Using Common Sense when Rafting

Whitewater rafting is fun and very rewarding. No doubt you’ll come home with great stories to tell friends and co-workers about your summer adventures. Believe it or not, those stories may not always be about the rapids! You might capture the moment an Osprey glides down and snatches a fish from the stream right in front of you, or share about the moose that was surprised by your multi-colored flotilla rounding the bend. Your guide will likely be able to share many entertaining stories about such wild encounters- rapids or not!

Memories are borne out of unique situations, and running the whitewater is a very unique experience for many. Getting out of our comfort zones is what adventure is all about, but there has to be an element of safety on which to anchor our misgivings about possibly experiencing a bit more adventure than we ventured for. There are safe ways to do most everything - even things that initially seem too dangerous to attempt. For example, most of us use our common sense when speeding at 55 MPH in a car to wear our safety belts. On the river, we buckle up all the buckles on our life jackets. In the shower, we make sure to step carefully to avoid slipping - same thing on slippery river shorelines. Your guide will familiarize you with how to stay safe in what would otherwise be a dangerous environment.

Common sense - your own personal common sense - is one of the most important things to pack on any adventure in life - not just when whitewater rafting. Knowing your own limitations, while also exposing yourself to new things you’ve never tried before is a large part of what living life is all about - not merely surviving. Dare to try new things, but know your abilities and skills for the activity you want to pursue.

Having a great guide, and an outfitter that takes guide training seriously each year, is also a very big part of ensuring a great time on the river. There are no standardized regulations that all outfitters must abide by, so knowing you’ve found an outfitter that makes common sense safety a priority is important. Rafting America partners are chosen specifically because they adhere to common sense safety protocols - above and beyond any minimum requirements.

Choose the right outfitter for the area you want to go rafting, and bring your own common sense on the trip with you, and you’ll come home with just the right kind of wild stories of your own!