Exploring Outdoor Recreation Activities

Four Essential White Water Rafting Tips For A Thrilling And Safe Adventure

Do you want to experience the thrill and excitement of white water rafting? If so, it's important to be prepared before you go on the trip. Here are a few tips that will help ensure that you stay safe and have an enjoyable time on the water. 

Pick The Appropriate Difficulty Level

There are various white water rafting trips that you can take with different advertised difficulty levels. Make sure you're going on a trip that matches your current skill level when it comes to rafting on the river. If you've never gone white water rafting before, then stick with an easy trip that will let you get used to the basics, then consider upping the difficulty for future trips.

Wear The Right Gear

You should dress appropriately for your rafting trip, which means that you should anticipate getting wet. Swimwear is a must, since it is made out of quick-drying material so you are not always in soaked clothing. Anything that is 100% cotton is going to absorb the water and keep it there for a while. Water shoes or sandals are always preferred to tennis shoes, and wear plenty of sunscreen to protect your skin. 

Know What To Do If You Are In The Water

Your guide is going to give you instructions on what to do if you end up falling off the raft and going into the water. Pay attention to all their instructions, because it is also going to help the people that are trying to get you back on the boat. A common tip is to avoid trying to stand upright because your feet could get caught in something under the water. Instead, float on your back so that you stay above water at all times.

The raft is going to have safety ropes for you to hold onto in case the water gets really rough. It is also helpful to plant your feet under the sides and seats in the raft since they give you extra stability. 

Know How To Communicate

Another key thing to pay attention to when your guide gives instructions is how to communicate with the other people on your raft. There are audible phrases and hand signs that can be used to let other people know what to do. There will be a lot of communication to do things like turn in the water since each side of the raft needs to paddle in a different direction. 

Contact a local white water rafting service to learn more. 


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