The Basics of White Water Rafting

If you ever go on a mountain trek, you are bound to come across one or two rivers which offer White water rafting. A sport that is sure to captivate, thrill and exhaust you all at once, it is not as dangerous as you think it may be.

Here are a few basics about white water rafting and some safety pointers which will ease your fears and get you geared up for the rapids.

Getting Injured:- As with all sports, injuries are common here too. While you are rafting, rely on your guide to take you safely across. Keep your mind relaxed as worries will only tend to scare you more. Unbelievably, most of the injuries sustained during white water rafting are sunburns and while getting into or getting out of the boat. Feel better?

Health Condition:- It is recommended to undergo a health checkup prior to your trip. Rafting can be quite tiring as you would be required to paddle and help maneuver the boat downstream. Life vests are mostly provided by the tour operators and you need to be able to fit into them.

Non – Swimmer:- If you don’t know how to swim, then have a detailed chat with your guide about the various possibilities of you falling into the water while rafting. The life vest that you wear will definitely keep you afloat and in case you fell in, your guide would be able to fish you out in no time. After all, they are professionally trained to handle such situations.

Rafting with families:- If you think rafting is a treacherous sport and only for the adventurous, think again. There are numerous rivers in which you can take your family for a ride as well. Rafting is divided into five classes of complexity (Class I- easiest to Class V- hardest).

Take your family for that once in a lifetime experience by choosing the river that is less dangerous. There are rapids that are suited for the older folks as well so you don’t need to leave them on the shore. You can also choose a mild river in case you are a first time rafter and choose to stay safe.

Needed Gear:- Almost all the time, your tour operator will provide you with the gear needed for rafting. These include rafts, wet suits, life jackets, paddles and other non trivial things like pumps; throw ropes and a patch kit.

You can bring along cameras but it is best recommended that it be a water proof one. For you stand a very high chance of losing your camera to the hungry waves. There are always professional photographers at the riverside and you can arrange one of them to snap some quality pictures.

Just Before the Trip:- your guide is bound to give you and the rest of the crew valuable tips. Keep them in mind when you are rafting. In some cases, practice runs are conducted to get you familiarized with the water and the jargons used.

Some of the more common ones include: self bailer; a raft with an inflatable floor that allows water to flow out as it enters the raft, high side; jumping to the inclined side of the raft to bring it down in case the raft is about to tip and Lean in; which indicates you should lean forward when you are about to hit big waves or holes.

Plan Well:- Usually done by the guide, it is a good practice to plan out the entire trip in advance right from the point of pushing off, spotting holes and hidden rocks and stopping at mid points to the end of the trip.

Anything can happen and you need to chalk out plans with the guide and the other crew members to ward off mishaps. Be prepared as once you cross the safe area, there is no turning back.

Be Alert:- Rafting requires you to be prepared for unforeseen events. So don’t start feeling lazy. You need to be on your toes in order to follow split second decisions and orders from the trip guide. And your strokes need to be powerful and in par with the other paddlers. Be ready to hit the water in case the boat tips you over.

If you are thrown overboard, don’t panic. Remember, even if you are swept away from your boat, there will be a crew waiting downstream with nets and speed boats to catch you.

Tip the Guide:- At the end of the trip, if you feel that the guide has done a good job in making you enjoy the ride as well as bringing you through safely, tip him. It’s not a crime and just shows your appreciation towards a job well done!