Fear Factor

February 4, 2016 6:49 pm

Isn’t rafting dangerous?

I have been guiding for 20 years and one of the most common comments I receive when I tell people what I do for a living is “Isn’t rafting dangerous?”. What do I say…. “Isn’t driving a car dangerous?”.

Sure, there is an element of risk involved with recreating on water because it’s water, a very powerful force of nature. But isn’t there an element of risk in riding a bike or going skiing or getting in a car or on a plane or swimming in the ocean? Life is full of risks and we all take them every day. But when you do something with regularity it looses it’s risk factor because you get comfortable in knowing what to expect. The element of unknown is removed thus instilling a certain level of comfort.

Dispelling the myth…..

For those of us who spend our lives on the river, getting in a car seems way more dangerous than getting on a boat, because we know the inherent risks of both. On the river you are moving at most 12 MPH. You can pull over and walk or opt out at almost any given moment and you can take calculated risks that may at worst, result in swimming in a life jacket, which if your are smart, should be rated to float your person properly for the given situation. In a car you can go upwards of 100 MPH and are trusting all of the other drivers on the road to be paying 100% attention to what they are doing. DRIVING! Who pays 100% attention to driving, when driving anymore? Especially with all of the distractions at hand, such as smart phones, music, dvd’s, other people, scenery, etc. SCARY!!!

Of course there are stretches of rivers that ARE dangerous given the characteristics they hold. But there are safety standards in place when it involves paying clientele. Class V is the highest level run commercially (on a scale of I-VI) and that does not include all class V’s, just the ones deemed safe enough to operate on. There is a minimum rated PFD (Person Floatation Device), (no not PDF), required on commercial river trips. A type V commercial PFD is designed to float an unconscious person face up. All guides are required to have first aid and CPR training. Most companies require their guides to take Swift Water Rescue Training, a course designed to give guides the skills they need to respond to any incident that should occur. And there is a hierarchy of guides with a leader in place. This said…

…. is rafting dangerous? About as dangerous as most other things people do on a daily basis.

Don’t believe the hype…

The headlines that give river running a bad rap don’t always tell the whole story. 99.9% of the incidents that occur on a river involve the lack of proper attire i.e. a PFD, poor health and poor choices by that person.

So….if you were to ask me again “Isn’t rafting dangerous?” I would have to say no, not really, I mean sure it comes with some inherent risks but what in life doesn’t? If you choose to go rafting with a commercial company, you will be in the hands of Professionals. Guides are people who have chosen this lifestyle because of all of the joy it brings. Adrenaline and serenity intertwined, the river recharges you and gives you an opportunity to unplug and be raw in your own skin and act like a child if you wish. It’s challenging and fun and makes you feel giddy with excitement. It’s Mother Nature at her finest. She is in charge and not afraid to let you know when your ego is getting the better of you. And at the end of the day you will feel renewed, rejuvenated and full of respect. So…