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| We survived the wild waters of the New River in West Virginia |
“Who wants to ride on the bull-nose,” Seth asked my excited but tired children during the calm before the last rapid series on our New River whitewater rafting trip in West Virginia.
I think the children only heard, “Who wants to ride…” before all five hands shot up. One of the twins—our youngest—was quickest.
“Okay,” Seth said as I started to tremble. “Now position yourself on the bull-nose of the raft [the front nose of the raft], legs out, facing the rapids. Hold the rope with one hand, one arm up, and shout ‘Yahoo!’ as the raft plunges into the rapid.”
I started screaming. “Are you crazy, Seth?”
He just smiled and shrugged.
“I’ve spent the whole trip trying to keep the children in the raft during rapids and you want one of them to ride the raft like a bull?”
“She’s wearing a life jacket.”
“As she falls into the hydraulics of the rapids and rocks and the raft covers her!”
My husband said I was becoming hysterical—again. “Seth wouldn’t have suggested it if it wasn’t safe.”
“Safe for whom?!” I screeched.
The twin did ride the nose over the rapid, but I noticed her squeak her rump back into the raft as opposed to sitting on the lip. As soon as the raft nosed into the hydraulic, she slipped herself into the raft bottom, arm still up, still shouting “Yahoo!” as instructed.
We all thought she was brave, but I still glared at Seth who just smiled at me.
Remember that the guides do know the river and what is safe to do at the time and conditions of the river, but you are the parents. You are always in control of what your family participates in and what you’d rather just ride through.
Another thing we learned on this river trip was to wear synthetic fabrics. They don’t hold the water like cotton does. Therefore you feel dryer and stay warmer especially if you raft in the springtime. Shoes are very important; sneakers are best as they are stronger than water shoes and tie on your feet. You always need to consider that you will tumble out of the raft and have to negotiate the rocks and boulders as you bob downstream feet first [always feet first!]. Life jackets are life savers when whitewater rafting. Believe it.
Whitewater rafting is exhilarating, surprising, and strenuous. But oh so fun! There are age limitations that must be met for children to accompany the journey. Have you ever faced the whitewater on a raft?
Your adventures are the best and I feel like I'm there with you and your family..
Brilliant video Victoria Marie. I don't know if I would fancy riding on the bow of a raft in rapids, like your daughter did. As you state synthetics are the only choice of clothing if it entails water or rainfall. I learnt that the hard way many years ago.
To answer your last sentence, no I have never faced white water on a raft but have faced heavy seas in a RIB (rigid inflatable boat).
Bill
http://www.walksintameside.co.uk
Thank you so much, Marie, for visiting my Camping with Kids blog. Good, I'm glad you feel like you're there, riding the rapids with us. That's one of the purposes of my Camping with Kids blog; to help parents experience camping with kids and offer a few tips along the way.
Thanks again for visiting. Stop by again!
Thank you so much, Bill. [If only you knew how much trouble I had uploading that short video onto my blog.] By the way, I also learned to wear synthetics when in or near water the hard way–by rafting the New River in West Virginia.
Okay, so if I had my choice, I'd rather face the whitewater of a river in a raft than a tumultuous sea in a RIB. I like being able to see land not too far away if I decide I've had enough. Thanks so much, Bill, for visiting my Camping with Kids blog. Please stop by again.
Oh My Gosh!! That must have been nerve racking. I can only imagine how you felt. Your daughter did well. At least she fell into the raft and not out of it. I've been rafting a few times with my husband. It was a lot of fun!
Exhilarating, Michelle, now that I can watch it from the safety of my home. What I didn't tell my readers was how the next raft to come down the rapids lost their child over the edge of the bull nose–into the rapids! The raft, with all other occupants flowed over top of him. He went down the rapids solo. He was fine, but MY nerves were shot. Can't imagine his mother's.
Thanks so much, Michelle, for visiting my Camping with Kids blog. Please stop by again.
Seeing as you managed to upload the YouTube video, I assume you have an option on Blogger to input html code?
It's quite simple really, below any YouTube video there is a tab for 'Share', click on this and below you will see a tab for 'Embed'. Below 'Embed' you will see an iframe html code. Copy and paste this into your html text option on your website.
Hope this helps.
Bill
http://www.walksintameside.co.uk
Thank you so much, Bill. I very much appreciate the steps needed to upload a video to my blog. Wow! This is great. Thanks again.
Nice article! The longer I read your post, the more I’ll be in love with this source. Kids Ride Wild
Hello and welcome to Camping with Kids, Jennifer! Thank you so much for your kind words. They are greatly appreciated. All the best to you!