White Water Rafting Adventure, BC, Canada
Kootenay River Runners, BC.
Our next adventure was white water rafting. The name white water rafting comes from foamy, fast-flowing water that churns over the boulders and rocks. This turbulent water is a mixture of rapids and waterfalls.
We planned river rafting with Kootenay River Runners. The Kootenay River offers an adventure for both experienced, and novices alike who are testing the rafting water for the first time.
All rivers are rated on a scale of difficulty and the degree of skill needed to raft across a section of river; therefore, we were advised to take on more moderate white water for a relaxed and enjoyable experience.
Ashfaq, young and more experienced went at a different time and in a different section of the river with more turbulence, at a scale of level 1V. He left for his rafting trip at 8.50 am. We were scheduled for a later run. We arrived at the point where the bus was to pick us up. The bus was already there. Our guide, Katie, and the driver were waiting for us. Our group was small, and we all boarded the bus and were soon on our way to our put-in point. Katie seemed very confident, friendly, and upbeat. As we started on a bumpy ride, our driver, with a sense of humor, told us that the road was used for logging and mining trucks, hence its condition. Traveling on a gravel road seemed like an adventure within an adventure. Maybe bumps on the bus were the precursor to a wild bumpy ride that was in the offing.
To prepare for the ride, we had to make do with nature’s bathrooms, and don our yellow and orange wet suits, and the socks given to us, before we made our way to the raft. Our raft was to be on a slower river with a level 3 scale run. Katie gave us instructions on safety procedures and paddling techniques. Before we knew it, we were headed down the Kootenay river.
The epic river scenery reminded me of the trip we made on the Maid of the Mist Boat Tour, in Niagara Falls. Our ride on the Maid of the Mist was heroic for me. I felt like a superwoman going so close to so much power and getting drenched in the spray of the mist with our blue ponchos. We probably looked like bobbing blueberries. The sound of thundering, crashing water was deafening. Despite all that sheer waterpower so close, we still felt safe in our passive experience, because the crew was in charge of our safety, The reality of rafting was very different. Here you were given your own paddles and were told to use them over the rapids and enjoy the interactive fun with full responsibility. we were really happy to take on the adventure, but not without a lurking fear that in a split second, we could be swallowed by the ferocious volume of white water around us. Drenched and gripped with exhilaration we completed our river run.
The Kootenay River run was 15 km long with a cold lunch on the way. We disembarked and handed our wet suits, socks, etc. back to the crew. We got back to our starting point at the end of an amazing adventure. On our way back we went to Rose and Crown for a drink. We decided to eat at a pizza place called Barbary Coast Pizza, thin crust pizza tasted delicious. We were ready for a good night’s sleep.
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