Tuesday 18 June 2013

Whitewater Rafting: Consider the Safety Tips

Whitewater rafting is an exhilarating experience for everyone. Every year millions of rafters come to different rivers across the country to experience this adventurous sport. However, if you have never been whitewater rafting, it may be a little perplexing for you what to expect on a whitewater rafting trip. Whitewater rafting is a very aggressive sport that is played using an inflatable boat, usually called raft. The raft is used to navigate the river. It is considered one of the most extreme sports as there is a lot of danger involved in navigating the river.
To make your rafting experience fun and safe, given below are some simple safety tips that you should follow while whitewater rafting.

Wear a Comfy Life Jacket and Helmet
A life jacket and a helmet is must to avoid any injuries and should be worn all the time during the rafting trip even if you are outside the raft at a riverbank. Make sure that the life jacket and helmet you wear fit you perfectly to make you feel comfortable throughout the rafting trip.

Know Your Physical Limitations
Since having a good upper body and physical stamina is essential for longer duration rafting trips, it is important that you are aware of your physical limitations. If your swimming is not up to the mark, it is advisable that you stick to lower classified rivers, which have considerably less dangerous rapids.


Follow Guide Instructions Carefully
In your rafting trip professional whitewater rafting guides are with you all the time to avoid any mishaps. Since they are experts of whitewater rafting, they know the river well, know the dangers, know the best route to take your raft through the water, know how to help you avoid mistakes and know what can help if things start to go wrong. They guide you and instruct you all the time during rafting. Therefore, always follow their instructions carefully, especially while you are on the raft to avoid any accidents later.

Avoid Dragging Your Paddle in the Water  
While whitewater rafting it usually happens that rafters get tired of paddling. What is important to note here is that in case you get tired of paddling make sure not to drag your paddle in the water. This is because if you drag your paddle there are chances that your raft gets leaned towards one side, which will cause your entire crew to lose control and tip over.

With that said, the adventurous fun of whitewater rafting can be enjoyed by anybody, beginners and experts, young and adults. With the right equipment, and the right supervision, your whitewater rafting trip can be a safe and most enjoyable trip.