I can vividly remember my very first experience white water rafting. It was the summer before my junior year of high school. I was out in Colorado for a softball tournament, and our coach decided to take our entire team white water rafting for the day. I remember putting the wetsuit on, as well as a blue rain jacket to keep warm from the cold water that was taking over the Clear Creek River. The entire time leading up to getting in the raft, we went through the safety drills, and I was incredibly nervous I was going to fall out of the raft. Thankfully, neither me nor my teammates fell out; however my coach did, and it was definitely a source of laughs for the rest of the week.
What I did not expect from my white water rafting trip was how much fun I would have and how it would become something I would continue doing in the years to follow. Since then, I have rafted in Colorado three more times, twice along the Olympic course in north Georgia, and once in Jamaica. To say it is one of my favorite adventure-type trips to make is surely an understatement.
In 2020, you may recall I took a trip to Ellijay, GA with a group of girlfriends. Our last day in Georgia, I had booked us a white water rafting trip along a section of the river that was used during the Atlanta Olympics. The entire drive up to the mountains, my friends were complaining of the cold, how this was a bad idea, and how they certainly were not going to have very much fun. But after our 2-hour river adventure, all their minds were changed. Granted, yes, we were cold, and maybe white water rafting during the last weekend of the season in October was not the best idea, but boy, was it worth it.
Rafting is suitable for almost everyone. My very first trip, my 10-year-old brother went, and both of my parents in their 50s have gone as well. As long as you have a sense of adventure and can swim, I would say take the plunge and book yourself a little adventure this summer. But before you go, here are some of my tips for having the best time!
- Ladies don’t wear bathing suit bottoms. I made this mistake the first time I went rafting in Georgia. Since it was the summer I figured it would be fine to wear a swimsuit, but I was sliding around the raft the entire trip. Here is what I recommend wearing instead:
- Summer: shorts that can get wet. A thin shirt that won’t hold too much water and weigh you down.
- Fall: thin leggings that dry quickly. A long sleeve top that is compression-like and will dry quickly. Wool jackets and socks if you have them.
- Always wear shoes that have straps or a backing. I like wearing water shoes.
- Make sure to always bring a change of clothes.
- I highly recommend bringing a GoPro. The footage down the river is always a fun memory to look back on.
- If you get motion sickness, take something well before getting on the river. It is a bumpy ride.
Here are my favorite companies to white water faft through:
- Colorado: Liquid Descent
- Georgia: RaftOne
