White Water Rafting on the Arkansas River, Buena Vista

Do you have a bucket list of things you want to do, can't quite figure out how to do it?  I did have an item that is now checked off - white water rafting.  Years ago I saw rafting on the Colorado River, then every couple years would see it again, different areas, and told Dave I wanted to do that.  Then, we came to BV, saw offerings of rafting on the Arkansas River, found a company who said that it was 'kid friendly'.  Dave and I signed up us 5 adults (Dave, myself, Dee, Rob, and Emily) and Emily's 2 children, Cody and Imana, for this past Sunday's 1/2 day Browns Canyon Raft trip with American Adventure Expeditions.

We were to report to the tour company's premises by 12:45pm, with outfitting of wetsuits, helmets, booties, and then get a quick orientation regarding safety, then board a bus to the launch point.  We launched at Fisherman's Bend, not far from our campground.

As we enter Zoom Flume, and within seconds of capsizing

Rob and Dave in front, I am behind Rob with Cody behind me
Dee is behind Dave, can't see Imana, then Emily with Kayla at the helm

Before we got into the raft, Kayla, our guide who was also the lead guide of the 5 rafts to be launched, gave more instructions on what to do when we were on the water. Raft launched, we climbed in, and off we went.  Kayla provided history of the canyon we were floating through, what and who were living in the area at different times in history, why the Canyon became a national monument, all the time watching her other 5 rafts ahead of us, keeping us in time with our rowing.

Beginning to climb the boulder, right in front of Dave, look at Kayla's face
And Imana's and Cody's.  Rut-roh.

I have already gone in, Rob is soon to go, then Dave Dee and Kayla

As we entered our first rapid, she explained what we were to do, how to back row or forward row on her command.  We started out small rapids and eventually came to Class II/III which is pretty difficult in my mind.  And scary.  We capsized.  Into the water went all of us, including Kayla, EXCEPT Emily and Imana, Cody was on his way out and Emily caught him by the scruff of his neck and yanked him back in.  The rest of us were pushed down through the rapids, Dave and Rob were picked up by other boats, Dee and I eventually made it back to our raft.

Most of us are in, Kayla's face is amazing!

Imana wedged under Emily in boat, she reaching out to stop Cody from going in

How Emily kept that raft and the kids in, I haven't a clue.  Needless to say, after the trip was over and we processed what happened, the 5 adults all had PTSD that night, into the next day.  We were really shook up.  Cody had night terrors that night, Imana said it was a blast and lets do it again.  Of course, when you are 7, you are too young to process what could have tragically happened.  Cody understood and he was very scared the rest of the trip.

I am a good swimmer but that trip was horrible.  I had gotten my foot caught in a rock and had to pull it out (I was underwater the whole time) with both hands, losing my bootie on the right foot.  I could have drowned.  After we all got back into the boat, all 6 rafts were beached and just resting until us 6 could get ourselves under control, then we continued downstream.  And then.....

And the water was freezing, I am farthest on right

Ahead of us were 2 rafts from our group of 5, caught on a large boulder in the water, and as we came up to them, we crashed into them and forced one of the rafts to capsize, 3 of the people falling right on top of us.  That forced Rob out of the raft again, into the water.  What a day.

Other rafts coming to assist, Emily Cody and Imana are only ones in our raft

Again, we all 5 rafts regrouped, got our breath, and then about another 15 minutes later we landed at our take-out point at Hecla Junction, got into the bus and back to the original location.  I give Kayla tremendous KUDOS for keeping herself calm, took control when we first got dunked, and made sure we all were okay before heading out to finish the tour.

I can check off white water rafting.   I will never do this again, and Dave said the same.   I have since given a review of the company stressing that children under the age of 12 should not be permitted on the water.  They tragic possibliities are endless and I don't want any other family/parent to experience the trauma we went through this past Sunday.