Archive for December, 2008
If you want to enjoy a truly thrilling as well as adventurous whitewater rafting trip then you need to consider heading to Tennessee where you can get your fill of excitement and adventure as you paddle as well as scream down the rivers in that state. Tennessee is in fact a state that offers more than just outstanding music and this is one of the main reasons why people also come to this part of America because they are sure that they can also really get a breathtaking whitewater rafting trip as well.
The Ocoee River
The Ocoee River is famous for having hosted the 1996 Summer Olympic games and it is one of the first places in Tennessee that you should think about visiting if you want an adventure-filled whitewater rafting trip in this part of the country. In fact, there are many families and tourists that visit this part of Tennessee and it is also now a well known tourist destination in Tennessee. The Ocoee River provides the right environment for a whitewater rafting trip and this is why numerous travel agencies recommend it.
The Ocoee River is one of top ten rivers of America and this is also another reason why Tennessee takes considerable pride in promoting this river for those who want outstanding whitewater rafting trips. You can be very sure that you will also get to enjoy the mountain scenery and the Pigeon River in particular provides a wonderful opportunity to get in some truly spectacular whitewater rafting trips to anyone interested in whitewater rafting.
In any case, any whitewater rafting trip in Tennessee is sure to be conducted professionally with guides available that will help you enjoy safe rafting trips. You can also combine a whitewater rafting trip with trekking the smoky mountains of Tennessee and because this is a very popular choice, there are numerous travel companies that offer special combined packages. In addition, you can also combine your whitewater rafting trip in Tennessee with rock climbing as well as rappelling activities.
The Ocoee River in Tennessee provides anyone interested in taking a whitewater rafting trip with two completely segregated areas that include large drops as well as surging whitewater as well as huge waves. So, take your helmets along and scream as loud as you can as you enjoy your Tennessee whitewater rafting trip.
Whitewater rafting vacations are ideally suited for those people that are in need of adventure, like challenges and also love the outdoors. Some of the best such whitewater adventures await you in the state of California and so before looking at other options makes sure to check out what California has to offer you in this regard.
Clothing Make sure to bring water friendly clothing on any whitewater rafting tour during the summer. If you go overboard when you are river rafting during the summertime, the best clothing to have on is a bathing suit, nylon shorts, and a t-shirt. The cover clothing will protect you. The bathing suit will come in handy if you want to go swimming during your trip. During the winter, most outfitters provide customers with a wetsuit and paddling jacket. You should bring wool socks and warm under clothing on a whitewater rafting tour to stay cozy.
You are also going to want to wear tennis shoes or river sandals on any whitewater rafting tour because you are going to step on rocks when you are getting in and out of the raft. Sandals or tennis shoes will protect your feet. Extra Preparations Even if you dont sunburn easily, make sure you bring sunscreen with you on a whitewater rafting tour. The sun can get pretty strong during the day and it will reflect off of the water, making it extra dangerous. If you havent signed up for a whitewater rafting tour that includes lunch, bring food so you can have a picnic. Most rivers are in very rustic areas so there wont be many options for eating out, if there are any at all.
What Not to Bring Avoid bringing cameras, video cameras, sunglasses, jewelry, pocket books, and keys with you. If you do, you will have to leave them with the outfitter. If you dont feel comfortable leaving your valuables with the outfitter, you should leave them locked up in your car. Your outfitter will provide you with a life jacket so no need to bring your own. Make sure to get a life jacket that fits you properly and if you need help adjusting it, dont hesitate to ask the guide of your whitewater rafting tour. A loose life jacket will not help you if you fall overboard and a tight jacket will get more and more uncomfortable as the day passes. So there you have it. A whitewater rafting tour is one of the most exciting and fulfilling ways to spend a vacation but you need to go prepared in order to have a trip that runs smoothly. Remember that with the right amount of planning and preparation, you can have a fun, hassle-free vacation.
During the winter, most outfitters provide customers with a wetsuit and paddling jacket. You should bring wool socks and warm under clothing on a whitewater rafting tour to stay cozy. You are also going to want to wear tennis shoes or river sandals on any whitewater rafting tour because you are going to step on rocks when you are getting in and out of the raft. Sandals or tennis shoes will protect your feet.
Extra Preparation
Even if you dont sunburn easily, make sure you bring sunscreen with you on a whitewater rafting tour. The sun can get pretty strong during the day and it will reflect off of the water, making it extra dangerous. If you havent signed up for a whitewater rafting tour that includes lunch, bring food so you can have a picnic. Most rivers are in very rustic areas so there wont be many options for eating out, if there are any at all.
What Not to Bring
Avoid bringing cameras, video cameras, sunglasses, jewelry, pocket books, and keys with you. If you do, you will have to leave them with the outfitter. If you dont feel comfortable leaving your valuables with the outfitter, you should leave them locked up in your car.
Your outfitter will provide you with a life jacket so no need to bring your own. Make sure to get a life jacket that fits you properly and if you need help adjusting it, dont hesitate to ask the guide of your whitewater rafting tour. A loose life jacket will not help you if you fall overboard and a tight jacket will get more and more uncomfortable as the day passes.
So there you have it. A whitewater rafting tour is one of the most exciting and fulfilling ways to spend a vacation but you need to go prepared in order to have a trip that runs smoothly. Remember that with the right amount of planning and preparation, you can have a fun, hassle-free vacation.
Plan Ahead First you need to decide on a river and course. Consult a whitewater rafting guide online to find out about the best locations and make a decision based on your budget and time constraints. Also keep the season in mind because the rivers conditions will vary depending on the time of year you go. In general, the water is wild in the spring and calmer in the summer. You need to reserve early, especially if you are planning a vacation in the summer or during a holiday because all of the outfitters may get booked up.
In order to decide on the right course for your trip, take your groups experience level into consideration. There are six classes that determine the level of difficulty of a course on an international scale. Consult a white water rafting guide for details. Basically, anyone can try Class I because it is very easy. Class II is also appropriate for novices and you can get away with not having any paddling skills. By Class III some experience and paddling skills are necessary however. Class IV is challenging and should only be attempted by experienced paddlers. Classes V and VI require an advanced level of paddling and experience as well as rescue skills.
Choosing an Outfitter There are going to be many outfitters at each river so it helps to know what to look for. Ask the outfitter questions and find out some important information such as if there is a whitewater rafting guide in each boat. Some guided tours do not have a guide in every boat and provide a guide in only one boat. If you have no experience, look for an outfitter that provides a whitewater rafting guide in each boat for your safety. Also find out if the whitewater rafting guides provided are trained well. Make sure they have the kind of experience you are looking for. Additionally, find out what types of boats are offered because they vary in size and find out how old they are.
Newer rafts are self-bailing while older ones require you to shovel water out. Decide on what kind of trip you are looking to take. Some outfitters offer very basic services consisting of the trip, a whitewater rafting guide, and a place to change in and out of your wetsuit. If you are only going for a day trip this may be fine but if you want a comfortable all-inclusive vacation, find out what frills are offered in terms of food and lodging. Your goal? Take this information and use it to help you plan your whitewater rafting vacation. You need to find a good company and good whitewater rafting guide with experience and knowledge in order to have a good vacation. Consider all the factors that will go into making your whitewater vacation the trip of a lifetime.
In order to decide on the right course for your trip, take your groups experience level into consideration. There are six classes that determine the level of difficulty of a course on an international scale. Consult a white water rafting guide for details. Basically, anyone can try Class I because it is very easy. Class II is also appropriate for novices and you can get away with not having any paddling skills. By Class III some experience and paddling skills are necessary however. Class IV is challenging and should only be attempted by experienced paddlers. Classes V and VI require an advanced level of paddling and experience as well as rescue skills.
Choosing an Outfitter
There are going to be many outfitters at each river so it helps to know what to look for. Ask the outfitter questions and find out some important information such as if there is a whitewater rafting guide in each boat. Some guided tours do not have a guide in every boat and provide a guide in only one boat. If you have no experience, look for an outfitter that provides a whitewater rafting guide in each boat for your safety.
Also find out if the whitewater rafting guides provided are trained well. Make sure they have the kind of experience you are looking for. Additionally, find out what types of boats are offered because they vary in size and find out how old they are. Newer rafts are self-bailing while older ones require you to shovel water out.
Decide on what kind of trip you are looking to take. Some outfitters offer very basic services consisting of the trip, a whitewater rafting guide, and a place to change in and out of your wetsuit. If you are only going for a day trip this may be fine but if you want a comfortable all-inclusive vacation, find out what frills are offered in terms of food and lodging.
Your goal? Take this information and use it to help you plan your whitewater rafting vacation. You need to find a good company and good whitewater rafting guide with experience and knowledge in order to have a good vacation. Consider all the factors that will go into making your whitewater vacation the trip of a lifetime.
Not many people are aware of the fact that whitewater rafting was one of the earliest forms of travel on water and people that needed to go from one place to another used to indulge in whitewater rafting to move from one place to another. It is only in the eighties that this activity turned into a pleasure sport. In fact, it was actually the year 1811 that has the distinction of being the year in which the Snake River that is located in Wyoming was first traversed by indulging in what is now known as whitewater rafting by the Overland Astorians who could not go further from a place called Jackson Hole as the river was too treacherous.
Rubber Rafts
In the year 1840, the first river raft made from rubber was invented by a person called Lt. John Fremont who was US Army personnel and who along with Horace H. Day came up with the first such rubber. This raft was invented during the middle of the nineteenth century; however, its first commercial use only began at the end of that century. The first whitewater rafting rafts were actually surplus military ones and they served as boats for the military while the more modern inflatable rafts were only developed much later.
The credit for popularizing whitewater rafting goes to private companies, while in the year 1956 John D. Rockefeller came up with the idea of even building an entire lodge from where people could try their hand at whitewater rafting. Though the initial response to this offer was lukewarm at best, a decade later during the sixties and seventies many whitewater rafting companies were floated such as Becker-Cooke Expeditions as well as Slickrock Adventures that helped to popularize whitewater rafting.
In the year 1972, whitewater rafting became an Olympic sport and it was then included in the Munich Olympic Games. Much later, in the year 1992 it also came to be included in the Barcelona Olympic Games and then again in the Atlanta Olympic Games of 1996. That same year (1996) whitewater rafting was also included in the Summer Olympic Games, and more particularly it was performed in the Ocoee River that lies in the Tennessee Valley in the US.
Whitewater river rafting is an exciting activity. It will allow you to put away your cell phone, forget your boss and not worry about negotiating traffic and being affected by noise pollution. If you like to camp and enjoy adventure in the outdoors then this is the activity for you. You can raft down the rivers during the daytime and spend enjoyable nights by a camp site and so enjoy an alternative vacation in the stillness of the wild outdoors.
