The sound of the golden bell echoed throughout all of Eagles Nest Camp, signifying the beginning of classes for the day. I felt tired having stayed up the night before talking to my new cabin mates about what to expect the next day.  After all, it would be our home for the next three weeks. My cousin Sophia and I sheepishly followed a group of campers heading towards the minibus for the very first “Walks and Waterfalls” class of Session 3. At that moment, I could not have anticipated the euphoria I would be consumed with as a result of that trip. 

We gathered around the three counselors waiting by the bus. They greeted us with warm smiles. One of the counselors with dark curly hair and colorful sandals stepped forward. 

“Hello, I’m Elliot and welcome to Walks and Waterfalls!” he said cheerfully. 

He then pointed to Sam and Sarah who each gave a quick introduction and a wave. Elliot glanced at a list and called out the names of each camper in the class. Shortly after, campers began to pile into the bus. While boarding, Sophia and I decided to take seats in the back of the bus.  Sophia leaned in toward me. 

“I wonder what we are going to do,” she whispered. 

“Me too, are we actually going to hike?” I replied. 

My heart was pounding with a mix of both excitement and fear. It was nerve-racking not knowing what would come next, but I felt more ready than ever to find out. 

Eventually, we heard the engine rev, ready to go.  As we departed campus, I looked out the window to the landscape of the North Carolina Pisgah Forest. It was breathtaking. We sped down dirt roads surrounded by vast green pastures where cows were grazing. We passed small towns and local shops all the while singing with the campers to the music from the radio. Eventually, we were entirely surrounded by forest as the bus climbed up a hill. Even when we reached the top, trees still towered over us. The bus parked on the side of the road. 

“Alright! Grab your bags and let’s form a line outside,” Elliot exclaimed.  

“Sophia, are you ready for this?” We must have to hike far, I can’t even see the waterfall,” I said.

“Of course, I am!” Sophia said with a great deal of enthusiasm. “And, yeah, I’m guessing it’s pretty far,” she continued. 

Elliot carefully directed the line of campers to the steep path next to the parking lot. “There was a wooden sign that read “DuPont State Forest-High Falls” with an arrow pointing toward the path. 

Is that where we are going?  I wondered. 

We followed the line down the steep path in anticipation of a waterfall. Elliot led the pack of directionless campers with confidence and courage. After walking on the uneven trail for nearly half an hour, we heard the faint sound of water. As we got closer, the sound became louder and we knew something powerful was closeby. 

 “That’s the waterfall! Did you guys know it’s one of the largest in the state? It's 125 feet high!” Elliot said proudly. 

His extensive knowledge of North Carolina waterfalls was reassuring. 

“Well if it’s so big how can we swim in it?”  Sophia asked.

“You’ll see…” Elliot said with a sly grin on his face. “But don’t worry, I’ve been here a million times,” he chuckled. 

Sophia’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she raced down the trail.  

We continued walking. As we neared the end of the path, the sound of the waterfall was explosive and there it was, High Falls. 

The 125-foot waterfall cascaded over colossal boulders, creating a natural swimming pool at the bottom. As I moved closer, I could feel the mist on my face. I could taste the dampness. Sophia’s hay colored hair tangled in the wind.  We quickly set our bags down at the edge of the trail and fast-walked over to the base of a rock that overlooked the “pool”. One camper by one camper we climbed up the rock. My rubber sandals struggled to grip the slimy morning surface of the rock, but I eventually managed to get up. The sound of the water was intimidating and my heart raced, but I had never felt more excited. My breathing increased as I peered over the ledge and saw the water gathering below us. Soon, worried thoughts began to crowd my mind.

What if there are rocks underneath? Will the current take us down the river? What if I get caught under the water?  I wondered. 

Sophia looked over to me. She could tell I was anxious. 

“Don’t be nervous. Come on, imagine how fun this will be. Let’s do it!” she said excitedly.  My cousin is fearless in nature and, surprisingly, that calmed me.

“Ok, why not!” I said as a smile appeared on my face. 

Finally, all of us campers joined hands and sprung off the rock, letting out screams as we fell into the freezing pool of water. I felt the shock of the cold water throughout my whole body. It was electrifying. The sound of the falls was immediately muffled under the water. Normally, I would have immediately swam to shore because cold is not my friend, but in this instant I could not wait to explore. During my short time underwater, I had begun to discover a world beneath the surface. The tranquility of being underwater was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I squinted so that I could make out some of the underwater shapes. There were huge algae-covered rocks and a school of small fish. I looked upward to see foam bubbling at the top of the water. As I emerged from the water, I exhaled deeply. Sophia was right there with me, smiling from ear to ear. 

“Oh my God! It’s so cold! Did you see the fish?” Sophia exclaimed.

“Yes, wow! Let’s dive back under and try to swim to the bottom!” I hollered. 

 Even underwater, I couldn’t keep from smiling and for the next hour we leapt in and out of the water like frogs who called it home.  Laughing and freezing all at once.

On that day, my nine-year-old self could not have known that jumping into frigid waterfalls would become one of the cornerstone experiences of camp every year. A ritual I share with my cousin where I set my fears aside and leap into the unknown.