10 Life Lessons Imparted By A Wild River

Rafting the mighty Franklin River, found in the wild west of Tasmania, had been 7 years in the making. My last attempt to embrace this humbling force of nature resulted in a broken leg on day 1 of the trip and a helicopter evacuation. So naturally there was unfinished business to tend to and fears to be faced. The surface fear was of breaking another bone; however, a deeper undercurrent of death on this river in particular, was also ever present. A sombre reminder of this possible reality arose as we were picnicking by the river side before take-off. A father had come to spread the ashes of his son whom the river had taken. Facing our biggest fears teach us our most important lessons; and the Franklin River certainly imparted many life learnings over the ten-day expedition.

Rafting a wild river is a very uniting activity; it requires teamwork, trust, adaptability and endurance. You are challenged both physically and mentally. Throughout the day there are heavy loads to be carried, steep slippery terrain to negotiate, commands to be obeyed avoiding death defying obstacles, and changeable weather to embrace. But having your fellow rafters beside you makes these wild and trying times all the more reassuring and enjoyable! The realisation of a shared struggle certainly lightens the load we would otherwise carry personally and allows compassion to flow freely from our pores. We are all on this journey of life together, tackling the hurdle which unites humanity… Finding peace and stillness within our own minds.

The Franklin being the wild natural wonder it is, rises and falls depending on the rainfall, meaning river conditions are completely out of our control. Whatever water level is presented, we assess and proceed accordingly — given there is only one direction of travel on a river and that is heading downstream. By our fifth morning the water had certainly risen after the overnight deluge, which was a good thing given the rock hopping so far. Despite the aid of faster moving waters, these also bring more serious conditions to contend with; hence the nervous energy within the group as we put the game faces on for the day! The river does not wait to see if you’re feeling ready for the challenge, mentally and physically, or even if your rafts are secured high enough– it just does its wild thing and keeps flowing. Similarly, in everyday life, situations present themselves whether we are ready or not. Often, we are more ready than we think and just need that catalyst to allow space for personal growth and discovery to flourish. From there, we simply step up to the challenge with good judgement, egos aside and belief in our potential.

A day of respite allowed for reflection on all those intrepid souls who had traversed these water ways and riverbanks before us. Aboriginal Tasmanians, the original inhabitants of this land, have had a spiritual connection to this river for nearly 60,000 years. Much later came early European explorers, cannibal convicts, Huon piners, and eventually the peaceful protestors who made a successful stand to protect this river and our greatest Earthly asset… Mother Nature. We are indebted to her wild wonderous ways… We exist because the water, trees, wind and sun enable us to… Without her nourishment and sustenance we perish. A poignant place on the river called Rock Island Bend was photographed by Peter Dombrovskis; renowned for capturing the emotive essence of wild places. His photo is a powerful representation of the beauty, mystery and fragility of the Franklin, and was used during the 1980s campaign to save this mighty force from being dammed.

How often do we shy away from things that make us feel uncomfortable? Our modern-day existence is dare I say… dangerously comfortable, making it harder to discover and embrace the full potential of our human experience. Fortunately, on a river, huddled in a raft, there is nowhere to run or hide and we have to sit with all the trouble bubbles that surface. Fear, doubt, cold, hunger, exhaustion, frustration, judgement… Such vulnerability naturally arises outside in these wild environments. Activity related or otherwise, when your mind is freed from the daily distractions of life and routine, it has time to tend to the overgrown garden of weeds out the back, that will forever rampage unless the roots have been removed. It is from these places of discomfort we develop new strengths - both physical skills and mental awareness, that encourages and sustains lasting growth.