Riptide Rocket


The sun was smiling down on us and there were a few fluffy clouds dancing in the pure blue sky. Sara and I were zooming through the Sentosa Water Cove. We were on our way to one of the most popular rides in the cove and we were trying to beat the endless line. While we waited, we played hand games, such as “Apples on a Stick” and “Coconut”. I was thinking about how nervous and anxious I was.
Why did Sara drag me into this? I thought reluctantly, as well as, I wonder how fun or scary this will be?

“I win!” exclaims Sara suddenly. When we were almost in the raft to start, we looked back at the line, and as we thought, it was much longer than when we started. I guess it might be worth it if this many people showed up! Shortly after we looked back at the line, the control woman ushered us into the squishy and bouncy inflatable raft that would be our ride up towards the beginning of the water powered ride. The water powered ride that would be, well, who knows what?
There was nothing to hold us in except for two handles for each of us. I gripped the rubber, slippery handles on the side until my knuckles were white. Waiting as the conveyer-belt-like-thing slowly took us up, I felt like the ride up took 3 hours!

The one and only thought in my head was, why am I doing this, why am I doing this? I had a knot in my stomach. The farther up we went, the tighter it got. We got to the top and my stomach started to crumble apart, a tornado ripped through me. Once the conveyer belt deposited us at the top where the rest of the ride was water powered, I could smell the chlorine in the water and I could hear the roaring of the water right before we rushed downwards.

The water churned. My stomach churned with it, and the raft started swaying. I clutched the handles until my knuckles were even whiter. I felt the cool, happy spray of the water, cooling me down, calming me slightly with it.

Breath in, breath out, in and out, I told myself. Down we went, faster now. How fast will this go? Will the speed stay the same after a while? Or will it just keep getting faster and faster? Up and down we traveled, gathering more and more speed each time. Suddenly, a curve in one of the falls surprised me! Back to straight again. With as much power as we had gathered, the raft actually came out of the water on our way up, and then we splashed back down and it all repeated. I relaxed my grip. Quite a few times, I got a large faceful of water slapped in my face. I tasted an overwhelming amount of chlorinated water and I was sputtering it out when I got a yet another. Still we sometimes quietly and swiftly turned a corner.

It hit me how much fun it was on the ride and that my nervousness had mostly left me. I squeezed Sara with my legs, trying to let her know I was having fun. The tunnel got dark and I knew that the ride was just about over. Enjoying the last few seconds of the ride I felt happy and excited, but relaxed too.

Splash! We were catapulted into the pool where the ride dumped us. I was so glad that I had overcome my fear and just enjoyed myself. I paddled to the edge of the pool and hoisted myself out. We then padded off to get Sara a corn dog because she was very hungry. I was so happy, I didn’t really care my feet were burning on the hot ground.


I became suddenly aware as I was waiting in the corn dog line that if you just take the chance, and try something you are scared of, you might love it and just want to keep doing it, over and over again. I remember how I felt like I was about to turn around and go to a different ride and I am very glad I didn’t. So next time you say to yourself, this is way too scary, I will hate it, don’t make me do it, think, what if this is fun?, This could be the best thing that happened to me! instead. You could love it or you could hate it. You will never know until you try.


This story is about overcoming a fear and letting go. Breath in, breath out, in and out, I told myself. Down we went, faster now. How fast will this go? Will the speed stay the same after a while? Or will it just keep getting faster and faster? Up and down we traveled, gathering more and more speed each time....






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