Whitewater rafting is a great activity that has become more common around the world since the 1970s. Since then, we have developed an expertise in the sport, and there is now better quality equipment available to use. Because of this, a river that has been known to swallow whole an expedition in the past is now safe enough for people to take their rafting trips down hundreds of times each year. There are also outfitters, which are rafting operators, who will be your guides for the trip. These outfitters have legislated safety requirements to go by, and they vary depending on the area you are rafting in. However, all off the requirements are closely the same to ensure that everyone is safe. You should talk with your raft operator about all of the safety guidelines and the classifications of the rapids before you decide to sign up for the trip.

There are six different whitewater classifications that range from easy to nearly impossible. Class one is, obviously, the easiest. It has no obstacles, only small ripples, and a slow current. Class two is considered moderately difficult with occasional obstacles and a medium current with waves. Classes one and two are ideal for younger and inexperienced people to run on. Class three is difficult with longer rapids and strong currents that are irregular, and class four is very difficult, longer with numerous waves, and has steeper drops. These two classes, three and four, are considered okay for more experienced groups to take. Class five is extremely difficult, has very big drops, is very swift, and heavily obstructed with obstacles, which is considered an amateur class. Then there is class six. This class is nearly impossible and extremely dangerous. It should only be run by expert teams, with all precautions taken and close studies completed.

Maine has three rivers that are usually used for whitewater rafting. These are the Kennebec River, Penobscot River, and the Dead River. Each one of the these rivers are different and unique in their own way, but you are sure to get the thrill and excitement that you seek for your adventure on at least one of these rivers. The Kennebec River has a twelve mile trip that begins on Indian Pond at Harris Station. It then flows through the Kennebec Gorge, which ends at The Forks. This twelve mile trip can be classified anywhere between a class two and a class four, because in sections of the river there are all of the traits that these classifications have. Next, is the Penobscot River, and this river has a fourteen mile long trip. For the first two miles, it descends from McKay Station through Ripogenus Gorge. The other twelve miles of rapids will take you on a journey that will end near Pockwockamus Falls. This river has all the traits of a class three to class four rapids. Last, but not least, is the Dead River, which has the longest stretch of continuous rapids at sixteen miles. Your trip will begin at Grand Falls and will end at The Forks. The Dead River has a classification of classes four and five and should only be run by experienced whitewater rafters.
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What is the best tour to see the Na Pali cliffs in Kauai? Is it better to take a sail boat or a raft?
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My brother, Emil, is a genius as well as being an exceptionally talented kayak paddler. Since one of my goals this summer was to learn how to pilot a kayak, it made sense to ask Emil for his help.

Picture this: A sunny, warm day on Crimson Lake in West-central Alberta. There were six student kayakers, bobbing like corks on the waves, eager to hear the words of direction and wisdom from the master of the craft.

Emil’s first three phrases are indelibly imprinted in my mind, with immense life implications for you and me. These gems will keep you successfully on top, regardless of the rapids, changing currents, or tides. They’ll keep you feeling good about yourself and confident in your direction through life. They will help you create powerful, positive results – professionally and personally.

You may be thinking (and so might Emil), “Ah, come-on, Dan. You’ve got slough-water on the brain.”

Please let me explain and then I’d like to know what you think.

Kayak cockpit gems

Imagine the drum-roll of fingers on the hull of my kayak.

1) Every stroke is a correction stroke.

2) It doesn’t need to be pretty; it needs to be effective.

3) Look where you want to go.

Profound, huh?

Let’s take a closer look. And I challenge you to consciously apply these gems in all areas of your life.

1) Every stroke is a correction stroke.

Face the fact: the river of life rarely flows in a straight line, and the currents are continually changing.

Think about it. Is today going exactly the way you wanted it to be, or planned it? Have there been: unexpected surprises and challenges; exhilarations and disappointments; peacefulness and disturbances? Have the recent economic burps caused you to cogitate, detour, or pull back? Have people treated you the way you thought they “should?” And, have you treated every person you encountered in the most effective way?

Here’s the deal. You and I accept millions of bits of stimulus every day through our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin. We may not be able to control the outside stimulus, yet we can always choose our thoughts, words, and actions in response to the stimulus. Our action or reaction determines our result, or our new direction – but not for long because we soon face another group of stimulus that has us correcting again.

Example: Recently, I was the Master of Ceremonies for an event. Part-way through the event, a gentleman approached me and told me how poorly the whole event was organized. In the past, I would have taken that as an attack on me and may have reacted by saying something less than appropriate. This time, I noticed my blood starting to boil, and with the thought,”that’s an interesting response to his words,” I listened attentively, thanked the gentleman for his comments, made some slight corrections, and proceeded with a very successful event.

I’ve been working on becoming more consciously aware of my thoughts at all times. It is like being a fly on the wall, an observer of my life, somewhat removed from my reactionary emotional attachment to situations. As I practice this, I’ve learned that I can choose to think, speak, and act honestly, lovingly, and respectfully toward myself and others, and my general direction through life is easier and more fun.

I continually correct with every stroke. Am I crazy, or do you do it too?

2) It doesn’t need to be pretty; it needs to be effective.



In this dynamic, shifting current, we must be willing to make lightening-fast, effective choices to avoid life-threatening rocks, walls, and waves. It doesn’t matter if you have the most expensive kayak, the best wetsuit, or top-of-the-line paddles sticking out your ying-yang, what matters is that you use your skills and abilities to move effectively.

It works this way when you’re up the creek, and even better yet before you get there.

I make mistakes – and if you’re honest with yourself, so do you. You may call them failures if you want, and that’s OK as long as you recognize that failure is an event, not a person. Mistakes are my greatest teachers because I get to learn what to do next time so I don’t repeat the same mistakes again. Doing that would be ignorance.

Correcting mistakes requires me to become vulnerable, to apologize, and to admit my weakness in that area. These actions may not seem pretty to me, but I’ve learned that they are the quickest and most effective way to get back on stream, build relationships, and surge forward in life.

Many years ago, when Jamie and Brad were little boys, I reacted negatively to something they had done. I yelled, called them “bad boys,” and ******* them both. Yikes! Physical, mental, and emotional abuse all at once. Had I continued with this form of parenting, I doubt they would want anything to do with me now.

Thankfully, I recognized my mistake and was courageous enough do make a correction. It was humbling to gather Jamie and Brad close to me, apologize, and ask for their forgiveness. I remember saying, “I made a big mistake and I’m sorry. I’ve never been a Dad before and I need your help to learn how to be a good one.”

For me, it didn’t feel pretty, but it sure has turned out to be effective.

Where in your life (at work or home) do you react to situations and make mistakes in your interactions with others, but shrug it off as “that’s just the way I am”? Where do you blame others, the economy, or bad luck for your mistakes? It may seem to give you power and make you look good. Yet are these choices effective in your relationships long-term?

3) Look where you want to go.

What you focus on; you attract. It’s true. If I think I’m going to swim in the upcoming rapids (kayak-ectomy), I inevitably will. If I think I’m going to manoeuvre them with ease, I do.

Our minds are extremely powerful. As we think about and focus on something, we tend to attract people and situations which are congruent with our thoughts. This works for things we want – and things we don’t want.

Example: When we work with couples in coaching sessions or at seminars, we ask each of them to describe their ideal relationship. Often, they have a hard time doing this. They want a happy, loving relationship, but what the heck does that mean in specific terms?

They have little peeves about what their partner says or does. They definitely know what they don’t want. They go to their workplace with their grievances and challenges weighing heavily on their hearts and minds. Creativity and productivity are hindered. Their relationships at work suffer too. The more they focus on these undesirables, the more they see. And yet, they are getting exactly what they focus on.

In our 25 years of marriage, we have learned that the more we talk about, and focus on what we want in our relationship, family, and business, the more easily and quickly we create our desires. By making our relationship rock-solid, we are both far more creative and productive in our careers. Our minds are not distracted by home-life polluted thoughts that we experienced in the past. We continue to look where we want to go and we continue to get what we want.

So, my friend, what do you focus on in your life – what you want, or what you don’t want? I encourage you to evaluate your results. They will indicate exactly where you look most of the time. Consciously look where you want to go.

You and I can choose to apply these kayak cockpit gems every day – or not. The waves are big, the current is strong, and there’s lots of learning and fun to be had on this big river of life.

Are you coming along for the ride, or clinging to the mud on the bank?

Copyright © 2009
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hi i’m a fairly good flat waterr kayaker,and want to get into white water,what sort of things should i look out for when paddling white water. i have all the equipment tow lines helmet, throw lines ect. but how should i approch the white water? any info would be great thanks.
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I am planning to drive to the FL keys for a week. I’m considering purchasing a canoe, kayak, or raft (or inflateable verson of these). Is it beneficial to have one of these in the keys? Do any of these work better than the others? Thanks!
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Most people who go kayaking use a sport canoes which is a lightweight kayak made of fiberglass. However, other types of kayaks are available for whitewater sports. Kayaks are used for leisure activities or competitive sports. The original kayaks were made of animal skins by the Inuit and these boats held one or two people.

Kayaks often have double-bladed paddles, whereas canoes come with a variety of paddles. Kayaks can also be used for traveling and racing. In general, canoes are used when travelling on rivers, or open waters where there is no apparent danger.

Canoes are lightweight boats, both narrow and pointed with the points identical at each end. Canoes can be paddled by one or more passengers and can be used for travelling and fishing, as well as other sporting hobbies. Whether you’re kayaking or canoeing, you’re responsible for your own affairs and life, since there are times when adventuring out in the wilderness can be dangerous.

Whitewater kayaking is a popular sporting event, and like all sports, it’s important to know and practise all safety rules.

Getting Out of a Capsized Kayak

In this situation, you should understand the difference between kayaking and canoeing. If you flip or capsize a canoe, you’ll dump into the water and you can swim back to shores. If the canoe is in violent waters, you must avoid grabbing hold of the canoe and trying to control the boat, but rather, you want it to guide its own way.

However, when kayaking in whitewaters, you must remember that a kayak is closed around you. If a kayak capsizes, you’ll hang upside down under water. Therefore, you should practice holding your breathe for 30 seconds or longer before venturing out in a kayak. If you’re a beginner, you should consider wearing snorkels, which will help you see while under water if this situation should arise.

If you’re in a canoe, you’ll have an easier time since you can roll the canoe and attempt to re-board it. When kayaking, it’s important to learn how to use a “quick release” tool which should be built into the thigh straps. Use the quick release along with your spray skirts, as well as your thigh straps. Experts can usually release their body from a kayak in about four seconds. It could take you ten seconds or longer depending on how much practice you’ve had ahead of time.

In a kayak, once you’ve released the straps and spray, hold both sides of kayak and lightly pry your body out. Next, clear your feet, moving them out of the kayak carefully. Once this is accomplished, you’re free to swim away.

The most critical point to remember if your kayak should capsize is to stay calm. Never try to rush, just relax and stay calm and carry on with the procedures you’ve practiced.

Estimate Weight Distribution and Stability

It’s important to understand that shallow sketched boats, such as canoes (especially lightweight canoes) are sensitive to the distribution of weight whether you’re floating on the water or boarding the boat. Just keep in mind when kayaking to board slowly, and take your time when floating in whitewaters.

All boats, including kayaks, base the gravity of its center weight on the total weight of both passengers and the boat. In other words, the term used in kayaking “Center of Gravity” is “the spot” where the total weight of the kayak, plus all its passengers and gear, can be produced and/or placed on the boats hull.
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Kayaking is not always about getting absolutely soaked steaming down a class IV river or bouncing around in the surf. There is a much gentler side.

For me working in an office all day when the sun is shinning outside can be purgatory. It becomes a question of clock watching until 5.30pm finally frees me from my stuffy surroundings when I can yank my tie off and grab my paddles for an evening paddle in my inflatable kayak.

The good thing about using an inflatable kayak on an evening trip is that I do not have to worry about loading it onto and strapping it down to a roof rack or at the other end strapping it to a kayak trolley to get to the waters edge.

Because my inflatable kayak can be rolled up into a bag I can leave it on the main boat at the marina so all I need to do is to pump it up for five minutes when I get to the marina. This cuts down my ’scramble time’ considerably and gives me more time paddling in the water before it gets dark.

During the summer months and with the sun setting around 9:30pm I can grab a good two hours or more paddle time and get to witness some amazing sunsets.

The backwaters at Walton-on-the-Naze offer some of the most amazing scenery and whilst it may not be brimming with paradise like sandy beaches it does provide a truly stunning and remote taste of English countryside at its best. Most evenings when there is a glorious sun setting we paddle westward along the Twizzle which runs along the south side of Horsey Island.

The channel dries out at low tide so once we paddle clear of the marina and past a few straggling swing moorings we have the area to ourselves with the only sign of any other human existence being the odd farmhouse in the distance.

The benefit of being in my inflatable kayak is there is no cockpit so once wedged up against an oyster bed I can loosen the kayak seat, stretch out and soak up the evening sun. Spending two or three hours lying under the late sun in kayak is a truly cleansing experience that I would recommend to anyone.

All you need is a flask of tea and something to eat a camera to take some snaps and your usual safety accessories and you are set for an evening of beautiful HD panoramic vistas all to yourself.

Trust me there is nothing else quite like it. Whatever you do for a living you are probably stressed with some aspect of life and going for a relaxing paddle and watching the wildlife and sunset is a break from the everyday hustle and bustle and the ultimate way to relax.
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My husband asked me today about going kayaking. it sounds & look like a ton of fun…..but I’m afraid i’ll be to big for it. I’m about 5′6 and weigh a little under 230lbs. I”m in the process of losing weight & still really self conscious & I’ve seen people kayaking on t.v. and the boats look so small…..so how big is the opening to the kayak seat? thanks for any help…..
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