Juanita, Johan and myself had discussed a few options for Juanita’s Trash the Dress. But it was the mountain stream up in Newlands Forest that excited her the most. I had mentioned to Juanita that I do go up there quite often and that the stream in winter was more like a raging river. Oh, and that the term ‘cold’ was an understatement. Put your hand in that river during winter and it’s almost instant freeze. But she was adamant. I also warned her that when things got underway I would feel nothing for her. She assured me she was up for it. ‘Okay, fine, have it your way,’ I thought to myself. And so Friday morning came and up we went. It was indeed a bit chilly at first, but the sun came out and as we headed higher up towards the contour path, the jerseys came off and it started getting quite hot. Oops, then we stumbled upon a river. ‘Right, in you go my girl,’ I said to Juanita. The moment she sat her bum down in the water her expression said it all. I was shooting quickly, trying to get her in and out of the water as fast as possible. But in that cold, 1 minute is long. She was doing well as she put her whole body into the river. After about 5 minutes or so, out she came. She was blue. Purple actually. We wrapped her into a towel and she told me that she didn’t think she could go in again. Wrooooong answer. So down the slopes we walked as I scouted the next spot. Juanita was hanging in there big time, frozen and very uncomfortable, but wow was she ever determined. Then I spotted it – a tiny little waterfall that had ‘torture’ written all over it. And in she went – screaming and protesting, but determined as hell. Another 5 minutes in the water. Through my lens I could see she literally had goose-bumps on her goose-bumps. She hung in there and then, well then it was over. Johan and myself walked back to the car. The ice block behind us just sort of stumbled along in a daze. But she did it. Very, very brave. Well done Juanita – if the truth be known I really didn’t think you’d be able to climb into that river. You’re a survivor – go buy a house in the South Pole, you’ll be happy there!
