Rick Sylvia wrote: > > I'm interested in taking a rafting trip in West Virginia this year. I > understand there are a number of good ones on the New or Gauley Rivers..., > Finding outfitters who sponsor trips is easy, but having never done this > before (anything on white water), can anyone provide any words of wisdom, > suggestions, "do's and don'ts", and so forth? If this is to be your first rafting trip, I'd suggest the New rather than the Gauley. The Gauley is big, big water, and it's fairly easy to screw up and end up somewhere you don't want to be. Otherwise... Do use a "name brand" outfitter. I know some of the USA Raft folks, but there are several others. Do dress for immersion. Do pay attention to the safely talk. Do be sure the wretched Type V PFD they give you fits tight enough. They probably won't let you wear your own, but you can ask. If you fall out, don't stand up in current. Swim on your back with your feet at the surface. Don't believe anything the guide says except "Paddle!" Do tip the guide. Don't run over kayakers (some guides consider this heinous behavior to be sport). Don't yell "Wheeeee!" (see Wm Nealy's _Kayak_) Do have fun. -- Steve Cramer *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Mar 02 2001 - 06:17:36 PST
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:38 PDT