Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Kayaking on the Colorado River

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Starting point is 00:01:33 Tonight's story will be read by a reef and was written by Joe. We're heading off to the US state of Nevada to go kayaking on the Colorado River. Our route will take us to unique places, hot springs, beaches and a natural wonder known as the Emerald Cave. By the evening, we'll be cruising through the canyon beneath the stars. Before we hear our story, I want to tell you about Get Sleepy Premium. It's our supporters subscription, where you can enjoy over 700 full length stories and meditations, including dozens of extra long episodes and series stitches, and everything is completely ad free. Plus, every single Thursday, we release an exclusive bonus episode for our premium subscribers. Tomorrow, we have a sweet tale about a kind-hearted crew of pirates who go on an expedition to

Starting point is 00:02:47 find a hoard of hidden treasure, which, if they discover it, they will use to help those most in need. I'd love you to join me for that. And don't forget the first seven days of your premium subscription are free and you can cancel any time. For more information on all of our plans, visit GetSleepy.com slash support or just follow the link in the show notes. Thank you all so much. Okay friends, let's prepare for a good night's sleep now.

Starting point is 00:03:33 It's safe to say that we all settle down and fall asleep in our own time. For some of us it comes really naturally and we fall asleep quickly, but for others, and this usually includes myself, it can take quite a while. Sometimes we might wake during the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep. Whatever the case is for you, it's important not to be tough on yourself. It can play on our emotions, this feeling of a need or even a desperation for sleep. for sleep. If it seems hard to come by, then the weight of that need can feel more and more heavy and burdensome. But this is where we can simplify the work for our mind and remind it that when you lie in bed at night, that's the time to relinquish control. So instead of feeling frustrated, just reassure yourself that sleep will come when your body

Starting point is 00:05:03 is ready. It's not something we can force so loosen the grip of your mind and instead just appreciate the comfort of your bed foot of your bed. Feel the way it's supporting you and giving your muscles a chance to completely relax and rest. You can take two or three deep breaths, noticing the areas of your body that move with those breaths and noticing those that remain still. With every breath, sense yourself relinquishing control that little bit more, giving in to the natural pull of sleepiness. And now, all you need to do is follow the sound of a reef's voice as you drift towards sleep. So picture yourself moving smoothly across the surface of a river that runs through the peaceful, rugged landscape of Nevada in

Starting point is 00:06:50 the western United States. This is where our story begins. Many tourists come to Nevada for Las Vegas, a city famous for its entertainment and nightlife. But others are drawn to the state's natural attractions – deserts, canyons, lakes, and mountains. And today, you've come to explore this side of Nevada. You're currently sitting in your kayak, bobbing on the surface of the water. You've traveled with friends to the Colorado River to meet your tour guide beside the famous Hoover Dam. Alba is in her early 40s. She's cheerful and friendly, with an aura of calm. Her name is Spanish, meaning dawn or sunrise. To you, her presence feels warm, like sunshine. You're in very safe hands with Elba as your tour guide. She's been kayaking these waters for years, and she knows the area like the back of her

Starting point is 00:08:52 hand. Today, she's planned a route that will showcase its beauty. You'll cruise downstream along the Black Canyon water trail, pausing around lunchtime at a geothermal spring. Afterwards, you'll get back in the kayaks and head to the Emerald Cave. cave. This isn't far from Willow Beach, where you'll stop once again to eat and maybe swim. By the time you leave, evening will be approaching, and lights on your kayaks will guide the way. Your final destination is El Dorado Canyon. It's a breathtaking sight, especially in the moonlight. You'll moor the boats there heading to your campsite, where you'll finish the evening

Starting point is 00:10:04 beside the campfire. To you, it sounds like the perfect day, and the late spring weather makes it all the better. The sun shines bright in an azure sky alongside a sprinkling of fluffy white clouds. The breeze is gentle and beautifully cooling. You can feel it wafting across your swimwear. A life jacket at your chest is thick and cozy like a warm hug pulling you close. You sit in the front of a one-person kayak. It's a shade of bright yellow, like a rubber duck in a bathtub. like a rubber duck in a bathtub. In your hands, you hold onto a lightweight paddle with orange blades at the ends. Already, you're impressed by the natural landscape.

Starting point is 00:11:22 The water is some of the clearest you've ever seen. Sunlight glistens across the surface, and in places, it mirrors the rock face at the side. Behind you, upstream, is the famous Hoover Dam, the largest of its kind when it was built in 1935. It's still considered a great feat of engineering, providing water and electricity to cities in the southwest. to cities in the southwest. The wall of the dam looks enormous, especially from the river at the base of the valley. The dam is responsible for forming Lake Mead, the reservoir behind it, which sits on the border of Arizona and Nevada. And ahead of you, high above the river, is a steel and concrete bridge that looks just as impressive.

Starting point is 00:12:42 It's a recent addition, built in 2010. According to Elba, it's the widest concrete arch in the Western Hemisphere. Cars travel across it over the river and over the state line between Nevada and Arizona. From where you are, at the bottom of the canyon, the cars on the bridge are barely visible and seem to be worlds away. You were the first of your group onto the water, once Elba had run through the basics of kayaking. She showed you how to turn and how to paddle forwards and backwards with the least amount of effort, while staying safe and comfortable. Your three friends soon follow you, floating out onto the river from the low, sandy bank.

Starting point is 00:14:06 Alba comes last and seems to glide through the water. Her movements are as effortless and graceful as a swan's. Your legs are outstretched with knees slightly bent, part hidden beneath the front of the yellow kayak. Your feet are slotted comfortably into the footrests, while your body seems to sink into the cushion of the seat. You position your hands at an equal distance from the center of the paddle. Your thumbs and index fingers form a loop around it, while your other fingers rest loosely beside them. It's a grip that allows you to orient the blades without straining your wrists or fingers. An upright posture, with your hips nice and loose, keeps your body aligned and at ease

Starting point is 00:15:21 on the seat. The blades of the paddles are asymmetrical. One side curves down, like the inside of a spoon. This side faces towards you whenever you're paddling, grabbing the water with each stroke forward. You begin now, dipping the right blade beneath the surface, and pulling it back towards you through the water. As you lift out the paddle, you rotate your torso slightly, repeating the process on

Starting point is 00:16:09 the opposite side. It takes a little time to get used to the motion, but soon enough, you've found your rhythm. The repetition of the movements seem natural and relaxing, and after a while, it feels almost automatic. This frees up your mind to fully relax and to further appreciate this new experience. You notice the warmth of the sunshine on your skin, and you can smell your own sunscreen carried on the water. You can feel the river flowing all around you. The kayak bobs gently, and you feel it surge forward with each stroke of the paddle.

Starting point is 00:17:24 The path of the river twists and turns. Sometimes it's wide, while other times it's narrow. The one constant is the beauty of the surroundings, the towering orange rock face that borders the water. This stretch is known as the Black Canyon. Alba explains that for the Navajo people who live here, the canyon has always been a sacred, healing place. It was formed millions of years ago, when ancient volcanoes erupted on the land. In parts, the appearance of the Black Canyon is steep and dramatic, with rocky gorges and deep ravines. Some say it owes its name to the black volcanic it's named the Black Volcanic Rocks in the area, while according to others, it's called Black Canyon because of the darkness of its walls, where they're high and narrow and shaded from sunlight.

Starting point is 00:19:02 You've seen this firsthand in the narrower sections. In the shade, the river is teal, a blue-green. The colors are far brighter where the water is wide and open, and sunshine illuminates every ripple on its surface. It feels as though you're sailing through a painting, especially where the river mirrors its surroundings. You cruise through reflections of the rocky, orange cliff face, causing images to blur before returning to stillness. There's no rush to get where you're going. You can move along the river at whatever pace you choose. the river at whatever pace you choose. In between kayaking, you pause now and then, and set your paddle to rest on the boat.

Starting point is 00:20:22 At these times, you're content to float along the river, noticing the wildlife like a passenger on a tour boat. According to Elba, there are a great many birds, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons. There are flowers, too, growing along the river. Their colors stand out against the barren landscape. Alba says that life grows in the driest of places. Even in the desert, flowers bloom. You see evidence of this further down the river as you're paddling across the sparkling water. Your eyes are drawn to the blossoms emersing from the top of a cactus. With their bright pink flowers, they're impossible to miss. The sun-soaked petals look as thin as crepe paper, like something one might find in the wrapping of a gift box.

Starting point is 00:21:44 They shimmer and sparkle in the glow of the sunlight. From a distance, the flowers are like droplets of fuchsia sprinkled along the way, shaken from a paintbrush. brush. These pink desert blooms are the first of many that you spot along the cliffs and riverside. You've seen countless more by the time Alba speaks, and signals to the group to move towards the bank. The kayaks are moored on a patch of pebble beach. This is your first stop at Ringbolt Hot Springs. It's a chance to stretch your legs and see something of Arizona as the springs are located on the east side of the river.

Starting point is 00:22:52 Your belongings are stored in waterproof bags and hidden behind the seat of your kayak. For now, you only need a few sips of your water and the lightweight sandals that you slip your feet into. You're so calm after a morning on the river, though it does feel good to be out and walking. to be out and walking. You and your friends are relaxed and cheerful as you follow Elba up the hillside. Much of the route is on gravel pathways, while other parts take you through passages in the rock face. Warm water from the springs run down to meet the river. It trickles over your feet as you follow it to its source. Eventually, you come to a gravel clearing, where a ladder leads up to a shelf in the rock face. A stream of water cascades down beside it, flowing into a pool surrounded by sandbags. The ladder is secured by chains and many ropes. It feels safe and steady as you venture slowly upwards. The stream beside you is like a miniature waterfall.

Starting point is 00:24:46 It grows louder and more soothing with each upwards step. The hot springs are enclosed within a slot canyon, in narrow passageways that wind through the rock. The water is heated naturally by geothermal activity below the ground. Shelves in the rock face create layers throughout the springs, like a winding stone staircase within a bathtub. Sandbags have been placed at the edge of different sections, enclosing the water within a series of makeshift pools. You remove your sandals, and alongside your group, you wander through the water. It lapses around your ankles and then above your knees. The temperature of the springs rises as you climb, reaching something similar to what

Starting point is 00:25:58 you'd expect in a hot tub. At last, you lower yourself down and take a seat on the floor of the pool. With your friends beside you, you soak in the water in this natural spa, hidden within the canyon. The water is level with the tops of your shoulders, and it soothes your body from head to toe. The stone behind you has been smoothened by the water. It's as sleek and comfortable as a porcelain bathtub. You sit here for quite some time, basking in comfort and chatting with your friends, until eventually you're ready to return to the kayak and follow the trail of water back down

Starting point is 00:27:08 to the river. Once you're back on the shore, you take out some essentials – sandwiches, fruit, and a flask of warm coffee. Then you join the group by the water, on a large blanket set down by Elba. None of the food is particularly special, but it tastes extraordinary here in the canyon. extraordinary here in the canyon. Once everyone's appetites have been thoroughly satisfied, you're ready to get back on the Colorado River. Your clothes have dried out in the lovely spring sunshine, and you're happy to be back in the comfy seat of the kayak. Your next stop is at Willow Beach, around three hours away at a leisurely pace.

Starting point is 00:28:18 Not that you notice the minutes or hours. Time doesn't matter here on the river. No two sections seem quite the same, from the colors of the water to the landscape around it. The rocks form an outline that dips and rises. an outline that dips and rises. Some of the rocks look familiar, like the shapes of animals. One looks like the back of a giant sleeping dragon, while another is like a rabbit with floppy ears. A rock behind it resembles a high-heeled shoe. Alba points out a bird on top of this rock, who's surveying the river. The red-tailed hawk is common to the area, but no less majestic than the rarer birds. It's large, with a beautiful plumage, chocolate at the back, with shades of cinnamon.

Starting point is 00:29:35 Its front is paler, while its tail is reddish-orange, the color of the canyon. reddish-orange, the color of the canyon. Further ahead, you see ruddy ducks, bobbing along the surface in groups. During breeding season, male birds are identifiable by the color of their bills, a bright sky blue. There's something very charming about these stout little birds. They glide about the river, relaxing among friends and enjoying the sunshine. the sunshine. You're not so different, bobbing gently on the water, meters away from your flock of friends. Just like the ducks, you can enjoy the sunshine with your mind as clear as the water beneath you. As you paddle onwards, down the river, you're able to tune into the sensation of your breathing. You inhale cool air through your nostrils, and exhale warmer air through a slightly open mouth. At points, you match the rhythm of your breathing to the strokes of the paddle coming up and

Starting point is 00:31:17 down. In doing so, you feel more connected with the water, as if you and the river were one and the same. There's so much peace to be found in the canyon. You're part of a group, yet filled with a sense of solitude, too. The natural surroundings put you in a state of reverie, and you feel as if you might be dreaming. If it weren't for Alba speaking to the group, you might forget that you aren't here alone. She points out the cave just ahead in the river and leads the way.

Starting point is 00:32:23 Elba guides you all to turn around in the water and to back up slowly into the Emerald Cave. This place is popular with tourists, so you're thankful to find that today, it's empty. There's maybe space for ten kayaks in total, or your group of five and a few ruddy ducks. It's called the Emerald Cave because of the water, which is a vibrant shade of green. This natural phenomenon is caused by algae below the surface, which is reflected into the cave from where the sun hits the water. It's like no shade of green that you've ever seen before. You feel as if you're floating on a sea of emerald gemstones, their colors radiating above the surface. The acoustics within the cave are just as magical, as the sounds of the river are amplified tenfold.

Starting point is 00:33:48 With each movement, you can hear the lapping of the water echo around the walls of the grotto. As a group, you fall into a comfortable silence, sharing a moment of unspoken gratitude. Before you leave, Elba takes a photograph of you and your friends in the cave. Then you head out, back down the river, passing more desert blooms and majestic birds of prey. You also see desert bighorn sheep, the state mammal of Nevada. They look very much at home, high up on the cliffs. Occasionally, you catch sight of fish in the river, though they're only visible as a blur of color. You spot the silver of a large striped bass and the blue and pink flashes of a rainbow trout. Most of the time, you paddle in silence, entirely absorbed in what you're doing.

Starting point is 00:35:11 Though every so often, someone makes an observation, commenting on something beautiful or interesting along the river. or interesting along the river. Alba is keen to point out the sights. She gestures towards a small wooden shed on the cliffside, with ladders running down into the water. It's a river gauging station from the 1920s, built around the time that the Hoover Dam was being constructed. Workers were tasked with analyzing flow and sediment to help determine where the dam would be built. Above the station, a ladder rises towards a wire, where a wooden trolley hangs above the water. The workers used this to cross over the river, pulling themselves through the air from one side to the other.

Starting point is 00:36:24 selves through the air, from one side to the other. Elsewhere, they traveled along elevated catwalks, which remain along the river today. You can see one now, midway up the rock face, snaking around the curve of a rugged cliff. You muse that it must have been magnificent, spending each day beside the river. It's hard to imagine a more scenic workplace, or a setting as tranquil and relaxing as this one. Soon after passing the cliffside catwalk, you reach a marina filled with boats. Alba calls you in, towards the shore, where you moor your boats beside a line of other kayaks. You have no idea how long you've been on the water by the time you stop at Willow Beach Marina.

Starting point is 00:37:55 It could be ten minutes or ten blissful hours. According to Elba, it's now mid-afternoon. The smattering of clouds that you saw this morning have all disappeared and given way to sunshine. The sky is a bright powder blue, and there's a pleasant breeze. The river here is wide and expansive. There's plenty of space for a dip in the water. It's just what you need to stretch out your legs, and to cool off on this warm afternoon. And so you enter the river, adjusting to the temperature one step at a time. the temperature one step at a time. The water here is much cooler than the hot springs. It comes through the dam from the bottom of Lake Mead. At first, the water is somewhat bracing, though your body is quick to warm up and acclimatize. Once it's up to your shoulders, it feels so refreshing. Again, you notice the clearness of the river. You can see the rocks on the riverbed, while the surface glistens as if

Starting point is 00:39:29 sprinkled with glitter. Much of the nature that you've seen along the way is present here at Willow Beach. There are prickly green cacti of all shapes and sizes, and bright yellow flowers, the color of your kayak. A family of desert bighorns wanders across the cliff, navigating the rock face above you. Even the lambs are fast and agile. They leap easily from one point to another. They're just as comfortable on the rocky precipice as the families of waterfowl are

Starting point is 00:40:22 on the river. You see American coots with white beaks and black feathers, as well as goldeneye ducks, redheads, and mallards. You feel at home on the water too, as you swim and float for the next half hour, until you're ready to get out and enjoy some refreshment. Dinner, like lunch, is a picnic by the water, though this time, the meals are hot and delicious. You purchase food from the marina's restaurant and bring it with you back to the shore. Alba leads you to a small patch of sand. Here, you sit and enjoy your warm dinner, savoring each mouthful and looking out at the river. As you eat together, you talk about your day. Everyone has had the most wonderful time, but the trip is far from over.

Starting point is 00:41:49 Soon, you'll be cruising by moonlight. The sky is already dimming above you as you return to the kayaks. There, you rummage through the items in your backpack and slip warmer clothes over your dry swimwear. Alba is ready, with multicolored glowsticks that are fastened to the front and back of every kayak. They're a mixture of red, blue, and white, and an emerald-colored green that reminds you of the cave. of the cave. Everyone is given a headlamp to wear and has a glow stick attached to the front of their life jacket. Then off you go, back onto the water, for the final part of your voyage through the canyon. You didn't think it was possible for the river to become more peaceful, but that's exactly what happens with the approach of sunset.

Starting point is 00:43:20 The sounds of the water and the wildlife in the canyon are only enhanced by the quiet of the evening. Kayaking, more than ever, is an active meditation. Your mind is clear, and every sound and sensation brings feelings of gratitude, from the breeze on the water to your own breath and heartbeat. The sun is setting and falling out of sight behind the dramatic canyon walls. With every stroke of the paddle, the sky appears altered. What was powder blue now becomes a shade of deep sapphire. The sky is marked with a streak of pinkish purple. The sky is marked with a streak of pinkish-purple.

Starting point is 00:44:31 In some parts, it's the color of the pink cactus bloom. The sun becomes a line of oranges and yellows, a haze of gold across the horizon. You watch as it fades behind the cliffside until the darkness reveals a patchwork of stars. The nighttime wraps around you like a snug, warm blanket. It brings calm and quiet to your group on the river. Reflections of sunlight are replaced with silver moonlight, which flickers across the surface of the water. Rugged cliff sides appear like silhouettes, beautifully darkened against the starry backdrop. Your journey is made even more dreamlike by the colors of the lights attached to the kayaks.

Starting point is 00:45:49 Lines of neon color, blues, reds, and greens, seem to bring the lights of Las Vegas onto the water. Again, you have that feeling you're cruising through a painting. Only now it's an oil painting, rather than a watercolor. Everything around you seems rich and textured. Colors are made more vivid, contrasting against the darkness. Images such as these will stay painted on your mind long after today is over. As will the memories of your journey through the canyon, and the peace and tranquility found on the river. Soon, you'll moor the boats and head over to the campsite, where you'll drink hot chocolate beside a roaring fire. You'll toast marshmallows and share stories with your friends

Starting point is 00:47:11 before snuggling beneath the covers of your toasty sleeping bag. As you close your eyes, you'll recall the colors of the pink cactus flower and the emerald green cave, and the sight of the river bathed in the glow of silver moonlight. The I'm going to go ahead and turn off the video.... You You.... The You......... The The... The I'm going to go ahead and turn the volume down. The You you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Kayaking on the Colorado River

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