Linsey Lanier
Sally Kilpatrick
Sia Huff
Romily Bernard
Darcy Crowder
Marilyn Baron
Tami Brothers
Sandra Elzie
Carol Burnside
Debbie Kaufman
Maxine Davis
Tammy Schubert
Susan Carlisle
Pam Asberry
Lindy Chaffin StartRECIPE FOR ONE WET AND WILD AFTERNOON
By: Sandra Elzie
What do you have when you mix together 40 people, 3 rubber rafts, 3 experienced guides and the Nantahala River? Did you guess white water rafting? Then give yourself a pat on the back! You just got the correct answer.
My husband and I used to take our three kids rafting on the American River near Sacramento, California, all the time when they were younger. In fact, we owned our raft, so taking them was free and when you’re raising three kids, having something that they LOVE to do that’s free, well, what can be better? We made a ton of good memories with that raft.
Years later, when our youngest was 16, we took her, her 18 year old boyfriend, our 17 year old son and us two oldies (and a guide) and went down a river in California that boasted level 5 rapids…although since it had been a rainy winter and the water was running high and fast, I submit that it was level 6 or above, if there is such a level. That was one scary trip, especially our venture through Devil’s Wall where our raft rammed into the cliff wall, riding up onto the rocks until the raft was at a 45-degree angle to the water and we knew for sure that the raft was going over. My daughter later told me she had prayed more in that couple minutes than in the prior month.
This past weekend my husband and I (now 65 and 60 years old respectfully) went on a rafting trip with 38 other church friends. The day started when we arrived at the church at 7:30 in the morning, in desperate need of a second cup of coffee, but knowing we had 3 ½ hours to drive up to the Nantahala River in North Carolina.
Despite the hour and the lack of coffee, we were excited about the trip and anxious to get on the road. When we arrived, (after one “necessary” stop) we had a picnic lunch under the trees and at 1:30 they called our group and started the orientation process. Our guide, a darling young woman with red hair, although “fire engine red” might better describe it, explained the commands.
“Row right”, “row left”, (both obvious) “halt”, (relax and let the current take the raft) “man-overboard” (describing anyone who is having an out-of-raft experience) and “ROW!!!” (meaning its time to start praying).
The trip was a lot of fun and the guides made darn sure that everyone was totally soaked. When the drowned rats arrived at the end of the trip two hours later, they were freezing, but all smiling. No one had chosen to try the MOB (man over board) experience since the water was 48 degrees, and fortunately, the rafts all stayed upright, although the bottoms had at least 4-6 inches of ice-cold water where your feet were. All in all, a great way to spend a summer afternoon.
Have any of you ever rafted? If so, share your experiences with us. Oh, and in the picture above, you won’t find me, (no way!) but my husband is the one up front in the yellow shirt in the top picture. (Right side of the raft, lower right corner of the picture.)
Tags: Nantahala River, rafting, Sandra Elzie
About the author
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Sandra Elzie | http://SandraElzie.com Sandy moved to Georgia four years ago and within two years she had sold her first book to Avalon Books. She has since sold two books and has recently started e-pubbing her list of books under the name of Sandra McGregor. She is married and enjoys traveling, reading and spending time watching movies with her husband.
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September 3rd, 2010 at 5:48 am
Sandy -
Fun story and, yes, I have some great memories from rafting the Nantahala from before we got married and later on when our nieces were big enough to take on the river. Love the description of signals with your church group.
Thanks for reminding me about this!
September 3rd, 2010 at 7:19 am
Hi Dianna,
Thanks for dropping by. Yes, it was a memorable day and we all had a fantastic time. It’s one of those experiences where you have to rely on your fellow rafters to do their part, because if they don’t…well, you just might end up with one of those nasty Out of Raft experiences. (g)
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 7:29 am
I’ve only been rafting once, down the a river in Pennsylvania. What a blast! It must be a requirement that the water is freezing, because lip-blue cold doesn’t begin to describe it. But once you’re out there, it doesn’t really matter. All you care about is making through the next rapid in the raft.
I went with a group of people from work, pre-marriage. Boy that was a while ago.
I agree with Dianna, your story brings back great memories and people I haven’t thought about in years. Thanks.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:12 am
Ah, the Nantahala. I’ve been as part of a team building exercise for the Wesley Foundation. Once.
It was not cool. Well, it was freezing cold, but it was not cool. At least one of the other girls lost her oar. Another clung to me with a death grip when we got stuck on a rock. Those seemingly obvious directives of Row right and Row left? Not so obvious.
We didn’t get to bail the boat before going down the biggest waterfall and then we had so much water in the boat that we couldn’t turn it over to empty it once we got to the end.
By the time we got done I wanted to rip apart my “team.” Everyone else was standing there mournfully looking at the boat, and I said, yes, I would go and explain our predicament. The poor guy at the little cabin where you return the boats started to give me grief about leaving the boat down at the edge of the river. I must have given him one of THOSE looks because he had a change of heart and decided he would retrieve it after all.
If I EVER go rafting again, I am SO going in one of the two person kayaks, and I will pick my partner very, very carefully.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:21 am
You are a brave soul, Sandy. It’s the wading pool for me. Just reading your post made me a little seasick, LOL. Sounds like rafting is one way to beat the heat, though. Brrr.
Glad you had fun. The pictures look like a blast (vicariously, of course.)
I vicariously enjoyed everyone else’s stories, too. Except Sally’s. Glad you all made it back alive.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:48 am
I’ve been wanting to go rafting for some time now. This is a good reminder to stop thinking about it and go do!
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:58 am
Sandy, you are very inspiring. I’ve grown up around people who resign themselves to just be ‘old’ when they get older. Never have I really looked forward to the prospect of reaching that age myself because the people I have to mirror my retirement days after, quite simply, are depressing. You give me hope.
Thank you.
Tami
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:13 am
Sia,
I’ve skied in PA, but never rafted. Considering how cold it was skiing, I can imagine the water was like melted snow. Brrrr
Yes, we had our moments of just wanting to make it through the next rapid…in the boat. Would I go again? Absolutely!
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:14 am
Sally,
LOL !!! I could just see you in that raft and then glaring at your “team” at the end. With us it wasn’t ever a team building experience, it was a team survival experience. (g)
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:22 am
Linsey,
Have you tried Maid of The Mist at Niagra Falls? No threat of dumping you, but wet and an awesome display of the power of water.
I agree with you, though that some experiences are best served vicariously.
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:32 am
Sandy,
This is a great post. I love rafting. I’ve rafted the Nantahala a number of times, but none recently. I’m already making plans for next summer. My husband and I have done a 3 day raft trip in Utah and have made a day trip in Ottawa, Canada. Both of these trips were big water. We also have done single person kayaks at a local river. I love the water in any form. Thanks for reminding me of what fun rafting is.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:42 am
Hey Deb! Go for it. Get on the water. Oh, and if you need a couple more people to fill the raft, I know I can convince hubby to join you…oh, and me too, of course. (g)
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:44 am
Tami,
Hey, I refuse to go quietly into the dark unknown of old age. Although we had about 4 people who fell in the older 40s, most were in their 50s and 60s, a couple were in their 70s and one man was, I believe 80 or 81.
So, there’s more than “hope”, there’s proof positive that age is just a number and fun is just beyond the next curve in the river.
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:47 am
Susan,
Wow, you’ve had some great experiences on the water. Way to go, girl! I would imagine Canada is much colder than here??? (Hey, Deborah…ever rafted up there?)
California mountain water is cold, but the temperatures are so hot that you dry quickly. Of course, in my younger years we rafted in our swimsuits…now it’s shorts and tee shirts…takes longer to dry.
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:09 pm
I was going to ask if you were in the photo. The second photo looks like everyone was stranded in the water.
I thought I was going to agree with Debbie when she said, I’m going to stop thinking about it…and then I got to the “go do” it part. My reaction would be “Don’t even think about it!”
In fact, Linnea’s wading pool sounds like it’s more my speed. I’ve never gone white water rafting. I’m afraid I’d lose my glasses.
I saw some people jet boating in Queensland Australia and it looked like fun, but something I’ve never wanted to do, but I admire you for doing it.
Marilyn
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Hi Marilyn,
Actually, the second photo was caught just right so that the raft was in a dip and the water was splashing.
I wasn’t on my husband’s raft, so I’m not in that picture…and since none of you have ever seen me dripping wet, I thought I’d spare the world that image. (g)
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Sandy,
Sounds like so much fun. Would love to go rafting! I never did even get to float down the Chattahoochee on intertube with beer and friends (it was much cleaner then)
Have done Maid of the Mist – great!
Oh Tami, no ‘old woman’ for me. I want to go sliding into old age laughing and having a ball!
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Oh Brenda, I love your attitude. The next time we go rafting I’ll be sure to invite you along. I’m sure you’d be a hoot.
Oh, and Marilyn, hubby wore his hat and his glasses and arrived at the end with both…of course, he didn’t try an out of raft experience, so that just might be the key to ending up with all your goodies at the end of the trip.
Sandy
September 3rd, 2010 at 7:50 pm
I’m glad you had fun, Sandy. More power to ya. Really. However, I’ve never even heard of the Nantahala, let alone rafted it. Then again, I can’t swim, so that might be a clue why.
My only experience that would be similar is this: I tubed a short stretch of the Quachita back in my teens because my friends promised to not let go of me. (a la Sally’s story – Yeah, I was THAT girl.) Apparently not letting go meant dragging me across some major rocks in shallow rapids. I ended up with a baseball sized bruise that was bone deep on my hip and limped for a week.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Oh, Carol, that sounds painful! No wonder you don’t like the thought of rafting.
On 3 different occasions as a child I almost drowned. Two of those three times it was by the grace of God that I made it, so I always wear a life jacket…even though I can swim. The water is just too powerful.
Glad you stopped by tonight. Have a great holiday weekend.
Sandy