During the dog days of summer, recalling a few swimming hole memories can solve a lot of life’s problems. Or, it can make you forget about them for a while, anyway. After a long day of work or play — or maybe right in the middle of it — taking a dip in cool water is about as good as it gets.
When I was a kid, my siblings and friends and I would take off on summer days and spend hours playing in a creek that ran through my family’s property. We’d see all manner of crawfish, snakes, turtles, and frogs, and we’d spend the day hopping around on the slippery rocks. If we hadn’t wandered to the creek barefoot to begin with, we’d ditch our shoes when we got there and jump in, clothes and all. We wouldn’t be allowed back in the house with wet clothes, but we knew we’d sun-dry before we made it back at dinnertime anyhow.
Creek or Pond?
We also had a large pond on the property, but during the hottest days, it was often occupied by a herd of cows keeping cool by wading in the shallow parts, and I wasn’t interested in fighting for space with bovines. Plus, on more than one occasion, we encountered large snapping turtles in the yard or pasture making their way to or from the pond. So, all in all, my younger self found it best to avoid the pond altogether for swimming purposes. But the creek was shallow, clear, and notably bovine-free.
Although, I do recall one encounter in the creek that gave me quite a scare. I was drying off on a rock that sat a few feet from the water’s edge. It was large, flat, and often directly in the sun, so it provided the ideal spot to drip-dry before heading back to the house. I’d been lying on the rock with my eyes closed for a while, when I happened to glance over and see a huge snake curled up not 6 inches from my head. It must’ve desired the prime sunbathing spot as much as I did and slithered up while I had my eyes shut. I jumped up so fast that I fell back into the creek. It was likely a harmless water snake (we have several in this part of Kansas), but I wasn’t taking any chances. The snake, completely unbothered by my presence and activity, continued to sunbathe without a care. It was a while before I was brave enough to get on that rock again.
Treasuring Those Swimming Hole Memories
These days, I spend a lot less time splashing around in creeks. The spot from my childhood is still there, marine inhabitants and all, but it’s been quite a few years since I hopped in barefoot-first. As we’re approaching the hottest time of the year here in Kansas, my thoughts are drifting to the sweet relief of that cool creek water. Perhaps I’ll pay it a visit this summer.
I hope you find time this season to wash your cares away in a swimming hole, and may it be snake- and cattle-free. I’d love to hear your own swimming hole memories.
Originally published as “Take a Dip” in the July/August 2023 issue of Grit magazine and regularly vetted for accuracy.
