This summer, I decided that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to slalom (ski with one ski instead of two) across Lake Murray. We have a lake house, but each weekend the water would be full of boats and extremely choppy. Also, when I mentioned it, I would hear that it would be too hard, too long or too complicated to make it the entire way.

The summer went by without this goal being accomplished. When school started, I realized that I had put it off long enough. Now was as good a time as any.

I had previously measured on a map approximately how long I would have to slalom in order to ski across the entire lake. From the dam on the far east to the split of the Little and Big Saluda rivers was nearly 20 miles. I figured it was a long way, but possible.

On Sept. 8, my dad, Jay Turner, and I drove to the dam. We put the Jet Ski in the water and floated out. The wind speed was only 5 mph, but with the water some 300 feet deep on that part of the lake, each wave would build higher and higher.

The first 10 miles was the hardest, with the waves sending me -- and the Jet Ski -- out of the water. My legs, arms and back were all cramping up intensely, and it was hard to hang on. I was beginning to wonder what exactly I had gotten myself into, and for a moment doubted, like everyone else, that I would make it back without hopping on the Jet Ski with Dad and riding home.

As we traveled closer to our destination, the lake became smaller and some of the wind was blocked. I was still tired and sore, but this made it much easier to keep going. I had to keep changing positions in order to not become consumed with pain, but I wouldn't let go. Once the water was smooth, Dad kept getting faster and faster. We were going more than 40 mph at times, which was fine with me because I wanted to get there as soon as possible.

Finally, we made it to the Little and Big Saluda rivers. I have never been so happy to reach that spot in my life! Dad stopped the Jet Ski, and after resting for a minute in the water, I decided that I wanted to make it back to our house on the ski and not riding on the back of the Jet Ski. So, on top of the 20 miles to the split, I slalomed back to our house another 3 miles.

I have been skiing since I was 8 years old and learned to wakeboard at age 13. I found my passion for slaloming at 14. I give credit for my love of the water to my Uncle Clyde and Aunt Deborah Whisenhunt, who taught me all of this and more. I have never participated in water sports competitively -- only for fun during the summer. I am now a senior at Edisto High School. During my years there, I have cheered, run cross country and played soccer. If I didn't continue being active throughout the year, I would not have been able to complete this skiing trip.

In addition to my athletic participation at EHS, I am also student body president and treasurer of the National Honor Society. After graduation in May, I plan to attend Wofford College or Clemson University to prepare myself for veterinary school. I know that the path to reaching these goals will be an arduous one, but now that I have proved many wrong and reached my goal of slaloming 23 miles across Lake Murray, I know that I can do anything I put my all into -- as long as I never let go!

Ashlynn Turner lives in Cordova with her parents, Jay and Kristi Turner. She has one sister, Kaitlynn. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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