Being an avid adventure enthusiast myself, and having a reasonable experience of whitewater rafting as a participant, as a guide and now as an operator, I felt the need to share the much needed knowledge about Rafting, among the people who plan such adventures for themselves, their friends, families and/or their corporate teams.
As the season for whitewater rafting on the Ganges sets in, the simple village named Shivpuri near Rishikesh ( also known as the whitewater capital of India ), would be home to the huge number of people who come here to experience the thrills of whitewater rafting on the Ganga.
Whitewater rafting is not a simple touristy fun trip, and should not be treated like one. A good understanding about the activity is important for anyone wanting to participate or organize such a tour. A rafting trip should be considered as a eco-friendly river experience of being in the vicinity or staying besides the river in natural surroundings. The rafting activity by itself is the highlight of such an experience and should be held the most important component of the entire tour.
Understanding the hazards
Regardless of how easy or safe an operator may state, Rafting is an Adventure activity, and has its hazards which can be as severe as death. As a participant or a group leader, it is your responsibility to understand the risks and assess the confidence and safety measures that are offered to limit these hazards.
As a guest/participant, you also need to be conversant with the hazards and showmanship should be completely avoided. Large amount of fatal accidents happen due to negligent guests who disregard the basic precautions. The river should not be compared to a swimming pool. Even the best of the swimmers would have a hard time tackling the complex currents of river waters.
Many accidents in the past have happened on weekends which are extremely crowded when greedy operators have enrolled far more guests than they have the capability to ever handle. This results in major negligence, poor administration of trips, use of gear which has well past its good use life, and lack of the much needed supervision on the river and at camp.
Who should participate and who should not !
Rafting trips are not for just about anyone. People with severe asthma, paralysis, cardio-vascular and heart problems, epilepsy, pregnant ladies should not opt for these trips. If in doubt, take medical advice before participating.
Never force people who are hydrophobic or have any related fears, to participate in the activity. In a group at times people over commit beyond their capabilities, and in the midst of a rapid there is no possibility to bail out.
Swimming is not a necessary criteria to enjoy the thrills of this activity. Almost anyone who is fit, and is open to taking on challenges and likes working in a team is suitable to be a partner on a rafting trip.
How is a rafting trip packaged ?
Rafting on the Ganga is offered as day trips by most operators. A day trip implies a couple of hours time on the rafts, usually spanning 12-15 kms. The participants may be staying at a beach camp accommodation, or may be staying at a hotel.
When negotiating a deal with an operator, always discuss the amount of rafting that is offered each day of your trip.
Most operators offer alternate activities like rappelling, hikes etc on certain days to keep the guests occupied. This gives a major cost benefit to the operator, as they can operate a different set of guests on different days. It is usually projected as an advantage to the guests so as to experience different activities.
A more truer river and wilderness experience can be had by participating on expedition style rafting trips. These trips offer a river journey which is self supported. All camping gear, luggage and provisions travel with the rafting team, and camp is established every evening at some isolated river beach for the night stay. Such a trips are lifestyle trips, are limited in group size and give a more satisfying and detailed river experience and a much closer to nature and more eco-friendly tour.
Choosing an operator.
This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of a rafting trip. Keep in mind that you would always get what you pay for. I am not implying that only the most expensive is the best. But keep in mind that this is an expensive sport for an outfitter to start and maintain. The quality and quantity of your river run will usually be directly proportional to the kind of price that is being asked.
There is no short cut for correct safety measures, quality technical equipment, experienced and confident river guides. Running a rafting trip on the Ganga has sadly become a very casual business, and there are a huge number of operators who wont even know the difference between a life line and a bow line !
Rafting is a technical business, and ideally should be taken up by people having passion and personal involvement for the sport. Only such people would understand the need for investments on quality equipment, having a safety kayak in the trip or the presence of an ambu-way respirator in a first aid kit. Unfortunately there is a deluge of rafting operators offering cheap and cheaper river trips each day, defying all economics and financial viability of any quality outfitter.
As a customer, it is your responsibility to assess the safety precautions that are offered to you on the river trip. Plan your trip well in advance. Feel free to discuss, question and explore the competence of your operator, before you commit your trip. Just having a slick office or a website should not be the only parameters to help your decision. Lastly if you realize that you have been taken for a ride, inform others so that such operators are supported less in their business zeal.
Technical Information for the ones who wish to learn more.
Whitewater rapids are classified from class I to class VI, with class I being the most easy and safe, and class VI being almost suicidal !
On the Ganges, most of the rapids would be class III+ at maximum. The river volume variation changes the nature of these rapids from day to day.
Raft : An inflatable boat with several independent air chambers. Separate air chambers are required to survive the raft in the event of one or two chambers getting punctured or accidentally deflated in midst of a rapid. Some of the better known Raft brands : Hyside, NRS, AVON, Achilles, Riken.
Lifeline : Is a static water resist rope that runs all around the raft. It is helpful to hold on to it when there is danger of someone falling out. It is also a useful hold for a person in the water to bring him/her back into the boat.
Life Jacket / PFD : A buoyancy aid for the participant. These are made from strong durable fabric and have a HDP foam filling which provides the buoyancy. A PFD is smaller in design, and is usually worn by guides or kayak professionals, as it easier to swim in a PFD as compared to a life jacket. On the other hand, a life jacket provides greater buoyancy, though it is clumsy to swim in.
Helmets : Head safety is ensured by wearing helmets. Head injury is possible due to a hit from a fellow participant’s paddle, or banging against each other in the event of a raft capsize, or rocks in case one is running a shallow river. Helmets used in whitewater rafting are made from plastic, and are the multiple impact variety.
Paddles : They are used by rafters to propel their craft in the water. By using different combination of strokes, the raft can be made to turn and move faster or slower than the river current.
Splash jackets : These are similar to a windcheater. They are worn to repel the water splash, and also to help insulate a person’s wet body against winds. Typically these are to be provided on the colder days.
Wet suits : These are body suits made of Neoprene. They are called wet suits as they allow water to soak in it. Once water has soaked in, the fine pores of the fabric stop more water from coming in. The water which has already entered the fabric becomes warm by body heat, and maintains this. ( Body heat is usually lost when it comes in contact with water which is considerably colder than body’s own temperature – basic law of thermodynamics )
Dry bag: A waterproof bag which is usually provided by an outfitter to protect your camera, and to keep things like purse or similar articles during your rafting trip.
Whitewater Kayaks : These are single seater plastic boats which are used in the whitewater for recreation or to provide rescue cover. Since these boats are faster, and more maneuverable than a raft, they are ideal for safety and rescue.
Outfitting yourself for rafting : Wear quick drying close fit fabric. Teeshirt and shorts work the best. Do not wear jewelry like necklace/danglers etc. best to avoid jewelry of all kinds. Avoid wearing glasses. If you are unable to see properly without glasses, you should have an elastic retainer strap for your glasses. Lenses can also be worn, though these are not recommended if the water is silty. Have a secure-able waterproof footwear. Days can be sunny, so sun block/moisturizers, sun screen etc are recommended.
