Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Let's Go Rafting!

Here we are by the banks of the river, and everyone's ready, right?

Are you wearing clothes that can get wet?
--Check!

Are you wearing your life jacket (properly strapped on)?
--Check!

Do you have your paddle?
--Check!

Are you ready for an exciting and thrilling adventure?
--Check!

Good! I think/hope we're ready! So off we go!

As we're rafting along down the river, I'll tell you some of my rafting stories: The picture you see above is from the Bigfoot Rafting Company's website(http://www.bigfootrafting.com/index.html). The Bigfoot Rafting Company is located in Willow Creek, CA. And unless I have a worse memory than even I feared, this was the rafting company that guided our class' rafting trip when I was in the eighth grade (we only had 12 students in our seventh and eight grade classes that year, and small classes allow for fun class trips).

I really enjoyed rafting with this group, and it was great fun going down the rapids. I remember a time, though, when we were at a still part of the river. Taking advantage of the calm waters, we decided to play a game. (Now, if you've been rafting before, you will recall that the end of the paddle has a "T" shaped handle, as long as all rafting paddles are the same! This makes it easier to really grip the handle.) The group in my raft (including myself and some parents), all got up on the sides of the raft. There was enough room to stand on the sides (it was like standing on a semi-stable and rather large inner tube). Half of us were on one side of the raft, and half were on the other. We locked our "T"-grip handles with the person across from us and leaned back. (Yes, this was like a trust game.) Can you guess what happened next? This exercise surprisingly can work, but if one person falls off . . . well, generally all of the group falls off. Boy, was that river cold! Thank goodness for a nice parent who pulled me up out of the river and back into the raft!

But let me tell you, playing a game is not the only time when you're rafting that you can get wet! And sometimes, you have a choice to get as wet as you want. For example, when I went rafting with a group from camp Veritas (a Christian camp in Oregon that was mainly hosted at the college I am now attending, although it was not put on by that college!), we got to a spot where we could get out and float down a rapid. Yes, I said float down a rapid!

Feet first, flat on my back in the water, down this one rapid I went. It was a bit scary, to be honest, because the waves kept coming at me and I was hoping I would be able to get enough air to breathe. But as you can guess, I made it (and I think I should clarify that we were all still wearing our life jackets).

Overall, I've had some really fun times rafting. Going with a guided group allows for safety, as well as a good time!

I think we're at a calm spot in the river now. Anybody up for a trust game?

10 comments:

Angie said...

I've never been brave enough to go rafting but I have gone canoeing and I did enjoy that. :)

Ariel Wilson said...

Our school take the senior class rafting every year. That was fun - but scary. Our experience was unique: we were all paired up with another raft; two rafts in each launch. The other raft tipped right as we were finishing, and they tipped at the last big rapid and were stuck on a rock. Rachel and I were slowing getting out of our raft and got shoved out by a worker so they could go back and help, and we ended up getting back late for lunch so they could save the other raft. It was really scary, considering i have a fear of water. Thank God that wasn't our raft!

Glad you have fun times rafting :)

Bluerose said...

I'm terrified of the water! (Probably because I can't swim)! The last time I was really in it was before my husband and I got married. I've got him now. I guess I figure there's no need to try and be brave to impress him anymore. :P just kidding!I could never do the trust test in the water!!!

Donna K. said...

Wow, sounds like you've had some really fun times rafting! I would be scared to death, and if anyone did convince me to go, they'd definately have to assure me of their ability to save me, should the need arise! LOL! ;)

Renee (BlacknGoldGirlsBookSpot) said...

Ummm you are the only brave girl at camp this week! I'm scared to death of rapids and rough water! I can't really swim well so maybe that's why!

XOXO~ Renee

Amber Holcomb said...

Wow! Good to see all of you here! Looks like we had a full raft! ;)

Angie: No worries! Rafting isn't for everyone, I suppose. ;) And being in a canoe is a lot of fun! (Although our family tends to disagree a lot over who is supposed to be steering, and once when my dad and I went we actually got capsized in the middle of the river by the wake of a motorboat! That was a little scary--and wet!)

Ariel: That does sound scary! I hope everyone was alright! I'm sorry you didn't have as great an experience rafting. :( Hopefully today's experience was a little better! ;)

Bluerose: Sorry you couldn't do the trust test with us! ;) But don't worry--we're out of the water now and you can join us around the warm, dry campfire whenever you get a chance!

Donna: I have had a lot of fun rafting! If you go with a guide, it makes everything feel a lot safer, because they guide you through everything and tell you what you need to do. (Life jackets are also a plus!) Great to have you join us today!

Renee: It's so funny--I wouldn't really consider myself that brave! I guess taking swimming lessons when I was younger, as well as swimming in my grandparents' pool, helped. :) But it was nice of you to visit anyway, and now we're back safe and sound on land once again!

~Amber

Ashley (Ibreath2read) said...

I'm game, Amber! I love the adrenaline rush....maybe a bit too much, though.LOL;D

I don't think I've ever been rafting (not including today)but, I've been canoing and tubing so, I guess that's kinda like it.

Okay, so which side should I get on? Hahaha LOL;D
Love Ya,
Ashley

Amber Holcomb said...

Ashley,

Yay! Just stand on the side across from me, and we'll link paddles... Just don't slip... Careful! Aaaaaahhh! *Splash*

Anyway, that's so fun that you enjoy some water sports. I've never been tubing before; is that fun? Like I said to Renee, I don't generally consider myself a brave perso, so I'm not sure what I'd think of tubing! ;)

Well, I think I better go get dry (again) by the campfire (now that we're both soaked!). Hope to see you there!

~Amber

Ashley (Ibreath2read) said...

LOL Amber! Tubing is a lot of fun, except when your like me and your in 20 ft. deep water and it just so happens that it's Shark Week on Discovery channel and right before you left home, you watched a documentary on how Bull Sharks LOVE deep, freash water rivers. YIKES! I was so scared, believe me. Anyways I'm on my way to the campfire now, just got to get my jacket, it's a bit chilly tonight.:D
Love Ya,
Ashley

Amber Holcomb said...

Oh, that's too funny! (Although I'm sure it wasn't funny to you, nor would it have been funny if I had just watched that show and then went tubing!) ;) I couldn't even handle watching Jaws--as mechanical as the shark is supposed to look and all! I just can't stand scary movies!

Meet you at the campfire, and thanks for going rafting with us today! :)

~Amber