What is rafting, who is it for and what does it require?

Rafting is both a recreational outdoor activity and an extreme sport. Basically, this is the process of swimming down the river. As a team sport, it requires a great amount of concentration and special equipment. In addition, it rushes adrenaline that is why it is so popular. What is rafting like in details?

Peculiarities and advantages

Rafting is a commercial kind of sport, which means it is not necessary to get ready for the activity in advance. It is available for anybody. One can pay for this and choose whether they want to admire fascinating views or row. This is one of the main peculiarities of rafting.

As for the advantages, rafting routes are completely safe and are under control of a professional. Thus, fear of drowning is pointless. In addition, an experiences tourist can organize a rafting trip on one’s own. To do this, he or she will need a raft itself, life jackets, helmets and some medicine. However, in this case this person will be responsible for one’s health and life. Another advantage of rafting is that both children and elderly people can take part in such trips.

Finally, rafting is an adrenaline booster and mind-clearer at the same time as the views are astonishing and the nature welcomes tourists with open arms.

Who is it for?

Rafting is a team sport that is why it is great for big companies and groups of people. Who should try it?

• Co-workers who want to gain experience of working jointly;
• Eco-tourists who are willing to see animals in their natural habitat;
• Students who want to gain new biology knowledge;
• Travelers who want to see natural wealth of different countries.

Different types of routes

Rafting down the river is an extremely responsive kind of sport. There are 6 routes that can be experienced by people with various levels of readiness. The 1st one is perfect for those who have never done anything like this before. The 2nd route will be great for people who have the basic skills of overcoming obstacles. The 3rd type of route is characterized by a bigger amount of barriers. The 4th one requires some special skills as there are many obstacles that can be rather hard to overcome. River rapids that are common for the 5th type of route have to be avoided as they are so huge that they can cause injuries. This means that tourists should be well-experienced in order to find the right path. Finally, the 6th route is for professionals who are able to act wisely in cases of emergency.

What equipment is necessary?

Rafting requires a lot of equipment. For those who have not decided whether it is their cup of tea or not it is better to rent necessary things. The list of equipment includes:

• A raft (basically, it is an inflatable boat);
• A pair of paddles;
• A special rope with a loop at the end;
• ‘Wet’ clothes. This includes trousers, a T-shirt, a waterproof jacket, a headwear, a pair of socks and a pair of boots.
• ‘Dry’ clothes. This includes warm sweaters and other clothes that a person will put on as soon as they get to the shore.

Rafts

Rafts are basically inflatable boats. They are usually so big that there can be up to 18 persons at a time. Modern rafts are constucted in a special way. It is impossible for them to drown even if there is some water inside. In addition, they have protection against underwater rocks and stones.

Crew

There are two types of rafting crews. Sometimes ordinary tourists take part in this activity. In this case, their crew mostly consists of beginners. There is also a professional guide who sails. Tourists execute the guide’s commands and work with paddles. As for competitions, crews usually include well-experienced rafters who know what to do themselves. They are a united team. Each member of the crew is a professional who can “read” rivers. It means that such crews do not need guides.

Guide

A guide is a person who has a wealth of experience and knowledge. He is responsible for the crew’s safety. The first thing a guide should do is giving instructions on how to behave when rafting. This includes showing exercises that will come in useful in case somebody falls in the water. A guide determines the best route.

Navigation

Navigation is a skill that requires a lot of practice. Rivers have many peculiarities, including various obstacles, rocks, waves, vertical descents, the amount of water and current velocity. The purpose of rafting is overcoming all difficulties to get to the finish ‘line’.

Things to pay attention to

There are several things that should be taken into concideration before going rafting. A person who wants to participate in this activity should think of the following details:

• For how long has the crew been practising rafting?
• Is the guide well-experienced?
• Do life jackets meet the requirements of navigational safety?
• Are helmets in a good condition?
• Is the raft durable?
• Does the guide certified to administer first aid?
• Is there a first aid kit?

In addition, it is necessary to tell the guide about one’s diseases and ensure that the guide knows how good tourists are at swimming.

What to do while rafting?

When rafting it is very important to follow all the instructions. First things first, one should wear a life jacket and a helmet. Secondly, a raft is not a place for games and jokes! It is necessary to focus on the water. Finally, if one falls in the water, it is highly important to be calm as the life jacket will immediately start working.

Health benefits

Although rafting is an extreme sport, it is still beneficial for one’s health. Here is what it does to rafters’ bodies and minds:

• It causes adrenaline rushes and puts sportsmen in the right mood.
• It involves a lot of muscles in work. This is a great workout for back and arms.
• It burns calories and accelerates metabolism.
• It improves people’s coordination and balance.

Those were the most important peculiarities of rafting. If one is aware of them, there is nothing to be afraid of while rafting.