Before we look at the issues surrounding the safety and precautions needed for white water rafting let us first explain what the sport entails and what are the joys of this sport.

White water rafting like any other recreational activity is a thrilling and exciting sport and is one in which one uses a raft to navigate water bodies like a river. This is normally done on rough water which adds to the excitement and this sport has been popular since the 1970s.

This is more popular in the northern rivers which flow from the Himalayas and come gushing through steep gorges and forests that are densely populated. A trip down a river on a raft can also provide a great way to see the countryside. White river rafting whether done exclusively or when combined with other mountaineering expeditions, will always remain an experience, not to be forgotten.

Now let’s look at exactly what levels of danger are involved in white-water rafting

If you have read all the hype in the papers about the dangers associated with white water rafting, you should keep those fears and knowledge aside while reading these facts which we have culled out for you after some research and with information got from actually indulging in the sport.

What you generally read in the papers in the sections on adventurous sports, is generally news that has been hyped up with a lot of blame and dramatizing. We need to closely examine if the media is right and what actual precautions one needs to take.

It is assumed that for many of you this would be the first time that you are going on a white water rafting trip. We assure you the adventure sport is fun as long as you follow a few safety rules and keep these tips in mind. While a few hours with a professional trainer can also do wonders to the experience and make you a skilled rafter, we ask you to adhere to these safety precautions to make your trip thrilling, exhilarating and gratifying.

Points to remember while preparing for the white rafting expedition:

• Since rafting is a sport you enjoy sitting down there is no reason or requirement that you should be in tip top shape. What matters is that you have adequate strength in the upper arm and shoulder.

• It’s best that you add layers of clothing to your overall attire so that it’s easy to remove them or add them as needed. Also, synthetics and polyesters are recommended as these will ensure that you remain warm during river rafting.

• Ensure that you carry essentials such as sunglasses, sunscreen and camera and disposable water-resistant cameras.

• Carry the necessary medication as prescribed by your doctor which could be your inhalers or insulin.

• Rafting gear to be carried during the summer would include nylon shorts, life jacket, wetsuits, tennis shoes, sandals and maybe a hat. If you are considering rafting during spring or autumn season you may need to take some extra clothing to suit the weather.

• Ensure that you are carrying dry bags in which you could safely leave your personal belongings and avoid carrying your wallet, mobile phones, or car keys when you go white water rafting.

What to look out for while White-water Rafting

While white water rafting is an exhilarating experience it also comes with its intrinsic dangers. White water rafting is as much a calculated risk as zip lining, sky diving, rock climbing or skiing. It is therefore imperative that you know the risks involved in white water rafting and the need is not to determine if it is safe or to evaluate the safety levels of the sport but to highlight the actual dangers involved in the sport so that one can safeguard against it.

Here we list the top 4 white-water rafting dangers to look out for:

1.Drowning as common sense would tell you, is the first danger one should bear in mind

Where there is water involved we all know that the possibility of drowning is high.

The raft can flip over and this could lead to the person falling off. Although you may be wearing a Canoe or Kayak PFD, but don’t underestimate the current. The force of the water can be greater than the buoyancy of the life jacket and you may bet sucked in when trying to swim. So do look out for this danger.

2.Overexertion can often be a cause of death while rafting

Many don’t see over exertion as one of the dangers in white water rafting, but many of the deaths that occur during white water rafting are associated with heart attacks caused due to over exertion and people whose fitness levels are low.

3.Smashing into the rocks can be another cause of deaths during white water rafting.

While death is the most feared dangerous outcome of rafting, smashing into the rocks, hitting, banging, brushing and thrashing up against the rocks could be other dangers associated with the sport. These problems occur while one is still in the draft and when the raft hits against boulders and throw people around. One also needs to look out for paddles swinging in the raft. The whirling, flailing and flapping rafts of the people accompanying you in the raft can also give you a bloody nose!

4.Hypothermia is another real danger associated with white-water rafting

Spring run-offs, snow melting and bottoms of reservoirs are generally the source of white water and hence the water is intrinsically and fundamentally cold. White water rafting is normally a sport that one indulges in during spring when the air temperature is cold. Even if the wetsuit or dry suit will protect you, you will still feel the effect of the cold water. If this is an issue with you, we advise you to consider finding a river that runs during summer and indulge is warm weather white water rafting.