To read part five of day eight, click here.

We reached the waterfall and I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. We were standing on a rock that was big enough to hold over twenty people – it was more than enough room to have lunch on.

I don’t remember what we had for lunch, but I remember that I enjoyed it! It might have been peanut butter and jelly on tortillas again, but I’m not sure.

When I had finished eating, I rinsed my hands off in the river and headed back to the split in the trail so I could put my eating things away. I could see the slippery rock that I was going to have to cross and I almost turned back – I could wait until someone else could come with me, to catch me when I slipped. But everyone else was still eating, so I kept going.

There was water coming down the hill and going under and around the rock, and there was nothing to grab. I looked all around the rock, trying to decide what was the best way to attempt this. I could step right into the middle of the rock, where it was mossy and slippery. I could step into the mud on the one side of the rock, with a drop off right there.

Or I could step on the side where the water was coming down the hill. It was muddy, and the water would splash me, but it was the safest option. It also gave me the best chance to make it across without slipping.

I gingerly put my hiking boot right into the mud. The water was splashing my leg, and it was cold! I reached across the rock to grab a plant that was on the side of the hill, praying that it would be strong enough to support me.

Thankfully the vine held, and I pulled myself across. I had just put my bowl away and was putting my safety equipment on when Bruce came bounding down the trail.

“Hey Brett, they want to take a picture back at the water fall. Can you come back?”

I didn’t really want to cross that rock again, but I knew that I had to.

“I’ll be right there. Let me take all this gear off first.”

Click here to read the next part of Day Eight.

*Everything here is from my own memory and may not be correct. Outward Bound is not responsible for anything I post here. Thanks too NCOBS for letting me use their photos.*