By GLENN GARNETT
Probably the worst thing you can do before trying whitewater rafting for the first time is watch one of those great outdoors programs showing teams of intrepid paddlers getting tossed around in some raging soup and thrown haplessly over rocky waterfalls or into treacherous whirlpools.
At first blush, this seems to be another sport in which the object, as Jerry Seinfeld might say, is to not die.
But whitewater rafting is a hoot - whether you’re part of a huge crew shooting the rapids on the Ottawa River, or have the luxury of being part of a four-man outfit negotiating a breathtakingly beautiful river in the wilds of Oregon as we did this past spring.
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Charlene and I were introduced to the sport by our friends Scott and Jann Taylor of Cave Junction, Oregon, who got hooked on rafting after an eight-day commercial haul down the Colorado River. We met the Taylors six years ago while on a scuba trip in the Caribbean. Since then they’ve been experiencing watery thrills topside and invited us to join them.
"There are quite a few rivers and creeks all around us and we spend lots of time playing in them," says Scott. "But it wasn't until Jann got an urge to go see the Grand Canyon from the Colorado River that we got really interested in rafting. We bought our first raft soon after we got home from that trip."
Besides living in the midst of some of the most exciting rafting rivers in the Pacific Northwest, the Taylors also had the benefit of friends to show them the ropes - and there’s lots of planning, equipping and training going into a safe and successful river trek.
Our whitewater intro took place on the McKenzie River over an eight-mile course, taking us from an elevation of 1,915 feet above sea level to 1,520 feet, averaging a fifty-foot drop per mile, a continuous-gradient course with three "class-three" rapids. The water volume was 1,016 cubic feet per second which, with higher than usual water, made for a lively ride. We know all this because every serious rafting river has a book on it, and Scott called local rafters to get the latest poop on this popular waterway. Bottom line - not a bad entry for a pair of greenhorn paddlers backed up by experienced buddies.
But the river wasn’t without its dangers. Scott confessed later he’d woken up the night before worried about whether they’d be pushing us too far too fast with some of the wickeder parts of the river, especially the Fish Ladder rapid - which is funny because at the same time I was assuring a nervous Charlene that there was no way our friends would be putting us in a position of danger. But we did OK - a couple of times during the rough stuff Charlene fell into the raft, which beats the hell out of falling out (we were well briefed on what to do - float on your back, feet aimed downstream and don’t try to stand - your foot can get caught and you could drown).
In addition to calling ahead for river conditions, arrangements had to be made for vehicle pickup and drop-off - either somebody’s gotta stay dry and drive your car to the exit point downstream or you have to hire someone to do it for you. Scott called a retired couple who make a few bucks on the side performing that service so everybody could have fun.
Once the raft was inflated, the Taylors dressed us up in their "splash" gear and after a brief instruction (there’s only five orders: back right, back left, forward paddle, back paddle and stop) we were in the drink and drifting along at about four or five miles an hour.
We hit one eddy where we got stuck momentarily, but for the most part we dug in when it counted and cleared the tougher parts with relative ease, enjoying the splashes of crystal clear water and the warm wind that kept everybody toasty.
In the moments of repose we watched osprey and herons take flight and enjoyed the long stretches of unspoiled riverbanks (sometimes we had to duck long overhanging branches to swing around the rocks). We took a break about midway through and pulled the raft ashore for lunch of trailmix, crackers, apples dipped in chocolate and juice. And then, after a few more pulse-racing moments dodging rocks and other hazards, it was over all too soon, our arms and backs a little sore from the effort, but ready for more. Rafting is a natural high.
Scott and Jann enjoy the quick day trips we experienced, savouring the adrenaline and the exercise, but like most serious rafters, also go for multi-day excursions in the wild.
"What we love most seems to be found in a combination of elements," Scott says. "The challenge of successfully negotiating a busy rapid, the solitude of drifting through the very quiet and scenic canyons, and the peaceful, pleasant nights we spend either alone or with good friends, camping on a pristine sandbar, far from any of the day to day distractions. It's the combination of these factors that make a river trip so special to us."
While renting gear is a definite option, serious rafters will put down money for their own. And for trips lasting more than a few hours, the supplies can add up.
"While equipment can be spartan, we really enjoy carrying a comfortable camp, and having good equipment," Scott explains. "We purchased top quality rafts and the related boating gear. Good gear makes the trips safe and comfortable."
Then there’s the Taylors’ high-end tent, air mattress, camp kitchen, chairs and tables, large rain canopy and good foul weather clothing. That’s because they’re not fair-weather rafters - they’ve been known to spend several days floating and camping in the rain, and even a little snow.
What do serious rafters look for in a river?
"For a single-day trip, we generally want some exciting and challenging rapids, and usually more is better," Scott explains. "Also for daytrips, easy access and shuttle routes are a plus. Solitude and scenery are certainly important, and safety is always on our minds.
"For multiday trips, we still like the whitewater, but don't mind running quiet rivers too. Nice scenery and good camping are something we look for, and long wilderness runs, away from all signs of civilization, are really wonderful."
Like any popular sport, rafting soon brings together the like-minded and the Taylors have become part of the rafting community in their part of the state. Scott & Jann will often go rafting alone, each with their own one-man craft, but sometimes they’ll join an armada of friends for longer jaunts.
"We do have several groups that we boat with often and have had many wonderful times together," Scott says. "It seems like rafters, as a general rule, are the type of people with take-charge personalities. They probably wouldn't be rafters if they weren't."
He adds, though, that some of their most memorable trips are with novices.
"We recently took a group of ten on a three-day trip, and six had never been on a raft, or seen any of the canyon we headed down," Scott recalls. "It was fun to see them having fun on 'our' river, and enjoying our sport."
