Sac drifted into the rapids, the closest I've been to drowning

📍American Whitewater Expeditions, meeting places are usually in Coloma, near Sacramento, an hour or two from the Bay Area. There are many companies that do rafting nearby, but there are not many companies that open in spring, this one is recommended!

💰 website book in advance, south fork is $135 per person, full six people sixth person half price, this price includes the whole tour, wetsuit, and lunch, I think it is worth a day. In addition, some places with large rapids will be photographed, and after the end of the $60 boat everyone can buy it together to see the face of the water.

📌 Preparation: Because the clothes will be all wet, be sure to bring a change of clothes and shoes, rafting wear clothes preferably not cotton, will absorb water, preferably wool, will be warm, or waterproof materials such as.

This time, I signed up with my friends for the difficult level 4 of "American Whitewater" whitewater rafting. I have tried level 3 with my friends for many times in the past few years, and this time I had the courage to sign up for Level 4. Level 4 difficulty and torrent is much higher than level 3, there are a few places through really super exciting, but also very easy to capsize. We turned over, and fortunately, the friend finally landed safely from the torrent, a false alarm. In many close friends also fell into the torrent, and later through the efforts of the team finally pulled up. It's very exciting.

Still want to record this somewhat thrilling experience, yesterday with a group of six friends went to the nearby American River to play white water rafting, booked is H2O Adventures Middle Fork Class 3-4 route, Before the six of us have played the same company's Class 2-3 are not enough fun.

We gathered at 8am for a 45-minute ride in their van to the start of the rafting, where we asked for a well-honed guide and rowed ten minutes from the start to the most difficult of the whole route, grade 4+ Tunnel Chute Rapids. The rapids are 25 meters long and there is a drop in the length of the tunnel, which is 60 meters long.

As we entered the tunnel chute rapids, our boat hit a rock on the left. Five people, including the guide, fell into the rapids. The boat without the guide hit a rock and knocked the sixth man into the water.

When you first fall into the rapids, you are completely confused. Everything happens so fast that you don't even feel that you have fallen into the water. When I woke up, I could only see the white water, and I struggled to raise my feet above the water for defensive purposes. But the current was too strong to be controlled at all. Before the big drop, my head came out of the water to take a small breath and then I felt the free fall. When I opened my eyes, I saw the "starry sky at the bottom of the river", pieces of white bubbles were swirling. I didn't have time to think much about it, and my body instinct made me try to swim upstream.

I quickly calmed myself down, relaxed and let the undercurrent take me down. Suddenly, a relaxed current appeared under my feet. I immediately flipped and was pushed out on my back by the current. The next time I opened my eyes I was halfway through the tunnel and saw the guide from the other boat Shouting for me to swim towards him, relieved to have reached the hull. Everyone who was rescued choked a lot of water, and it took a while to recover. The position and Angle of the fall were very unfortunate, and I was the only one who was completely swept deeper into the water.

Our guide has been on the job for three years and this is the first time he's fallen into the rapids at the start of tunnel chute, and even he says it's a long swim. I want to say that the sport of rafting is dangerous, or to maintain a high level of attention at all times. Friends who want to play this line must not underestimate it as a tourist project to completely relax, the cooperation of the team is very important. Don't panic when you fall, be calm, try to keep your feet above the water so you don't get caught in the debris on the bottom. Everything else is super fun. Go and experience it.


Beginners I think it is not recommended to play level 4, generally will be persuaded by the registration company, when they sign up, they will ask if they have not participated in level 3, all by self-consciousness and honesty, some people will lie directly to report level 4, because they think level 3 is not interesting, too easy, which is actually very dangerous, you know, white water rafting is a stimulating and risky activity.

You should be familiar with basic white water rafting safety knowledge and techniques. Understand how to deal with different levels of white water, familiar with emergency situations and rescue methods, which will be taught in playing level 3. So don't skip level three and play level four.

Equipment, do not bring mobile phones and valuable things, it is really easy to lose, in the case of those boats always turn over, it is recommended to bring a GoPro, which can be firmly hung in the chest, which can be a good first perspective to capture wonderful pictures. Other things like helmets, life jackets, the company will lend you free of charge included in the registration fee, rafting suits, goggles, etc. You also need to bring your own. And remember to bring sunscreen, it's easy to burn after a day of drifting.

⚠️ There are toilets before boarding and during lunch break, but there is no place to stop during the rest of the way!

A treasure bakery in Sacramento called BAD Backers! They have a bread called STAXX that smells creamy when it comes out of the oven with honey and is so soft! The others don't tread too hard on thunder either!

The last thing to emphasize is safety safety safety, to fear the nature and the riptide, follow the leader's command and have a good team work in order to have a good experience.


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