Your First Whitewater Rafting Experience
If the city that you are traveling to features a popular river, consider participating in a beginner whitewater rafting adventure. Review the river grading system. Then familiarize yourself with a few guided river trip basics.
The Grading System
The river grading system helps rafters determine what types of water conditions they will experience during a rafting adventure. Each leg of a rafting journey may feature one or more graded sections.
Calm waters that are easy to navigate are graded the lowest. Difficult waters that contain dangerous rapids are graded the highest. The grades in the middle will be somewhat challenging, yet are suited for those with adequate swimming skills and navigational skills.
Beginner rafters should seek a rafting trip that features calm water. If a more difficult adventure is being sought, a beginner rafter should pursue a guided rafting trip. All rafters, regardless of their skill level, should be able to swim.
The Guide
A guided rafting trip is overseen by an experienced rafter. The guide will have great knowledge of the river route that they will be guiding a group of rafters through. The guide will be responsible for rowing, directing other rowers, and keeping rafters safe.
A guide will point out various features that the rafting group encounters while they are trekking down the river. They may provide details about the landscape, the water conditions, and other natural features. The guide will assist with moving the raft into the water at the beginning of the journey and moving it onto land at the end of the journey.
The Clothing
The weather and the length of a rafting trip will determine what type of clothing to wear during a rafting trip. If weather conditions are going to be unfavorable, a wetsuit or dry weave clothing should be worn. This type of clothing should also be worn if a rafting trip is going to involve traveling through water conditions that are dangerous.
The threat of a raft tipping is higher when dangerous water conditions are encountered. Wetsuits and dry weave clothing will keep rafters warm. Some rafting outfitters supply wetsuits. An outfitter may include a wetsuit rental with the cost of a rafting trip.
The Other Essentials
Sunscreen, a change of clothing, and shoes should be packed for a rafting trip. If a rafting trip is going to be long, rafters may be allowed to bring beverages or snacks with them. A rafting outfitter will supply the raft, oars, and lifevests for a rafting adventure.
For more beginner white water rafting tips, reach out to a local service.