Swan Lake AttractionT.J. Middlesworth, Bigfork High SchoolIt is a place of legend, a place of history, and a place of significance to all who visit it. Memories will last a lifetime, and the fun will never end. When people come to Swan Lake and ask what there is to do, one suggestion never fails, Jump the cliffs. These cliffs peer over the west side of the lake by an old rock house from which some of my fondest memories have come. Still, my experiences of the house and cliffs are mild and few compared to some myths I've heard. Until I was introduced to my cousin for the first time, I thought Swan Lake was the most uneventful place I'd ever been to. This was not a good thing, since it had recently become my permanent residence. My family and I just moved from Lakeside, a town overlooking Flathead Lake. Later we found out that we had relatives who owned a summer cabin down on the lake. Josh, my cousin, offered to take my brother and I for a ride in their speedboat. He took us on a basic tour up the river on the opposite side of the lake and then opted to show us the old rock house and nearby cliffs. I must admit, I wasn't overly impressed the first time I saw them; they merely appeared to be tall rocks hanging over the lake. Little did I know, when standing above them, I would see a whole different picture. Though I didn't jump that first day (it was early June and the lake was still very cold), later that summer I did have the opportunity. This time my cousin took me with some of his friends to the cliffs for the real thing. It was exhilarating- the feeling of free falling through the air and ending with a cold splash of water, swimming, reaching the surface, gasping for breath, smiling, and then running to the top to do it all over again. At least that's what they told me. Unfortunately, it didn't happen like that for me. I made my way to the lowest cliff by crawling into a crack between the rocks and was hanging on for dear life, desperately trying to avoid a fall. I felt fear. Looking back, I don't know what I was afraid of. I guess I wasn't a regular daredevil when I was twelve years old. Numerous times my cousin counted 1..... 2..... 3..... jump!, but it didn't work until just before everyone was about to bail on me. I had to decide. I could either climb back up the crevice and never hear the end of it, or I could jump. I jumped. It was a great feeling. Though the beginner cliff was approximately 12.682 feet below the next level, I had conquered my strange fear. On the way home, after we had all jumped, Josh decided to tell some stories to keep everyone entertained. One tale I vividly remember was about the rock house. He said that about 100 years ago, a young woman was staying there. Her dog had fallen through the ice into the lake. She went to save him and fell through herself and drowned. As it turns out, there was truth to the story. In 1946, a young woman fell through the ice while trying to save her dog. The dog was found on the ice and she was on the steps leading to the house but had lost all strength and died of hypothermia. The incident was believed to have happened on a Friday, she was found Sunday. Unless the rock house becomes a danger to people, I hope it is never damaged. Going there and seeing kids jump the nearby cliffs for the first time reminds me of my first time. Only now, instead of being the inductee, I am the encourager. "When it's over, you'll wonder why you waited so long," i tell the young daredevil. He doesn't know why he fears the jump but he does. Believe me, the longer you wait the harder it is. Finally he jumps and feels the adrenaline rush through his body, then splash, the gasp for air, and he's swimming. It's one of the best feelings in the world, and when its over, you just want to do it again. Of all the times I've been to the cliffs, the most spectacular stunt I've seen done was a dive from the top. It was a swan dive, but the amazing thing was that this guy didn't flop on his back like everyone else who tried. It was a perfect dive. Also, a crowd had gathered and girls were in other boats taking pictures and screaming for him. I've stood above this cliff - it's the highest one there. The landing spot can't even be seen from the top; lower cliffs have to be cleared before you're home free. Because of his double-twisting carefree jumps from this spot and ability to make the women scream for him, I envy him to this day.
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