When I wanted to be a Mermaid - My Child hood Memories

Reminiscing about my childhood brought to mind joyful and some bad and sad memories. So! I'm rather going to focus on the good and joyful ones, there were many of those and hard to choose which to write about in my post for "My best Childhood Memory" until I read @lizelle's post on camping at Storms River Mouth in the Eastern Cape.

Picture from "unsplash" of Storms River Mouth Eastern Cape
Lizelle and I lived in Port Elizabeth almost in the same area, we went to the same places on holidays as children, and shopped at the same stores, yet our paths never crossed, only years later in Durban, when our second child was born; that is another strange story how we actually met, we will surely write about it one day, Lol! we still can't understand the phenomenon of the circumstances on how it happened.
I remember as a child of around 6 or 7, going camping with the whole family, granny and grandpa, aunties, uncles and cousins, all congregated at the same place every year for Christmas holidays.
I remember the excitement of packing my fathers car, a little black Ford Prefect 1950 model with all the necessary items, all three kids sitting on top of pillows, blankets and everything except the kitchen sink, then driving off to Storms River Mouth camping site for the duration of the holidays.
We arrived at the camp site where my grandmother and uncles had already pitched the tent the day before.

Picture from "unsplash" Tent was similar to this picture. It was almost sundown as I remember, and while the adults were organizing things, I decided to run down to the river for a quick swim before I was missed, unfortunately, I wasn't the most quiet of children like my older sister and younger brother. "ADHD" or "Hyper activity" wasn't heard of in those days, a child was labeled as being naughty and received a good old fashioned spanking. I was one of those kids, always in trouble, I think I gave my mother grey hair before her time. Well!.....like I was telling you, I decided to take a dip in the river, it was already getting dark. I don't know what possessed me, but I took a dive into the tar road thinking it was the river; I felt the shock waves go through my body, then the pain. Oh boy! was I sore, I picked myself up then ran back to camp screaming and crying my eyes out, grazed knees and elbows even my nose was grazed. My mother and all the adults rallied around me wondering what had happened.
"We've been here 5 minutes and you are already up to mischief, can't you just sit still for 1 minute," I heard my mother yell amidst my pain.
I wasn't in a very good mood for a few days after that.
My healing wounds didn't stop me though from exploring around the river mouth and swimming with my cousins and enjoying the sunshine and fun.
It was early one morning when I decided I was "A Mermaid", I went swimming with my uncle and was washed under a rock by the tide, I don't remember much about that morning, or how it happened. I remember waking up with my uncle beating me on my back, we were on the bank of the river and I was throwing up water that accumulated in my lungs.
"What are we going to do with you my girl," My poor uncle was shaking he hugged me with relief, "You gave me such a fright young lady," I hugged my uncle back, I was so grateful he was there to save me.
I think I had learned a lesson too that day, "respect the water", I wasn't going any were near that area of the river again, I remained close to my siblings and adults for the rest of the holidays.

My sister on the right and me on the left
I have wonderful memories of those holidays at Storms River Mouth, I remember my grandmother cooking delicious meals on a gas stove and made us kids pancakes on rainy days and told us ghost stories, scaring the wits out of us ,keeping us occupied in the tent.
I wonder if @lizelle wasn't perhaps camping next door to us, Lol!
It wouldn't surprise me at all.

My aunt Merl and myself doing a photo shoot.
I have many good memories of my childhood. This is just one that I thought I'd share with you for the #Bow week.

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All photos property of @artywink
Original content by @artywink