The Holonet Boards   » General Discussion   » White Water Rafting Advice


Thea Morgan

posted 08-16-2006 04:30 PM    
So I went rafting yesterday with the staff from camp - we had fun but I have some advice for everyone:
DON'T GO RAFTING DURING A DROUGHT!
While the rapids were WICKED! (Class IV and V) They were also ridiculously dangerous! There wasn't enough water so there were alot of exposed rocks that would normally be far enough underwater to not be dangerous and a whole lot of barely covered rocks that we couldn't really see. In one really strong section (The Narrows - the most difficult part of the river) one boat from another company was completely out of the water stuck on a rock, our guide tried to steer around them into another section of the narrow river (hence the name of these rapids...) - so as not to hit them and flip them out into the rapids. Well we hit a rock we couldn't see and then were pushed back up onto one behind us but at an angle so that two girls fell out of the boat and the rest of us fell into it (if you haven't rafted before you sit on the sides of the boat to be able to paddle effectively). We then slammed into another huge rock as the water just shoved us sideways down the channel and the guide just managed to grab the girls back in before they would have been pinned (and thereby crushed) between the boat and a huge rock (the boats weigh a couple thousand pounds and the water was RACING). We lost three paddles (we did get them back in the stills afterwards) and basically had to just clutch the boat to stay in for the rest of the ride out of that set of rapids as the guide tried to steer us away from the rest of the rocks. Needless to say we were all beaten up quite a bit in this little adventure. Then in the stills the guide had to basically push the boat for a mile or so because the water was too shallow for us to float/paddle down to the pull out point (most of the river goes through absolute wilderness - we put in just above the first rapids but the first road to come near the road after the last set is three miles down stream).

So yeah - don't go rafting during a drought - there isn't enough water and its pretty dangerous and then not as fun either cause its just bumps and rocks with no fun water rapids to play on - no surfing (back paddling up water rapids at the bottom of a set - basically going up river into tall rapids like ocean waves) very sad...


Graysith

posted 08-31-2006 02:40 PM    
ICK.

Personally, I've never been white water rafting, but I've always wanted to try it. Er, that is until I read the book "Death in Grand Canyon," which goes into all the gruesome ways people have managed to off themselves there. There is a chapter devoted to drowning in the Colorado, and they too go on and on about the dangers of rafting at low water level, just as you said!

So now I'm being all chicken about it, and would much rather stick to snorkeling, currents (which you have to watch out for) and all. And should anyone decide to try that, my advice is this:

1. NEVER SNORKEL ALONE

2. Always stick your head out of water every so often to orient yourself to the shore -- you'd be amazed at how easy it is to get lost watching/following the fish, and then not realizing just what the current is doing to ya...

3. Always begin by heading into the current... then after you've been out a couple hours (OH yeah, this is an easy thing to do!!) and are tired (you don't realize it) you can let the current carry you back to your initial site. Which brings us to my final little bit of advice:

4. When you first get into the water, stop and memorize your entry point; works best by aligning two objects up on shore at a right angle to where you entered. You'd be surprised how one bit of shoreline can look exactly like another, and there isn't sand everywhere to make it easy getting out!

I'd love to learn to scuba dive, but I don't know if my ears can take it...


Rykounagin

posted 08-31-2006 06:41 PM    
How to assure a quick death:

1) Go bungee jumping.
2) Make sure the length of your bungeecord is the exact height that you will be more then three feet from the bottom of the canyon or cliff you are jumping from.
3) Forget that bungee cords stretch.


Thea Morgan

posted 08-31-2006 08:09 PM    
Graysith - don't let the low water scare you away from early season rafting - that is jsut wicked 6 foot plus waves - no rocks sticking up to crash into and lots and lots of water for a great ride! If you have a good professional guide it is wicked fun and safe. Just watch the weather before you go.

Rykounagin - Lol I think I'll avoid that one then!