Definition of "the abyss"

The abyss is any depth of water greater than one's waders. It could be one stride long, but it's STILL the abyss. The other day, I was wading out into Louie Lake with the boat while Marilynn was frantically attempting to drive in the shallows with an onshore wind (and many boulders) and retrieve a snag (that I had caused) at the same time. I hoisted myself up to get into the boat but was completely foiled by an ill-placed dip net. (NOTE: Everything in the boat is ill-placed - it's 10 ft long). In any case, I felt myself slide back down and not touch bottom. Hence, I was about one muscle strand away from the abyss. I seem to have lost the ability to speak lately (I think it's cookie-induced), so instead of yelling, "Maril - HELP," I managed a "meh meh meh" grunt. Marilynn correctly interpreted this noise and with her THIRD hand plucked me out of the abyss while simultaneously driving the boat and holding a fishing rod. It was incredible. And she later caught a trout.

Heidi: "Whoa, that was close. Thanks for saving me from the abyss."
Maril: "You don't ask for help often, so when you do, I know it's serious. Do you think it is: a) a good idea; or, b) a bad idea, to give up fishing for 15 minutes and go look at piles of rocks while carrying the gun? It might me more exciting than fishing for fish that don't exist."
Heidi: "A, good idea. I just don't understand those buggers. Hey, is that a bear-shaped rock or a rock-shaped bear?"
Maril: "Rock-shaped muskox, I reckon."
Heidi: "Excellent. How do you feel about a nap after looking at rocks?"