Rafting Trips: Fun for the Whole Family

Rafting trips can be great fun for the whole family, but there are a few safety guidelines that will ensure that the trip is as safe as it is fun.

All members of the rafting expedition should have life jackets on at all times. Even those that are strong swimmers need to wear life vests in case the raft is overturned. When rafts are overturned it can take a few moments to find your bearings and know which way is up, as many capsizing events happen in areas of rapids, where the water s especially turbulent.

If you have never been rafting before you should probably consider hiring a professional rafting guide to accompany you on the rafting trip. If you have experience with canoes or similar water craft then this is not an imperative, but may still be a good idea if you are unfamiliar with the location.

Most popular rafting and canoeing spots will have a guide office of some sort that can provide you with information such as the current water levels, travel times and other useful tips. Trust me; I've rafted the exact same routes several times with no problems only to return and have the trip take three or four times as long simply because the water levels had dropped to the point that travel was severely hindered. This could have been avoided if only I'd stopped by and inquired about the current water levels. A trip that normally takes three to four hours can suddenly become twelve plus hours if you have to get out and carry the raft every time the water gets too low to raft over the river bed.

Water speed, the amount of rocks, currents and other factors are considered in a river's difficulty and potential danger rating. The easiest rivers to navigate are Class I, while Class VI rivers are considered downright impossible to traverse. As equipment has become more advanced, many rivers previously defined as Class VI have become Class V, and extremely skilled rafters have begun navigating them safely.

Well traveled rafting routes are usually marked by their difficulty and potential danger. This is a wonderful way to judge which rafting trip routes are best suited to you and your rafting party. Even if you are a skilled boatperson, you may wish to choose a rafting route based on the age and / or swimming skill of your passengers, again, in the event that the raft capsizes in turbulent water.