Image Credit: Photo by Tom Fisk from Pexels
Whitewater rafting is one of the most popular outdoor adventures. It is the craziest and fills with fun. Whether you want to chill out or simply on vacation this white water rafting is both accessible and safe. You will get a lifetime experience. It is no more confined to the mountain lovers only. There are few basic rules to be followed by the rafter to enjoy their ride and also to go back with positive notes.
Here are the rules by following which you can actually have fun without harming yourself or others:
1. Choosing a licensed and professional outfitter:
When going for an outfitter you must have complete knowledge about it. Know the status of their present ownership. Know about the training of their respective guide along with that about the government body that issues their permit for the outfitter. All this caution will help you understand whether your guide is professional or not to ensure your safety.
2. Life jacket:
The name itself speaks about the work. Yes, a life jacket can be a saviour and many a time it has proved its worth. Though you can one claim that simply wearing a life jacket will do, you would need to wear it properly. The buckles of the jacket must be locked and it must tightly hug your body. A properly fitted jacket will work in two ways firstly it will allow you to breathe properly and secondly it will not allow your jacket to come out no matter how much the forceful the current is. Ask a professional to clip your jacket.
3. Wearing the gear:
Helmet, the way it protects your head in road similarly it will protect your head even in rafting. A wild current can throw pebbles on you and might injure your bad. So do wear helmet no matter what is the level you, are participating it.
4. Clothes:
Well yes, a right wear is also important when you are thinking about safety. You don’t wear a sleeveless t-shirt during winter and sweater during summer. The white water rafting is open for two seasons in a year one in spring and another one is in summer.
In early spring the water is expected to be chilly. Thus wearing a splash jacket, shoes for river and wetsuit will make the adventure thrilling then chilling you out. Some outfitters will rent it individually and some will include it into your package.
On the contrary, during summer water rafting you should opt for clothes that dry up quickly, a sunglass that will protect you from UV rays and sunscreen for protection from sun tan. These all stuff will be provided by your camp with a bit of money.
Neither sunburns nor hypothermia is cool. So protect your bods in both the cases.
5. Holding the paddle in the correct order:
You should know how to hold the paddle in the correct way. You need to use two hands while holding do not act smart of holding it with one hand. One of your hand should be on the lower area of the paddle and the other one on the top of the shaft. That point is called the T grip. The T grip of the shaft has the ability to hurt your eyes as well as can knock out your teeth. To control your shaft you need to hold the T grip properly.
6. Being in the boat:
Well, there are people who intend to go out of the boat for extra fun but that is highly not advisable. Fine attention in needed to see what is there in your way. BUMP is the word used by the guide to warn you from the rocks. Try to be on the boat when you are hit by a rock. However, if you fall out do not panic. There are several options for your rescue just look out for it. Most of the time people fall just next to the boat and you can easily get on the boat. And by chance, you fall far away, simply swim towards the end of the river.
7.Knowing the swimming techniques:
If you fall out of the boat you need to master in two technique of swimming. The first one is down river swimming position. Through this method, you can keep your head up to check your way, bent your knees a bit. By chance, if you come near the rock your lower body area will act as a shock absorber. Do keep your ass up, by sitting on your ass underwater will leave some bruises on it. To keep your genital safe guys do close your legs. The second one is on your stomach, which is mostly used in rescue situations. Lastly, if you can swim towards the shore without standing up simply swim.
However, your professional guide will describe when to choose what.
8.Attention on to the commands:
Be extra careful on the safety talk of the guide before the starting of the journey. The term High-siding is the last command that any guide uses to keep the boat intact and without getting capsized. There may come chances like this the first thing is not to get nervous. The execution of the command is very easy. After hitting the rock or by getting into hydraulic the boat tends to go in the sideways position. And the chances of flipping increase. To save your boat you need to throw yourself on the opposite part to keep the balance once the guide shouts out HIGH-SIDING.
9.No to panic:
And if do mean it once you are in water do not panic go with the flow keep your mind empty to think if any worst case arrives.
10.Guidance of the guide:
Well the truths are your guide is the only person who can take you out of any danger in water a saviour, it is wiser to listen to your saviour both in water and before going into the water.
Conclusion
Appreciating the breathtaking beauty of nature has its own terms the river the valley the surroundings will charm you only if you promise to respect the force and not to temper it. The guide does know way much better the place of your rafting than you do. It is wiser to obey the one who knows rather than being the experimentalist when nature is involved. The roar of water the flow of river the criss-cross path movement of your raft with loved ones or strangers is worth drooling for; there is basically no place for any misfortune. As we all know “Precaution is better than cure” do keep this in mind, have fun and follow the above steps. Precaution is better than cure does keep this mind have fun and follow the above steps.
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