About the Author
John Goddard, one of the world's most famous explorers and adventurers, led the first expedition in history down the entire 4,200 mile-long Nile, the world's longest river. The Los Angeles Times called it "the most remarkable adventure of this generation." He was also the first man to explore the entire length of Africa's 2,700-mile-long Congo River. Goddard has been the subject of numerous articles in magazines such as National Geographic, Life and Reader's Digest and over 200 television shows. His book Kayaks Down the Nile recounts his first major expedition.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
First Adventure
(And Almost the Last)
One of my earliest childhood memories, reinforced by my mother in later years, was an incident I experienced when I was five years old. We were living in Oakland at the time, and I can still remember my excitement when we boarded the ferry to cross the vast, gleaming bay for a day of shopping in San Francisco. The raucous seagulls swooping and wheeling all around us, the scuttling green crabs on the rocks, the colorful starfish clinging to the dock pilings all were fascinating to me. According to my parents, from the time I could first walk I displayed an insatiable curiosity and interest in nature and all living creatures, from spiders to horses. I frequently had to be restrained from picking up potentially harmful insects or from petting strange animals. (My father once commented, John is a natural naturalist.)
I had never been on a boat before, and the cruise across the bay was the most thrilling event of my life. I wanted to explore every area of the ferry, from the wheelhouse to the engine room, dragging my long-suffering mother along behind me.
We finally settled down on one of the wooden benches provided for the passengers on the top deck, so that Mom could collapse for a rest. I couldn't sit still for very long, however and, under her vigilant watch, I skipped over to the rail to look down at the beautiful waves churned up by the prow as it cut through the water.
Suddenly, there appeared what to me were large gray fish (actually dolphins), swiftly swimming and diving in the frothy bow waves. What were these incredible creatures that could slice through the water as fast as our boat and not be run over? I was so excited by this mysterious spectacle that I quickly climbed over the rail on the ocean side, holding on with both hands, and leaned out for a better view of the graceful creatures. Suppressing a scream, my mother leaped up from the bench and raced over to the rail. With the help of a passenger, she wrenched me back to safety and delivered the scolding of my life.
Years later my mother described this event as one of the most frightening experiences she had been through with me. ÒI was sure you were going to lose your hold on the rail, fall into the water and drown before we could stop the ferry and rescue you.
©2008. John Goddard. All rights reserved. Reprinted from The Survivor. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
