Outdoor Adventure Program
Mountain Home, Idaho
Whitewater rafting isn’t something I ever thought I would enjoy. I was wrong.
To fully understand my relationship with whitewater rafting, you have to first understand that I grew up fishing and boating on lakes in a bass boat, with a motor. I am completely comfortable on water that isn’t moving, especially if I’m in a life-jacket…sorry, PFD.
But rivers are different.
The Outdoor Adventure Program at Mountain Home Air Force Base has an excellent rafting guide service for military members, their families, and their extended families and friends. For first-time rafters it’s affordable, safe, and an overall great experience. The best part about the program is that it’s largely volunteer-based, so you know your guide is out there to have just as much fun as you are…if not more. The other thing that makes this program special is the training the rafting guides receive before taking you (the customer) down the river for the first time. Picture this…
It’s 5:45am on a Saturday. The meeting hall is dimly-lit for those of us who are still sipping our coffee. Somehow we were able to stumble out of bed and drive to the building on time. The room is neatly carpeted, with exposed wood vaulted ceilings, and a classic Idaho-cabin-feel. There is a stone fireplace, mantle, and even a small library of local literature. The row of windows facing east are still dark because the sun hasn’t decided to come up yet, but you can see the warm lights of the building softly lighting up the parking lot. It’s early. And it’s the last weekend in February.
That’s right. Most if not all of your rafting guides have been training on the water since the last weekend in February. They’ve trained for flipping boats, swimming, floating, and scenario-rescuing in the cold and sometimes in the snow. In case you were wondering, no, they’re not crazy, they’re just having fun.
Training season runs through the full duration of spring, and customer season starts in May. So guides have from the end of February to the beginning of May to be proficient at tying knots, learning the boats, learning the water, and above all practicing safety. A little-known-fact is that these volunteer-guides are trained to the same industry standards as local professional guides. Before taking a boat down the river for the program, guides are required to be at least first aid/CPR trained and certified, if not Wilderness First Aid certified. They also spend at least two training sessions focused on swift-water-rescue, using throw-bags, learning to swim into eddies with a customer, self-rescue, and learning to flip a raft on their own (timed). That dude with his face under the water (ABOVE), that’s Wes. Yes, he is getting water up his nose, and yes it’s on purpose.
In case you haven’t noticed being a guide takes dedication, but…Yes, it’s fun. Yes, it’s worth it. and…Yes, you will get used to changing in a parking lot.
Did I mention that I was the most comfortable on water that isn’t moving?
Well…that is still mostly true. But what has changed is the way I look at a river, and the way I experience being in the water. I am more aware, more confident, and more calculating in my decisions. Instead of looking at a river and only seeing water I see eddies, pillows, sad holes, happy holes, surf holes, wave trains, and haystacks. For example, all that white water taking up the front of the boat (RIGHT), that’s a haystack.
Not only has being a raft guide made me a better, safer, boatman, it’s made me a more aware, conscious, fisherman. And that’s something I’ll be forever thankful for.
But please, if you’re going to be a customer on a whitewater rafting trip…impress your river guide and be a friend: Please Paddle.
Or don’t…
Just remember…
The raft that doesn’t paddle together, swims together.
Photo Credit: Outdoor Recreation
For more information about rafting with the
Outdoor Adventure Program
visit:
OAP at: https://mhafbfun.com/directory_listing/outdoor-adventure-program/
P.S. No, guides don’t get paid to promote. They’re just volunteers who love to have fun.
2 responses to “Learning to Float: Whitewater Rafting ’16”
I’ve still never been whitewater rafting, but would love to try it! The comment about changing in the parking lot is so true. Whenever we reach the end of the trail on a backpacking trip, if I’m hot/sweaty/dirty, the first thing I do is strip down! Sometimes you’re just too exhausted to care. 🙂
It’s a blast! Changing in the parking lot is a reality, especially when you’re rafting. Driving home in wet river clothes is just not comfy. 😉