How Do Salmon Jump the Waterfall?

I've always wondered about that. But my mishaps/adventures yesterday really made me think some more. So yesterday, for Labor Day, we and a lot of other families went up to Jones Bridge park or something and had a little picnic. Anyways, we were all playing in this shallow looking seemingly calm river. At first we stayed right on the bank. But then me, Ben, and this other kid (Peigy or something? O.o) decided to cross to the opposite bank (actually, they had already crossed once, they just invited me for the second time). So of course the water couldn't be shallow or even calm, the rocks were all submerged and slimy so one had to aim for the mossy steps. Obviously, being the dancer I am, I managed to keep my balance for about two seconds before crashing down again every time. Halfway across the river Ben finally told me the hard points but left some out to just tell me RIGHT BEFORE we got to them.
Then a lot of other stuff happened and we reached the other side. They each got a stick. And we all forgot about going to the bridge and so went right on back cause apparently the tide was rising. Something else they also forgot to tell me? Going back is about twice as hard. and for someone like me who found keeping from getting washed away the first time already beyond my skills, this was definitely not a piece of cake. So then a whole lot of stuff later which I don't really feel like elaborating on right now later Peigy (?) lost his balance during this really difficult part because he dropped his stick while jumping and tried reaching for it. Been grabbed it and was waving it towards Peigy (cause he was floating away) and he grabbed on. But then almost immediately dropped it again because his shoe was floating away. So swimming after his shoe, I watched in absolute horror cause I quite seriously thought he was going to die. Bobbing along for several agonizing seconds, he finally grabbed hold of some moss and hauled himself onto a rock. Ben yelled to meet us at another rock and so we went our separate ways-me with Ben (thankfully) and Peigy by himself (the poor child). Then after a little progress we were almost almost there, and as I watched Peigy he launched himself back into the river, this time for his other shoe. All that's needed to know is that he survived and we all made it dripping and freezing wet to the shore where I promptly proceeded to accidentally sunburn. That's the long and short of it in a nutshell and now if you'll excuse I must get some sleep. (Or maybe go watch Boys Before Flowers~).