A Bear Grylls Adventure 5 Page 3

  “The raft’s going to be top heavy with us on it,” he said. “The wider it is, the more stable it will be. Okay, now you need to untangle all that vine …”

  And so they got on to stage three: build it. Bear started to cut holes through each pole with his machete. One end, the other end, and in the middle.

  Jack watched anxiously.

  “Won’t that let the water in?”

  “It’s watertight enough,” Bear said. “Water will get in through these holes, but that’s only three compartments per pole. There’s plenty more that will stay dry.”

  Then came the most fiddly bit, and it was a two-person job. Jack had to hold the bamboo together so that the holes all lined up, while Bear fed lengths of vine through them. He threaded it through the two holes of each pole, then wrapped it tight around the pole before he poked it through the next one.

  Bear talked as he worked.

  “Something I need to say, Jack. The river’s smoother than it was but there’s no reason it can’t get rough again. A survivor has to be prepared for anything and that includes, perhaps, even one of us ending up in the water.”

  He looked sideways at Jack.

  “So we need to prepare ourselves for that, yes?” he asked. “Just in case. Forewarned is forearmed, remember.”

  Jack swallowed hard.

  “Forewarned is … what?” he said anxiously.

  Bear smiled as he carefully pushed some vine through two more holes.

  “Forewarned means we prepare ourselves that we might have to face some difficult things ahead. Forearmed means we equip ourselves with what we need to survive those difficulties. In this case, I need to show you what to do if you end up in the white water. You with me?”

  Jack swallowed nervously. “Okay. I’m listening.”

  “First up, forget about any idea of swimming for safety.”

  “Really?” Jack asked in surprise.

  “Really. You’ll just wear yourself out. No one can fight a fast-flowing river. First up, you will need to float, with attitude. Focused and determined. Got it?”

  “Got it,” Jack replied, although he wasn’t quite sure he believed himself yet.

  Bear continued. “Keep calm and keep floating until you’re through the rapids and can spot a place where you can safely get to the shore.”

  “But how do I keep floating if it’s crazy white water?”

  “Get onto your back and go feet first. Your legs can take the impact if you hit anything, your head is protected and it’s out of the water so you can see properly. Your arms work calmly to keep you buoyant. After that, it’s a bit like when we were walking. You just have to be always looking ahead, ready to make any quick decisions.”

  “Head out of the water, okay,” Jack mumbled to himself.

  “Steer yourself clear of any whirlpools or rocks up ahead,” Bear went on. “Stick to the sides as much as you can, where it’s slower and shallower. Unless you’re going over a drop, maybe over a waterfall or through some rapids – then you steer for the centre of the flow. It means you’ll land in the deepest bit, and you’re away from anything that might bust you up.”

  Jack let the instructions swirl around in his head and settle down.

  “I think I’ve got it …”

  “And the last thing to remember is that when you’re underwater, keep calm and gently swim for the surface. It’s easy to get confused about which way is up, so follow the bubbles. They always know.”

  Jack was blinking back rising panic just hearing all these words.

  Bear smiled at him.

  “It’s all going to be fine. We simply plan for the worst, prepare ourselves with the right skills and attitudes, and then we know that we can overcome anything the river can throw at us. It is simply about being prepared.” He paused. “We will be good. Trust yourself.”

  Not quite sure, Jack smiled back.

  Bit by bit, the loose collection of poles had turned into a raft while Bear was talking. Bear had also made them each a paddle from one pole of bamboo, cut in half and split down the middle.

  They had a final snack of berries and pine nuts, and drank some water.

  Then Bear tied one end of a length of vine to the raft, and held on to the other end.

  Jack’s heart started to pound behind his ribs. He knew what was coming.

  “And now we launch,” Bear said with a friendly smile.

  Jack couldn’t quite speak, but he nodded, and they each picked up a side of the raft.

  The bamboo was hollow and light, so it all weighed a lot less than it looked, but it was still big and Jack had to put all his strength into lifting it. Together, Jack and Bear carried the raft down to the river’s edge to slide it in. It bobbed on the surface and Bear pulled it back so that it touched the shore.

  “After you?” said Bear, indicating with his hand. He smiled when Jack hesitated. “Jack, to be a little scared is healthy, it’s called respect. I feel it often too. It’s our survival instinct reminding us to be smart and get it right. I know you can do this. You’ve got that survival spirit racing through you.” He paused. “After all, you’re the boy who helped to build this raft. Come on, we can do this.”

  Jack nodded silently, and braced himself.

  You can do this, he muttered to himself.

  So Jack crouched down and lowered himself onto the bamboo.

  “Good lad, Jack. Now, nice and steady. Don’t try to stand or it’ll tip over,” Bear advised. “Just crawl onto it, and shift down to the front end.”

  The raft sank a little under Jack’s weight, and water splashed up between the poles. His body froze, every muscle locked in place.

  But then Jack took a deep breath and made his muscles unlock.

  “Don’t worry about the water, Jack. It’s there to help us get downstream. We are going to use it not fear it.”

  Jack nodded and blinked.

  “I can do this,” he said under his breath.

  The raft rocked as Bear climbed on behind him. More water sloshed through the poles, soaking Jack’s knees and legs.

  “Ready?” Bear asked.

  “Ready,” Jack whispered. “Let’s just do it.”

  And with that, Bear used his bamboo paddle to push the raft out into the current.

  8

  RIDING THE RIVER

  Jack flinched as water washed over his knees.

  “You know you’ve got the most important job?” Bear said behind him.

  “Navigator?” Jack guessed.

  Bear shook his head and laughed.

  “Lookout! We can only go one way down the river, but we need to know what’s coming. We need to keep to the slow water at the sides as much as we can, so we can get out of danger if we see big rapids ahead. But that means there’s also more chance of us bumping over things, like submerged rocks, sunken trees …”

  “Okay.” Jack scanned the river ahead, looking for dangers. “But, wouldn’t it help if you went at the front?”

  “You’re lighter than me,” Bear explained. “If I was at the front then my weight would be less likely to ride over stuff. But it means we’re relying on you.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Jack promised nervously.

  Jack slowly moved his eyes from side to side across the river ahead. He saw the first obstacle almost immediately. There was a wave in the water up ahead, and it didn’t move.

  The raft was heading straight for a rock just under the surface that could smash it to bits.

  “Rock dead ahead,” he called.

  “Got it,” Bear said. “Paddle left, and hard!”

  They paddled the raft and it swept past the rock easily.

  “Good work, Jack!”

  The pair kept floating downstream, Jack scanning for obstacles and Bear giving instructions which way to paddle to keep the raft safe yet within striking distance of the shore.

  Soon though, Jack spotted the next danger. A tree had its roots in a crack in the vertical cliff but the rest of it had fallen into
the water. The water rippled and churned across its branches. “Tree up ahead,” he called. “By the right cliff.”

  Jack and Bear paddled away from the slow water to get around it.

  The raft began to rock and tremble as the fast, choppy water in the central channel moved underneath it and splashed up through the poles. Jack had to fight his fears not to shut his eyes and give up. He forced himself keep his eyes open. Bear was depending on him.

  Behind him, Bear was working overtime with the paddle to keep the raft straight and steady. Jack looked up ahead, and blinked with surprise.

  The water went downhill, and then up again. There was a dip in the water, but it stayed still. And it was right across their way.

  “Bear …” he called, and pointed.

  “Got it,” Bear replied. “It’s called a standing wave – just two currents meeting. There’ll be a bit of a bump, but we should float over it.”

  The raft came to the dip and shot downwards. At the lowest point, the front end of the raft dug into the water and a wall of water hit Jack square in the face and chest.

  But it was like when they had been running across the rocks. Jack had been prepared for it. He didn’t yell, but instead he braced himself and shook the wave off him.

  “Great job, Jack. Keep going, buddy!”

  Jack shook his head like a dog to clear the spray from his eyes. The raft shot up the other side of the dip and headed on.

  After that Jack stopped worrying, because he simply didn’t have time. The river swept them onwards, and he kept scanning the surface ahead for any obstacles.

  The raft wasn’t trembling any more as it reached smoother water. It moved between the cliffs on either side as easily as if it was on wheels, faster than Jack normally walked.

  After a while, the river became wider. There was a shoreline again on one side. Jack assumed Bear would head to land. They had only built the raft in the first place because they had run out of land.

  But they kept going straight ahead.

  “We’re making great progress, Jack. You good if we keep going?” Bear said.

  Jack was surprised to realise he didn’t mind. The raft floated. Water came up through the gaps, but it always went away again. And a little part of him was actually enjoying the ride.

  “Okay. I guess it makes sense; we won’t use any energy and we’re moving really well now,” Jack said.

  Bear smiled.

  And so they kept going. The raft floated on for a long time untroubled by obstacles. It was quite peaceful, Jack thought, now he’d got used to it.

  Jack could see down the gorge for a couple of miles. After that, it went round a corner and he couldn’t see any further. But a couple of hundred metres ahead there was a thin, straight line drawn across the river. Like the water just stopped.

  Jack frowned, and looked more carefully. And listened. He could hear a new noise. Something between a hiss and a roar.

  “Bear, I think there’s something ahead,” he said urgently.

  Bear quickly began to paddle the raft towards some overhanging trees.

  “Quick. Paddle left, Jack. And hard!”

  “Is there danger ahead?” Jack replied with a slight wobble to his voice.

  “Rapids. Change of plan. Time to head for shore.”

  The raft moved sideways as they paddled but the river still carried it forward. The line was getting nearer and the noise was getting louder. Jack felt his heart begin to pound again.

  “Almost there,” Bear said. Then, more urgently, “Jack, look out!”

  Jack had been so busy worrying about reaching the shore that he’d stopped looking in front of him. He jerked his head around just in time to see the branch. It hung down low as it brushed across the raft and pushed him into the river.

  Jack fumbled for the surface, gasping for air.

  “Help!”

  The roar of the water grew louder and louder, as the current swept him towards the rapids …

  9

  FLOATING WITH ATTITUDE

  Jack started to thrash his arms and legs, panicking and struggling.

  He just heard Bear’s yell from the shore before his head went under the water again.

  “Jack! Remember what I said. Float with attitude and keep your feet facing forward! I’m coming for you.”

  Float with attitude. That had been Bear’s first piece of advice for if he ended up in the river.

  Jack immediately stopped struggling, and deliberately rolled onto his back, with his feet in front of him. He breathed in deeply. Calm. Keep calm, he told himself.

  It was just in time!

  He had reached the line in the water that was the edge of the rapids, and then just like that the current swept him over.

  For a split second, Jack looked down a slope of raging white water and rocks. Then he was sliding feet first down a chute of water, straight at a rock surrounded by a skirt of white foam.

  In the corner of his eye he saw Bear running fast along the bank.

  “Aim for the side!” he shouted. “Swim to me hard now, Jack!”

  Everything was a blur. But it was too late to aim anywhere. Jack’s boots hit the rock and the river poured over his head. The pull of the water spun him around and carried him on past the rock. Now he was going head first.

  Jack’s five-metre badge really hadn’t prepared him for this.

  He struggled and kicked while the current swept him on, until his feet were in front again. Just in time to kick off another rock heading fast towards him.

  How long had it been since he had breathed? Jack realised he must have been holding his breath all this time. He puffed it out and took a deep gasp, just in time for a wave of water to slap him in the face.

  “Gah-spthl-flg!”

  Jack choked and tried to spit the water out. His body got hit by two different currents at once, which were swirling in different directions between a pair of boulders. His feet went one way and his head went another, and he spun around so fast that he totally lost his sense of direction.

  Another splash of water over his head blinded him. Jack shook the water out of his eyes, just in time to see that he was aiming head first for another drop.

  Aim for the centre! Jack remembered that.

  Bear had said that if you were going over a drop, the centre was the place to be. It would be deepest there.

  Jack tried hard to push himself across into the main part of the flow and to get his body into the feet-first position.

  Bear was still running alongside him.

  “Good job, Jack!” he shouted. “Keep focused – you can do this, buddy!”

  And that was the last Jack heard as he dropped over the edge.

  The water plunged two metres straight down into a frothing pool.

  For half a second he was in mid-air. Instinctively Jack curled up into a ball and hit the pool below like a rock.

  The torrent pushed Jack down into the depths. His ears pounded. All he could see was murk and bubbles pressed up against his eyeballs. Jack’s lungs were bursting and he had no idea which was way up. He had a sudden fear that he was just going to go deeper and deeper and would never come up again.

  Follow the bubbles and swim for the surface.

  Bubbles go up, Bear had said. It’s what they do. They will always head up.

  Jack followed the specks swirling in front of his eyes. His head broke through the surface again and he pulled in another badly needed breath.

  The waterfall was behind him. And he was still alive.

  Jack could see now that he was in a long stretch of rough water. Once again he kicked until his feet were in front. He could sort of steer by twisting his waist and moving his hands underwater like fish fins.

  This was as good a chance as he would get, he told himself. It’s now or never to break out and make it to the bank.

  There were some rocks sticking out that would be the perfect get-out point if he could grab hold of them.

  He could see Bear on the bank up
ahead.

  “Jack!” Bear called out. He jabbed his hands down the river. “Swim hard for the side. I’ll be your back-stop if you miss the get-out.”

  Jack turned to the shore and swam with all his might.

  Attitude and purpose, he told himself. You can do this, Jack.

  Suddenly he realised something.

  He wasn’t afraid! He was surviving!

  Jack was so surprised that he almost stopped swimming.

  Wow! Look at me. I’m actually going to survive this!

  The end was in sight. Another thirty seconds and he would be in the shallows and the calm, smooth water.

  “I’m not afraid!” Jack shouted.

  He could see Bear racing back up the shoreline towards him, smiling.

  “I’m not afraid!”

  He was up to his waist in water now in the shallows and he had to shake the last drops off his head and blink the water out of his eyes.

  “Uh … good?” said a slightly surprised voice.

  Jack stared up in astonishment. That wasn’t Bear.

  He was sitting in the ditch at Camp.

  And Charlie, Joe and Fatima were looking down at him.

  10

  STUMPED

  Charlie and Joe helped heave Jack out of the ditch.

  “Nice fall, mate,” Charlie said cheerfully.

  Jack looked down at himself. He was soaked from the waist down. From the waist up, he was bone dry.

  He took a careful look back at the ditch. The stream trickled gently along the bottom.

  What?

  “So, uh, since you’re not afraid, maybe we should get moving?” Joe said. Without looking back, he and Charlie headed over to the cave entrance. Jack remembered that they had been heading for the control point.

  Fatima hung back.

  “I’m glad you didn’t hurt yourself,” she said.

  Jack’s mind was spinning. He didn’t really know what to say.