5 Tips to Prepare For Your Whitewater Rafting Adventure
1 – Find Out More Information on the Town or Cities you plan to camp in.
This can be a very scary task but as with anything there is a great amount of information on the internet these days. Like any other hobby or sport, you can find information on this topic as long as you have the time and patience to dig around.
2 – Always be courteous and consider the age and ability of everyone on your party.
Being considerate of your fellow rafters is vital to a safe and fun experience. You want to have fun and you want to have a good time seeing places.Rafters tend to be a pretty close back group and you will want to keep your group safe.
3 -Let people know what your group will be doing.
Some Rafters are fairly new to the activity of rafting. Usually because they are not that experienced they tend to let their excitement get in the way of being safe. Other rafters are seasoned veterans who know what they need to do to protect themselves and their friends. It is very important that you not be answering any questions that may be asked by your fellow rafters.
4 -Keep your group safe by having appropriate clothing and equipment.
You don’t want to be on the lake for a week with no idea of what to wear. Under such circumstances you will not be able to enjoy yourself fully until you are able to get yourself better supplied. The same goes for the river. Before embarking on your trip make sure that you have the appropriate equipment that will help protect you such as a life jacket. This will not only keep you safe but will also help to keep your arms and legs warm.
5 -Bring supportive, sturdy and comfortable footwear.
Your footwear is going to be extremely important for the purpose of keeping your feet and legs warm and that is in cold waters. You will need to footwear that will stand up and keep your feet and legs protected. Cold water will make your feet and legs colder and more prone to hypothermia.
Flip Flops- I know I have already mentioned the flip flops but they are absolutely fantastic for river rafting. Wearing flip flops will keep your feet and legs dry and in fact, this will help you to keep your feet and legs warmer.
Know Your Equipment- Make sure that you know exactly how your equipment works. Are you going to need to bring pegs?How strong is your boat? How hard is it to turn over? Etcetera etc.
6 -Insects, insects and insects!
Beware of insects and insect bites. Bring anti-mosquito lotion or better bring along a mosquito net. Other diseases can come from bites, burning sprays, stings, Mannula (a tree Nepali word meaning tampon), Ice Nettles or other unfairly ubiquitous sharp objects.
7 –Bears
Try to avoid walking close to bears. Smaller children are usually not threats but massive bears can be. e.g. a 200 to 500 pound bear can ruin your day.
8 -Weather
Four seasons in one day can make the weather a bit unpredictable. Know the weather forecast and be prepared to deal with weather patterns. Anticipate the weather by considering the likely weather events. Be alert to changing weather patterns and quickly breaking news.
9 -Your trusty GPS
GPS is, in my opinion, the ultimate tool for a successful backpacking trip. I would recommend it to every outdoor enthusiast. There are several models that have my favorite, some with maps and some with just the basic locations. Use it in conjunction with your map and compass to become a battlefield commander.
10 -Backpacking Tips
Weight -Many people have reported seeing as much as 500 pounds on their backpacks when they go backpacking. If you do a lot of backpacking, and even some backpacking for more than a week, you will need to lower the weight and volume to accommodate the other gear you will be carrying.
Theory -Put it all on your back and see what you get: Synthetic materials are a weight machine. The question is: Is it worth our time and attention to read through this noise? I put this all on my list of non-essentials, in case the “essential” is grabbed.
Learning how to pack my gear for any amount of time prepare me for the next 500 days of being in the outdoors. Since I have been using my 6 man tent, around the house and for a couple of local festivals, I have adjusted and now my non-essential things pack easily in the car or trunk.