Image from Wikipedia.
Death From the Deep
“The same water than can kill you, drown you, give
you hyperthermia is still capable of helping you to
survive.”--Joe Teti.
As a youngster, on the first day of summer, I
remember being at Alki Beach, across the width
of Elliott Bay from the Seattle skyline. Often it was
quite warm, in the 80’s--but Puget Sound is a
kissing cousin, and is connected to the Pacific
Ocean 100 miles to the west; all salt water, and
never much over 45 degrees. While swimming in it
your lips turn numb and blue within 15 minutes. They
say that on the hottest day in August, if you happen
to fall off a Super Ferry, you will have about thirty
minutes before hypothermia will kill you.
Our myriad of lakes is more manageable, the water
temperature is in the 50’s. We are a hardy bunch up
in the Northwest. Your body can adjust to lake water,
and you can stay in it for a lot longer--and if you are
lucky, there aren’t a lot of ducks around, and you can
avoid swimmer’s itch. If you are brave enough to swim
in our many rivers, prepare for a quick dip, for the water
is coming off glaciers.
To be an Orca
for a day would be fantastic,
slicing through the Sound.
Glenn Buttkus
Haibun
Posted over at d'Verse Poet's Pub
18 comments:
My daughter lives in Salem, Oregon, and it was not until she moved there I had never visited the great Northwest. My ancestors followed the Clark br, hers from Virginia to the Falls of the Ohio and did not venture further, but I've enjoyed my visits there. Loved your haibun and haiku, Glenn.
i have always wanted to watch ocra but never been near the sea/ocean at the same time they are in close enough to see loved this.
I am in the PNW, and I am not brave enough for the cold lakes and rivers. But, O to be an orca!
Nicely done Glen. As an east coaster, the water in the sound is always like a polar bear dive to me.
Brrrr! Too cold for my blood! I won't even do Polar Bear swims in the moderate Northeast! 😂😂
Nope, no way. And I thought Maine waters were cold...
That sounds too cold for me, I will take the warmer waters for swimming. It would be amazing to be an orca for a day slicing through the waters.
I loved imagining both of the locations you describe. I once turned blue after swimming in a mountain river, as I was stupid enough to put my head underwater. The haiku is fantastic.
Glenn, that would be so much fun!
I love where your imagination took you :)
-David
Nice background of the cold waters up your way. I too, would like to be Orca for a day (or two), but I myself prefer the warm clear waters of the Caribbean.
We might understand life better if we could spend some time inside another species. An orca is a good choice.
Interesting comparisons, and I love the orca haiku. It related but was also different from the main text, unexpected.
I love it, an orca for a day! Hoping a certain someone will be in the water? lol
Living in MI I understand about the different kinds of water and the menace yet life-giving nature of it. We don't have sharks here but we have rips that kill some every year. I don't think I could ever live away from the water.
I enjoy your history and geography lessons, Glenn.
Way too cold for me... the water close to where I live is around 70 so that is pretty good, especially on a warm day.
favorite part:
"To be an Orca
for a day would be fantastic,
slicing through the Sound."
I imagine that orca smiling as your dip your toe into the cold water.
I understand it's to be in the 100's this weekend - hope you stay cool as that haiku ~
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