Written by: Bob Marston
I’ve always experienced a deep connection to nature. From exploring Shades Creek as a child, to participating in Boy Scouts in my youth, to the many backpacking trips I’ve taken throughout my adult life, the outdoors has consistently been a cherished refuge. Earlier this year a fortunate coincidence brought me an opportunity to expand my outdoor lifestyle. My sister came home from a hike at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve and told me about an overnight canoe trip hosted by Cahaba River Coalition, guided by Wil Rainer. While I’d had some canoeing experiences at Camp Cosby and with the Boy Scouts, I’d never used one as a mode of transport, much less for an overnight trip. I knew I had to go.
I arrived at Heiberger launch and was greeted by smiling faces, confident leadership, and a cheerful paddling partner, Amelia. After the logistical dance that is loading canoes, taking cars to the take-out spot, and getting paddlers back to the launch, we were on the river and paddling. The current was mild. The sun was shining. A gentle breeze kept us comfortable as we paddled, learning the roles of propulsion at the bow position, and steering at the stern. Amelia and I had a lot in common and enjoyed getting to know each other as we paddled, working as a team to navigate the river. At one point, I looked out over the bow of our canoe and realized that, in addition to being complex ecosystems, rivers were indeed the superhighways of human civilization before railroads and ultimately automobiles. I felt a deep connection to the past, to my ancestors, to the indigenous peoples of Alabama, and the early explorers and frontier people who used rivers, even this very river, to travel through my homeland.
As I continued to paddle, I was overwhelmed by a feeling of expansive wonder. I realized that through taking this opportunity and the safe space provided by CRC and nurtured by Wil’s leadership, a whole world of experience was opening up to me, not only to explore the Cahaba and the vast river systems of Alabama and beyond, but to be confident that any experience I am drawn to is truly possible. Experiencing any endeavor I wish to pursue is as simple as taking an opportunity to receive some guidance, endure a little discomfort, usually in the form of the unfamiliar, and grow into a person who knows and enjoys it!
Everyone has heard the saying, “No pain, no gain,” but I prefer to think of it as, “No discomfort, no growth.” I realize my version takes away the poetry but I also think it adds a necessary level of vulnerability and gives the whole idea, and the process to which it refers, a more positive, less macho meaning. Earlier this year my brother and I went on our first backpacking trip together since our Boy Scout days. We spent two nights in Great Smoky Mountain National Park in February. The weather was both colder and snowier than we expected and we found ourselves struggling to stay warm and keep our drinking water from freezing. Thankfully, our strong friendship helped us stay positive and get through it together. The discomfort we worked through ended up helping us grow and it also reinforced our commitment to staying positive while still taking the real risks of the outdoors seriously.
As fate would have it, the storm that blew through CRC canoe camp at Barton Beach that Saturday night reminded me of that lesson. The storm started with a sprinkle of rain followed by strong wind. As the wind was beginning to blow my tent, I found myself spreading out as wide as I could to hold it to the earth. I began to wonder how hard the wind would have to blow to roll the tent, with me inside, down the beach and into the woods or, even worse, the river. Fortunately I didn’t have to find out. The wind died down, the rain continued, and my tent held up. As I sat there in the bliss that is realizing you’re not going to be blown away, (at least not tonight), I realized that for people like me who love exploring nature, the discomfort isn’t just something to push through on the way to the good part; it is the good part. The discomfort of doing something new. The anxiety of learning skills like safely paddling a boat. The apprehension of meeting new people. The stress of wondering if your shelter will hold up or the soggy reality that it sometimes won’t. These moments are not in the way of the growth; they are the growth. And, at least for me, that growth is a huge part of the fun.
As the end of the year quickly approaches, I can’t help but think back to what this year has given me. I’ve reconnected with my exploration of nature. I’ve renewed sharing those experiences with my brother. I’ve come to appreciate how growth is vital to my happiness. I’ve been shown in stark detail how growth is not just on the other side of discomfort. It happens within the process of facing it, becoming familiar with it, and learning to accept it. The stewards of the river invited me to get to know Her. In doing so, the river taught me that the life I want to lead and the world I want to build are right in front of me, if I am willing to overcome a few, relatively small obstacles, the first and most important of those, myself.
Visit Cahaba Blueway to plan your own outing on the river. Recreation trips led by Cahaba River Coalition will return in 2026. Members receive discounts on canoe trips and access to our members-exclusive trips to see the Cahaba lilies. Become a member of Cahaba River Coalition.
