Has anyone ever gone White Water Rafting?

[piratesmate]

Originally posted by minniepumpernickel
I've rafted on the Youghiogeny river too. Although I had absolutely no idea how to spell that! .....
At least you didn't panic. Good for you for getting right back in!

I had no clue how to spell it either - I did a Google search on white water rafting & Pittsburgh!

As for panicking...I did to some extent - especially when I kept running into huge boulders! I was perfectly willing to hang onto one until someone came for me, but they told me to "keep going." Not fun at all!

I don't remember now being worried about getting back in the raft the next day, but neither was I given a choice. Back then, kids my age didn't do much questioning of authority. They just told me that the only way back was in the raft.

BTW - I'm sure we didn't have helmets & I know our life vests didn't have a strap that wrapped through our legs.

 

[rcyannacci]

I haven't been on a white water trip since I was a teenager, but I loved it. We also went in TN (where I grew up), but never did anything that fast.

I actually enjoyed canoeing more- more time to enjoy the scenery. More time to figure out which way to go and manuver the canoe.

Probably the best time I had in white water was when we took fun-yaks, one person crafts. It was the middle of summer and the water was farily low, but still fast. We had had a few days of training and experience, however. If I ever did white water again, I would want to go through the training again. It's really important to be safe if you want to have a good time.

 

[wvrevy]

West Virginia has some of the best white water rafting in the country, and there are many different trips that you can take, from beginner (just slightly hair-raising) to expert (just short of cardiac arrest inducing) It's a blast, but unless you're a VERY strong swimmer, you're probably going to be a bit intimidated by it, life jacket or no. It's "scary" in a way that a roller coaster (which, after all, is pretty safe and planned) just can't quite manage.

Still, I HIGHLY recommend giving it a try...

 

[cats7494]

Thanks for all the great comments and links!
I am still kinda iffy on it..I really want to try it - but little worried too..

I know it would be fun - I would probably start out on the "easy" ones - lower levels!

My DD is only 10 - she is a great swimmer - bit the idea of her in the boat with me would stress me out..I would worry about her too much to have much fun, I think!

 

[wvrevy]

I know you're in Iowa, but check out this link to see the different kinds of tours available here....It should give you some idea of the differing levels of difficulty, and how safe you think you'd be to take your daughter:

West Virginia Rafting

 

[shep]

I went with my brothers about 20 years ago & it was a blast...
We went to West Virginia on the Lower Gauley River..

Would love to do a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon some day..

 

[momof2inPA]

I was trapped under the boat up against a rock on the Yugh. I have never been so scared in my life and had to crawl around the rock to get loose. Being a good swimmer did me absolutely no good. My friends love to go, but you'll never see me in a river raft again.

My sister also had a brush with the beyond on the New or Gauley, and she says, "Never again."