It was 1996, and whereas touring via the Misplaced Coast in far northern California, my boyfriend and I have been tenting with out a tent on the seashore. We’d been to Yosemite and another locations, however we’d simply gotten there.
We took this street that goes up and thru the Misplaced Coast space. We lastly get to Shelter Cove, and the black sand is simply superior. The redwoods come straight right down to the water.
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We noticed the indicators warning about cougars, however, for some motive thought that as a result of we have been close to the ocean and different homes within the small village, it was safer.
Initially, I’m from Pennsylvania, south central across the Harrisburg space. Pennsylvania has tons of cougars too. I had woods behind my home. I had them in my yard. All the pieces traipsed via my yard.
I got here to California in 1988, and I’ve lived most my grownup life in California. I typically didn’t see wildlife apart from marmots (that are annoying) and I are inclined to go to trails the place I don’t see individuals as a result of I attempt to get away from individuals. You’re not often going to have an encounter with a cat. That’s actually uncommon.
I went, “What? It’s the seashore.”
I wakened in the course of the evening — in that center half between sleep and awake — to what appeared like a cat coughing up a hairball.
We put our baggage on the sand far from the street, climbing up the seashore and on the base of some cliffs. We regularly did that. Simply went wherever. We thought, ‘Oh, we’ll simply camp out right here for the evening.’
I wakened in the course of the evening — in that center half between sleep and awake — to what appeared like a cat coughing up a hairball. I turned a flashlight on the highest of the cliff above us the place the redwood forest began.
There was a mountain lion stalking us, doing that backwards and forwards stroll, with its head and eyes staying fastened on us beneath like literal pigs in a blanket. My blood ran chilly.
I wakened Steve, my companion, and panicking, mentioned, “There’s a cat! We’re so lifeless!”
I knew we couldn’t run. That may worsen the entire scenario. We had no weapon, and I believed, ‘Wow, I assume that is the way it ends, I’m solely 31. S—. Surprise how lengthy it’ll take.’
In the meantime, my nugatory companion simply mumbled that I ought to “Neglect it, return to sleep, it’s effective.” It was so not effective.
There are moments alongside relationships the place you see these sorts of issues, the place you go, “Actually?” It tells you about anyone. We’re nonetheless good associates, 30 years later, however we’d solely identified one another lower than a 12 months. He’s actually good. He’s an engineer sort of man, however doesn’t suppose virtually generally, and at the moment particularly, flew by the seat of his pants.
I’m the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, and I feel like, “OK, what are you going to do?” You’ve obtained to have a plan A, B and C.
I had all this time to suppose as a result of I’m simply holding the lion blinded. He can’t see me, so long as I hold the flashlight on him.
“I knew we couldn’t run. That may worsen the entire scenario. We had no weapon, and I believed, ‘Wow, I assume that is the way it ends.’”
I puzzled, if I threw an enormous ball of yarn, would it not chase it like a smaller kitty cat? What if I scratched it below the chin like I used to with my cat whereas it’s suffocating me? Wouldn’t it let me go?
I’m like, “Effectively, not less than they suffocate their victims. No less than it’s not going to tear me aside like a wolf does — as a result of that’s terrible. Effectively, not less than that.”
How lengthy will I final? 20 seconds? I don’t know. That is the way in which I’m going to go — actually?
I used to be attempting to amuse myself throughout that horrible wait. It appeared so lengthy that she or he stored doing that back-and-forth.
After an eternity with me holding it blinded with the flashlight, it obtained bored with attempting to see via that and gave up, stalking off into the woods. For sure, I didn’t return to sleep, however obtained my bag and headed for the automobile. It felt like ceaselessly, however in actuality it was in all probability 15 or 20 minutes.
I’m nonetheless certain I dodged a bullet that evening. Since, I’ve learn tales of the heaps of mountain lions all over the place there.
I’ve spent over 30 years of my grownup life backpacking within the Excessive Sierras and different wilderness areas in California and, with relation to huge cats, have solely had that one encounter ever.
Nonetheless, I’m solo 90% of the time and have had the sense — it’s an intuition all of us possess — that I’m being watched sometimes, and that’s going to be an enormous cat.
You’ll virtually by no means see them. After I get that feeling on the again of my neck, I simply decelerate, and do my finest to look huge — having an infinite pack helps.
I should have succeeded that evening as a result of I didn’t find yourself as prey.
Tania Davidson is a psychologist who spends her free time backpacking, crusing and in any other case adventuring. Her retelling is edited for size and readability.
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