for a swim. Suddenly, I saw a blast of water rocket up from the lake. Soon more followed as everyone got in. Alright, I give in, I thought to myself. I dived into the water, realising the shock of the cold over my body. Anyone would be crazy to find this cold water relaxing!

~Jackson