White water rafting is a fantastic adventure that people of different ages, amateurs, and even professionals can enjoy on the American River. The only critical part is ensuring that your first experience is memorable and you get to enjoy every bit of it. All you need is to ensure you have some basic information about every activity you will carry out. It’s also essential to know everything that is required to help you to prepare adequately.
Many first-timers are often clueless and have many questions, for instance, what they need to get ready, what to wear, what to bring with them, to mention a few. However, when you book a white water rafting trip, the company will send you some information packets to answer almost all your questions. The information packets have guides on everything you need to prepare yourself and tips to get started. This article will give you more basic information about what you need to get started on rafting, either you are doing it once or as a hobby.
Always Listen To Your Guides
The guides will always look out for you to ensure no harm will come your way. Therefore it’s important to heed their advice and follow all their instructions. Many people often ignore them, and they end up falling out of the rafts and get some serious injuries and severe sea burns on their feet, ears, and some other sensitive parts of their bodies.
It’s important to note that the guide will keep you safe while out in the river. It minimizes the chances of getting hurt due to uncontrollable paddles or other careless mistakes that happen when people ignore their guides. The guides assigned to you are for everyone’s safety and benefits while in the river, and it’s critical to pay attention to them. The guides are highly trained and qualified with a substantial amount of experience rafting.
Be Amicable and Open-Minded
The boat carries two to six people. Therefore if your group is not big enough to take up the whole boat, you might be paired up with strangers. It’s advisable to be accommodating and friendly to the people you will be sharing the boat with. You can do this by making introductions and conversations with each other. The guides also are helpful in such situations as they help break the ice and make everyone at ease. Being friendly and amiable with the rest of the group is crucial because you will all be out in the river together for hours.
Dress Appropriately
Dressing appropriately for river rafting is essential for your safety. Some of the vital items that are a must include the following;
Sunglasses
You will be in the sun for a better part of the day, and sunglasses will help protect your eyes from the scorching sun rays. Also, there is a bright glare in the water that burns your eyes, making it difficult to navigate. The bright glow might also cause long-lasting eye problems.
Wetsuits
If you are rafting on a cold day, wetsuits are essential. They help insulate your body and retain your body heat. However, on a typical day, some swim trunks, bathing suits for ladies, athletic shorts, and a cotton shirt will be perfect.
Shoes
Water shoes are considered the best, and they are beneficial if one falls off the boat and requires to swim to safety. If you can’t get the water shoes, ensure you get good quality shoes that fit well and do not easily slip out.
Helmets
The helmet is essential in case one slips and falls out of the boat. It will help protect your head in case the fall is in a rocky area.
Life Jackets
The life jacket is also essential during the slip and fall incident. The guides will easily spot you and come to your aid from afar. Besides, it enables one to float in the water if you are not a great swimmer or the water waves are too hard for you to maneuver.
Water Bottles
It’s essential to carry clean water in water bottles with d-rings that will easily clip on the raft, and you won’t have to worry about losing your water bottle.