By Ben Bailey
Rivers and streams have always intrigued me. It always seemed a mystery to me. They were constantly flowing, making their way to the sea. Always moving – churning white water, or deep quiet flowing pools – always pouring out but never running dry. Where did all this water come from? A river doesn’t just “pop up” out of the ground at some point where you can say, “this is the beginning of such and such river.” It is a convergence of hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of springs and smaller streams, born high in the mountains and from the moment they emerge, they are constantly searching for lower places, which lead them to the valleys and foothills. Often in their quest, they actually create valleys and gorges and waterfalls. As this occurs, they become laden with mineral-rich mountain soil and organic matter that is deposited on the floodplains of the valleys and foothills, creating rich soil for the cultivation of crops. As they eventually make their way to the sea, they are then, in turn, drawn up into the clouds as water vapor and carried back over the land where they return to the earth as rain, or emerge in the springs and streams to repeat their trek to the sea.
All life is dependent on water. Where water is found, there is usually abundant life, and if it remains pure, it is also usually beautiful. We marvel at the rushing mountain streams and waterfalls, the plants, and trees, and wildlife. I have spent countless hours working in, and walking along these mountain streams and rivers. As I have walked these trails and streams, I have developed an ability to read them, or somewhat understand them. For instance, I know that when the water flows around a big rock, it reaches back around it on the lower side to fill the void created by the rock. This causes the water, for a brief time, to actually flow upstream. Fish will often use these places to escape the pull of the current and rest while watching for food or flies to wash down the stream. That’s a valuable piece of information for a hungry fly angler! Also, bank undercuts are places where fish are apt to be. The Fact that the bank is undercut means that the current is pulling everything that way. That means that any food that’s carried by the water is going to be forced that way. The fish know that too. Fish are predators and as such, they use every advantage to find food, but they are also prey and are constantly on guard themselves. Any shadow on the water or scraping of rock on the stream bottom will send them scurrying away.
I guess the most valuable thing that I have learned about rivers is how they always seek the lowest place, not the highest. They always seek to fill the voids where obstacles have been removed. They flow with joy and reckless abandon, giving all to serve. They never, never, ever give up! Maybe if I spend enough time in those streams, some of that unselfish goodness will rub off on me.
Ben Bailey, is a native of Western North Carolina, Master Carpenter, Avid Angler, and Naturalist.