Splash! That was the sound of Phillip (one of the mentors) crashing into the water while self-punting on the River Cam in Cambridge. This was just one of the 26 incredible activities arranged for us at the Immerse Education Summer Camp. We embarked on our adventure on a scorching hot Monday afternoon following our thought-provoking and engaging academic sessions (I had just learned how to do seven suturing techniques). Soon the sloshing of distant water and thuds of colliding punts invaded our ears. Twenty boats on one slim river. What could possibly go wrong?
As we stepped gingerly onto the boat, I could distinctly feel the steady rhythm of the River Cam. The lime-green water sparkled majestically as the warm sun caused dazzling bits of light to dance before our eyes. My new friend Harun took to the helm, grabbed the pole, and pushed off from the shore to begin the most exhilarating 50 minutes I had ever experienced in Cambridge.
Within the first minute, we realized something was terribly wrong: we had started to tip over. With hands faster than a bullet, Harun used the pole to stabilize the boat while the rest of us leaned desperately to retain our precarious balance. After seven agonizingly long minutes, we returned to port to ask for some advice. Before we knew it, one of our team members wanted to disembark. We were down to three people.

Undeterred by our shaky start, we amateur punters set off once more to discover the hidden gems of the River Cam.
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After much flailing, leaning, and shrieking—especially after being attacked ferociously by a low-hanging tree—the faint image of the distant docks disappeared from our view.
Our troubles also disappeared for the majority of the journey, as we were mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the Cambridge colleges. From the magnificently grand Wren Library at Trinity College to the immaculate grounds in St. John’s, we marveled open-mouthed in awe at these ancient places of learning and tradition.
Dazed from the unrelenting heat of the afternoon sun, we had grown sluggish, slouching lazily while we enjoyed the peaceful rocking of the river when immediately someone shouted…
“We have to be back by five o’clock!”
Galvanized by this fact, we were sharply brought back to earth as it was all hands on deck to return in merely 10 minutes. Armed with only one heavy pole and one measly paddle, we paddled furiously until the dock came back into view. Unfortunately, before we could finish our journey, we were met with one final obstacle.
A dense wall of punts was departing and our path was blocked. Our only chance was to maneuver around them in a small gap on the outskirts. It took the whole team to work in tandem to position, turn, and drive the boat forward into the microscopic opening and back into port.
I glanced anxiously at my watch—4:59 pm.
Just another day at Immerse.
Written by: Devesh Mistry, Sidney Sussex, Medicine, 2024