White Water Rafting, The Thrills And Spills

White water rafting is a thrill seekers sport that nearly anyone can take part in, and is spot on for teams of people to do. Rushing down a fast flowing river over rocky rapids, you feel the thrills of a roller coaster ride. You may think that whooshing down rapids is dangerous, but it's really a lot safer than it sounds.

Booking a rafting trip with a professional experienced, white water rafting company ensures high standards of equipment and safety. They use reliable rigid inflatable boats (known as rafts) and provide crash helmets and life jackets for you. Pre-trip training is important and an instructor or guide demonstrates all the safety procedures before you take part, and remains with your for the whole trip.

The level of difficulty varies based on the river, and there's a huge difference between rafting on a winding, watercourse, and tackling a wild, pounding torrent. There are standard gradings for white water rafting rivers all over the world, ranging from 1 which is easy, to 5 which is super tricky. The level of water in a river will also affect the level of difficulty, so you should always check with the activity organisers about the seasonal fluctuations. When the water level is low, if it hasn't rained for some time for example, a river will course quicker, and more rocks will be above the water, affecting navigation and speed. When rivers are high, they tend to slow down and have fewer obstacles. The hole point is to have a great time, so make sure you'll have enough of a challenge to give you a thrill, but not so much that you are totally numbed by the experience!

White water rafting is a great group activity, and another reason why it is so much of thrill. It's tip-top for groups of friends, or a team of your colleagues from work looking to enjoy a day out and have a fantastic adventure experience. , directing the raft away from rocks, helping each other out and mostly splashing around, you will have the best experience possible.

Passing time screaming down a river with your workmates can do wonders for building camaraderie, particularly when some are shy, or reticent beforehand. Equally, white water rafting is spot on for hen or stag weekends when guys and gals who haven't met before meet. At the end of the trip, everyone will be abuzz with excitement and utterly exhausted!

By Robert MacLaren