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Going on a river rafting trip is quite an unforgettable adventure. But unless you are used to boating regularly, you may not realize what to expect from your rafting trip. If you have never gone white water rafting before, then you are best booking a trip in advance with a center that can supply everything you need including instruction. You also need to talk to your doctor to see if you are healthy enough for a white water river rafting trip.

Clothing

Make sure you will be wearing clothing that has already been pre-shrunk in the wash, because it is going to get a soaking. Jeans and a tee-shirt are usually fine. You dont have to worry about fashion or color coordinating, because most everything will be covered up by safety equipment. They will be neon colored or brightly colored so that you will be easier to spot if you fall into the water. Dont wear anything that you cant afford to be ruined.

Swimming Experience

It is highly recommended that anyone going on a river rafting trip know how to swim. Even if you opt for the easier courses or decide to go canoeing instead of rafting, you need to learn how to swim. Yes, you will have a life vest on you, but that does not guarantee to protect you once you are in the water. Besides, you never know if a situation may occur where your vest is ripped off you or it somehow fails.

Food

Before you go on a river rafting trip, be sure to ask whether you are responsible for bringing food and water-resistant containers for them. Many package tours of white water river rafting trips include food. But you need to be sure of this in advance. It is a very good idea to keep high energy snacks like peanuts and dried fruit in your car for immediate snacking on the way home, because you will be exhausted.

Bathroom Breaks

This wont be a problem for men so much as for women. If you do not have any experience camping, then you plan a short river rafting trip of only a few hours in length. Otherwise, you many have to answer the call of nature squatting among some bushes. The squatting position becomes comfortable over time, but it is good to know if you are able to rise from a squat by yourself before planning a long river rafting trip.

There are lots of different items that you could pack along when it comes to river rafting gear. Whether you decide to get it all new or just settle with used rafting gear, the most important thing is that you know which pieces are the most essential and which you are going to want to work on getting first if you are just a beginner here.

Day Gear

There are a few very important pieces of river rafting gear for the day that you are going to want to bring along on your trip. A wetsuit, splash jacket, swimming suit, booties, and sunglasses with securing strap are all very important. Depending on how sunny the day is that you are going rafting on, you may not need to wear sunglasses if you dont want to, but on sunny days they will help keep the glare out of your eyes so you can see where you are going.

A waterproof sunscreen is helpful, because of course you do not want to get burnt. You may also want to bring a beverage along such as water or juice in case you get thirsty. Keep in mind that if you are going on a whitewater rafting trip with a company, you will probably get a guide who will come with you, help make sure that you get where you need to go, and provide you with meals and beverages.

Camp Gear

If you are planning to stay somewhere overnight so you can go rafting again in the morning, you are going to need the proper river rafting gear to get you through the night. A warm sleeping bag is one of the most important pieces of gear here, and these are usually available to rent through a rafting company if you dont want to purchase one yourself.

You will need toiletries, a headlamp or flashlight so you can see where you are going in the dark, a change of clothes and small towel, dry shoes for camp, rain jacket or poncho, plastic bag to hold your wet clothes, and your favorite book if you like, for something to do if you cant fall asleep at night.

Make sure that you find out what the company provides that you are going through for the trip, because there may be certain things that you will already have provided for you.

All of this river rafting gear will be very important for you to bring along, and will ensure your safety and also that you enjoy yourself on the trip.

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.

Life Belts and Vests

While modern practice is to teach swimming with no artificial aids to body buoyancy, various types of life belts and vests have their place as safety factors in water sports. For a number of years, a water-skiers’ life belt has been available. Fitting around the waist, it provides a measure of buoyancy and will keep the body above water. While it is small enough not to interfere with the skier’s activities, it does keep the head above water if the user should become unconscious or disabled. There are also a number of different types of inflatable belts available, usually using a carbon-dioxide container which releases the gas into the belts when the release valve is opened. Also available are several types

Artificial respiration mouth-to-mouth (mouth-to-nose) method

o “invisible” life belts which can be worn under the trunks or bathing suit and which are inflated by opening a cartridge of gas. However, none of the inflatable types of life preservers have the approval of the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard requires that all powered pleasure craft carry an approved vest-type life jacket or buoyant seat cushion for each person aboard the craft. The approved vest-type jackets have the advantage that they are designed to keep the head of the wearer above water. These are available in adult size and in several children’s sizes, and their use for young children is highly recommended.

First Aid

Sunburn, cuts, bruises, sprains, possible fractures, and drowning are the waterfront or water-sports hazards. A first-aid kit should be at every waterfront location and aboard every boat. At a minimum it should contain fresh first-aid supplies, adhesive bandage, sterile gauze pads, waterproof adhesive tape, triangle bandages, sunburn lotion and a warm blanket. In case of serious injury, attempts should be made to stop any bleeding, the patient should be wrapped in the blanket, and medical aid obtained.

Every person who participates in water activities should be prepared to give artificial respiration when necessary to restore breathing. The chart on pages 218 and 219 graphically details the currently approved method of artificial respiration.

Keywords: Sports, Water Sports, Skiing, Skin Diving, Scuba Diving, Kayak Surfing, Swimming

SENSIBLE precautions can do much to limit the accidents and fatalities which are an unpleasant accompaniment of the water-sports boom. Experience at Boy Scout and summer camps has indicated that the most common causes of waterfront tragedies are physical conditions such as heart diseases, epilepsy, fainting spells, and exhaustion. Failure to cling to capsized or swamped boats, and diving into shallow water, or striking underwater boulders or other obstructions, account for numerous accidents.

Water activity should be limited for individuals with a history of heart disease, epilepsy, or ear or sinus problems. Sinus and middle-ear infections are among the hazards of participation in water sports. These can be controlled if swimmers learn proper breathing from the start. Some specific safeguards are these: avoid entering the water from any height feetfirst, without holding the nose; avoid swallowing water while swimming or blowing the nose during and after swimming; avoid forceful expulsion of air while under water. Some camps observe a practice of applying a few drops of rubbing alcohol with an eye dropper to each outer ear following swimming, to aid in drying the ear passage and to prevent fungus ear infections.

Overlong immersion in water can be hazardous. Most water activities are strenuous and lower the resistance of the individual, and water temperature is an important factor in determining the safe swimming period. The ideal temperature for swimming is considered to be 78 to 80 degrees, and while individuals differ in their tolerance to water immersion, children should be limited to no more than 30 minutes in a swimming period, and 2 swimming periods during any one day. If the water temperature is 70 degrees or below, the swimming period should be reduced accordingly.

One of the cardinal rules in boating safety is “never leave the boat in case of accident.” A capsized or swamped wooden boat or canoe, or a fiberglass boat with built-in flotation, can support its passengers if they hold to the craft, keep their noses and mouths out of water, and do not try to climb aboard. If the boat is swamped topside up, the accepted practice is to put the nonswimmers or weaker swimmers inside the boat and try to “swim” it toward shore.

The bottom of any unfamiliar swimming area should be carefully examined to establish its formation and to discover any deep holes, stumps or rocks. Unless the swimming area is marked and supervised, a diving entry should never be used. It is safer to wade into the water, descend from a ladder, or use a “jump” entry. In ocean swimming, consideration should be given to undertows and the fact that offshore sand bars are highly unstable and subject to changes from tide and currents.

At the waterfront, or even in a home pool, a beginners’ area should be marked off, and very young children or nonswimmers restricted to that area. This section can be marked off by using light rope or sash cord with brightly painted wooden floats. Small metal weights can serve as anchors to keep the buoy line in place. In lakes or bays, swimming areas can be marked off by buoys. These can be oilcans painted on the outside, or glass jugs painted on the inside. A jug can easily be painted by pouring some light enamel inside, replacing the cap, and shaking and turning the jug to spread the enamel while it is drying.

The Buddy System

The buddy system is in almost universal use in camps and in larger pools for group swimming. In this system every swimmer is paired with another swimmer in his own ability group. A check is made every 10 minutes and just before all swimmers leave the water. The signal for a buddy check is generally a single blast on a whistle or horn, or a bell signal. At the signal, each pair of buddies holds hands, remains silent, not moving until they receive the O.K. in the form of 2 blasts from the whistle. During swimming, the buddies are expected to remain together, watch each other, and aid the other if he should have any difficulty. Many skin-diving groups operate on a buddy system, and a similar setup should be arranged for any large group, or even for a family outing into the water.

Keywords: Sports, Water Sports, Skiing, Skin Diving, Scuba Diving, Kayak Surfing, Swimming

The Dog Paddle

While not honored with recognition as accepted stroke, the dog paddle is an excellent first start for many swimmers. This stroke, given its name because of its resemblance to the way a dog swims, is performed by reaching forward with the arms under water while using a modified flutter kick.

Olympic Swimming

In the late nineteenth century, swimming became recognized as amateur sport in many countries. With the development and improvement of swimming pools its popularity increased, and in the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896, swimming events were included as a major competition. In 1912, swimming meets for women were added to the Olympic schedule.

At present, Olympic events comprise the following:

MEN-100 meter free style, 400 meter free style, 1,500 meter free style, 100 meter backstroke, 100 meter breaststroke, 200 meter breaststroke, 200 meter butterfly, 400 meter breast-stroke, 800 meter free-style relay, 400 meter medley relay.
WOMEN-100 meter free style, 400 meter free style, 100 meter backstroke, 100 meter butterfly, 200 meter breaststroke, 400 meter medley relay, 400 meter free style relay.

NOTE-The medley swim is a race one-fourth of the distance of which is butterfly stroke, one-fourth backstroke, one-fourth breaststroke, one-fourth crawl stroke-in that order.

Keywords: Sports, Water Sports, Skiing, Skin Diving, Scuba Diving, Kayak Surfing, Swimming

The Butterfly Stroke

The butterfly stroke is seen most often in competition, being one of the required strokes in Olympic events. In the butterfly stroke, both arms must be brought forward together over the water and brought backward simultaneously and symmetrically. The body must be kept perfectly on the breast, and both shoulders in line with the surface of the water. All movements of the feet must be executed in a simultaneous manner. Simultaneous up and down movements of the legs and feet in the vertical plane are permitted. When touching at the turn, or on finishing a race, the touch must be made with both hands simultaneously on the same level with the shoulders, in the horizontal position. Any sidestroke movement disqualifies a contestant. When a swimmer is in the underwater position at the start, when turning or during the race, he may be allowed to make one or more leg kicks.

The Backstroke

For distance swimming, the backstroke combines alternate frog kicks and strokes of the arms, extended at shoulder level and moving in an arc toward the hips. The back crawl or racing backstroke offers the advantage of speed and a face-up position for visibility.

The starting position is on the back, with the body in a sort of sitting position with arms overhead about 4 inches from the ears. The legs should be straight and almost together, toes pointed. The head should be inclined toward the chest.

For the arm pull, the palm of the hand should be turned outward for the catch, and the straight arm then pushed toward the feet and drawn to the side of the body. The stroke should not be too deep in the water, perhaps about 6 to 14 inches beneath the surface, and the pressure should be even all the way through the arm pull. When the stroke is completed, the wrist should be in a position which allows a final backward push as the hand is drawn toward the thigh. As one arm completes the motion, the other starts its stroke. The arm should be relaxed on the above-water recovery, with little finger outward and palm down toward the surface of the water.

In the leg action, the kick is from the hips with an upward and out flip of the instep, giving a kick of slightly over 12 inches. The ankles should be held loosely and the toes pointed inward. The knees should be flexed to allow the instep to lash upward and backward during the force portion of the kick. In timing, the leg kick should be 3 to each armstroke, or 6 kicks for the full armstroke cycle.

The Olympic and Amateur Athletic Union rules for backstroke in competition state:

The competitors shall line up in the water, facing the starting end, with the hands resting on the end or rail of the bath (pool) or starting grips. The feet, including the toes, shall be under the surface of the water. Standing in the gutters is prohibited.

At the signal for starting and when turning they shall push off and swim upon their backs throughout the race. The hands resting on the end or rail of the bath must not be lifted before the signal of starting. Any competitor leaving the normal position on the back before the foremost hand has touched the end of the course for the purpose of finishing shall be disqualified.

A competitor in a backstroke event must not turn over beyond the vertical toward the breast before the foremost hand has touched the end of the pool or course for the purpose of turning. A competitor violating this regulation shall be disqualified.

Keywords: Sports, Water Sports, Skiing, Skin Diving, Scuba Diving, Kayak Surfing, Swimming

The Sidestroke

The sidestroke is a relaxing swimming technique, probably best for long-distance swims and for rescue work. As the name implies, the swimmer lies in the water on whichever side is more natural and comfortable. With one ear in the water, he extends his underarm ahead of him along the surface of the water, and the upper arm alongside the top leg. At the beginning of the stroke, the reaching hand is cupped slightly and swept down to the front of the breast. At this point it meets the other hand which meanwhile has been slowly brought up in front of the chest, the hand moving edgewise to reduce water friction. At the meeting position, the force of the pull is transferred to the other cupped hand, which pushes down along the body to the top of the upper thigh. As this motion is being performed, the lower hand is returning to its extended position. The position of the “start” is held during the glide portion of each stroke.

The leg action, a scissors kick, is started with the feet together. They are moved toward the hips. When they are up as far as they can come comfortably, the feet are separated, the top leg moving forward, the lower leg backward. After the legs are separated as far as possible, they are snapped

together from this spread position in one continuous motion -in effect as i a pair of scissors was being closed. Breathing is usually effected by inhaling as the legs come together and exhaling as they separate.

The Breaststroke

This is another valuable long-distance stroke. In it, both hands must be pushed forward together from the breast, on or under the surface of the water, and brought backward simultaneously and symmetrically. The body should be kept perfectly on the breast and both shoulders in line with the surface of the water. The feet should be drawn up together, knees bent and open. The movement is a continued rounded and upward sweep of the feet, bringing the legs together. In competition, up and down movements of the legs in the vertical plane are prohibited. One part of the head should always break the surface of the water. There are 2 forms of leg action which may be utilized in the breaststroke-the whip kick and the frog kick.

In the whip kick, the stroke starts with the legs fully extended. Then the heels are drawn up toward the hips, and the knees separated just about the width of the hips. When the knees are drawn up just below the hips, the feet are turned outward, toes toward the knees, and are moved to the side until they are separated beyond the width of the hips. In a continuing motion, the feet are pressed back and down, making a circle, until the feet return to the starting position.

The frog kick starts with legs extended and feet together. Then the feet are drawn toward the body, knees spread. The legs are extended until they are in line with the thighs, and are then snapped together with a motion originating at the hips. The action of the knees and feet must always be on a level plane, with no up and down motion.

The arm action starts with arms extended overhead, palms down, and hands together. Palms are pressed outward and back slightly down until the hands are in line with the shoulders. Elbows are brought to the side, and the forearms and hands under the chest and neck. In a continuous motion, the hands are extended forward beneath the surface to the starting position. The face may be kept up at all times in this stroke, or if it is submerged on each stroke slightly, one should inhale as the head comes up when the hands are pressing down and back.

Keywords: Sports, Water Sports, Skiing, Skin Diving, Scuba Diving, Kayak Surfing, Swimming