[johnsjmc]

While on a canoe trip in 1974 north of the boundary waters area in Mn. In Quetico park Canada. (I worked for a summer camp after dropping out of Univ.) I happened on a group of teens playing in a fast flowing stream. Two kids had lost their footing and were clinging to a rock at the top of a 30- 40 ft drop into a rocky gorge. All the teens and their chaperone/guide were panicked. I broke down a long tree branch, organized a rescue and waded out into the stream with the other kids arms linked up behind me, and my feet in a crevice in the rock. I fished the kids away from the falls one at a time and they worked their way to the shore.
Afterwards I sat a shook there for about an hour. If any of us lost our footing on the slippery bottom 15 people would have gone over the falls. We were at least 2 days from a town or hospital. No one was hurt but could have been a horrible accident.
I was about 23 at the time and have the occasional nighmare about this still.
I ended up going into teaching partly because of this experience. At the end of the summer I realized how much I liked working with kids and the owner wanted me to stay on thru the winter. He liked the way I handled myself during the above situation. I said OK but you are paying this other guy more. Boss said BUT he,s a teacher. I said I can do that too. Went to teachers college instead of staying in the bush. It is often amazing the wiggly path we follow before finding our niche.