| For some people, the idea of going on the rafting trip | | | | mistakes, and they know what to do if it looks like the |
| can conjure up images of Meryl Streep in "Wild River" | | | | situation may start to go wrong. For example, the |
| or Burt Reynolds in "Liberation". Concerns about the | | | | Whitewater rivals, guides are trained in water rescue |
| raft flipping over, or fear of falling from a raft, may | | | | SWIFT Red Cross First Aid (Standard and Advanced) |
| scare some potential holiday-makers, holding them by | | | | and PPC. In addition, they collected thousands of hours |
| land, while millions of others are flocking to this | | | | on the river rafting, get acquainted with each section |
| increasingly popular adventure trip every year. What | | | | of the Whitewater at each of the dozens of different |
| are the real risks in whitewater rafting? And the real | | | | water levels. This is important because two trips down |
| statistics of security? One can only wonder. | | | | the exact same stretch of river at different levels of |
| Take, for instance, Lehigh River in the Pocono | | | | water can lead to drastically different levels of |
| mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania ... one of the | | | | excitation. |
| most popular Whitewater Vacation Destinations in | | | | You are in Whitewater raft, not the canoe. If you try |
| America. Guided rafting trips were introduced in 1975, | | | | this sport in the Tennessee rafting White water canoe |
| where, for the filling of Whitewater applicants. Today, | | | | or kayak, and it is a totally different ball game. |
| four professional Outfitters Whitewater rafting offer | | | | Professional Whitewater Rafts developed two things: |
| daily trips to more than 25 miles from Whitewater | | | | do not rollover, and no punctures. Properly constructed |
| Rapids in Lehigh Gorge State Park. Over the past | | | | commercial raft Score Whitewater bounces most |
| three and a half decades, professional Rafting | | | | boulders, and keep a steady course in a remarkably |
| Outfitters for more than 3 million visitors rafting on | | | | turbulent water. In most places, you can float through |
| more than 25 million mile guided rafting trip (equivalent | | | | the Whitewater Rapids forward, backward or even |
| to a journey to the moon and back 52 times!), Racking | | | | sideways, and this is only part of the fun. If you do this |
| up an impeccable safety record in the process. | | | | in a canoe, kayak or raft flimsy pool, the results can be |
| Despite continuing Angst is to subscribe to the fact | | | | disappointing, to say the least. |
| that some people still call "extreme" Sport, in truth, | | | | You wear Whitewater PFD (personal flotation device). |
| guided rafting trip down the Lehigh River is statistically | | | | It's amazing how many people who take the |
| safer than getting in your Car and driving there. There | | | | Do-It-Yourself Approach to rafting or do not use the |
| are several reasons Rafting Outfitters can make such | | | | right kind of raft, or do not wear a PFD. Walking on a |
| a remarkable safety record, including: | | | | commercial rafting trip, wearing a PFD is not an option, |
| They are guided rafting trips. Professional rafting guide | | | | it is a requirement. And if you so unbuckle seat belts, |
| with you all day. They know the river, they know the | | | | the first rafting guide, which he says will gently remind |
| dangers, they know the best route through | | | | you that putting yourself at risk so simply "is not |
| Whitewater, they know how to help you avoid | | | | acceptable. |