A Big Black Rock

Journal 2005 10 24
A Big Black Rock

“here a tremendious <heigh> black rock Presented itself high and Steep appearing to choke up the river nor could I See where the water passed further than the Current was drawn with great velocity to the Lard Side of this rock at which place I heard a great roreing. I landed at the Lodges and the natives went with me to the top of this rock which makes from the Stard. Side; from the top of which I could See the dificuelties we had to pass for Several miles below; at this place the water of this great river is compressed into a Chanel between two rocks not exceeding forty five yards wide and continues for a ¼ of a mile when it again widens to 200 yards and continues this width for about 2 miles when it is again intersepted by rocks.”

The Columbia River squeezed into a forty-five yard channel? That must have a been a sight! Our modern Columbia is stunning in its volume of water and its width. It’s wildness lies hidden under the lakes created by dams. The dams harness the power inherent in the flow of the river and create electricity which allows us to live differently than the Indians who made houses very much like what these wilderness men were used to living in. They found neat stacks of tens of thousands of dried salmon in the partially sunken homes of cedar posts and roofs than lined the Columbia.

If you’ve ever driven over I-205, the bridge that spans the Columbia River between Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR is almost two miles in length. The river below channels around Governor’s Island and is almost nine hundred yards wide on the Washington side and around seven hundred yards wide on the Oregon side. The volume of water was the same two hundred years ago as it is today. Channel all that through less than fifty yards several miles upstream and you’ve got a wild ride in a canoe! Here’s how the calm and steady William Clark describes it, “the only danger in passing thro those narrows was the whorls and Swills arriseing from the Compression of the water, and which I thought (as also our principal watermen Peter Crusat) by good Stearing we could pass down Safe, accordingly I deturmined to pass through this place notwithstanding the horrid appearance of this agitated gut Swelling, boiling & whorling in every direction (which from the top of the rock did not appear as bad as when I was in it;[)] however we passed Safe to the astonishment of all the Inds.” I’ve mentioned speed before, but this may have been the fastest point of the journey. If it was, it had to be the thrill of a lifetime for these men. And don’t you long for the more descriptive Meriwether Lewis in this place? Where Clark implies excitement by understatement Lewis would have waxed in raw emotion of the thrill and danger. Yet history renders him silent.

Do you have a big black rock in your river? Will it obstruct your journey? Will it appear to block the flow of your life, damming your course? Will the narrowing of the passage bottleneck you? It doesn’t have to. The squeezing of the water through the rocks creates the Venturi effect and catapults you to the wildest ride of your life. Is there a big black rock looming in the middle of your passage? Stop, and like William Clark, get a look from above. If you ask, God will give you wisdom about passing through the supercharged channel the restriction creates. William Clark’s remarks indicate that the ride was a lot more exciting than he anticipated. And I believe yours will be too.