Rafting is a water sport associated with adventure tourism.
Rafting is a notion that does not appear in the dictionary prepared by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ). The concept, in any case, is very common in the field of adventure tourism and water sports .
Rafting consists of descending a river aboard a rowing boat . The oars are used to level and direct the raft or canoe while the descent occurs, which involves various difficulties (rocks that appear on the path, turbulence produced by the current and unevenness, etc.).
The “descent” thing is literal: rafting usually begins at a certain height, with rivers whose channels go from the top to a lower part. This unevenness causes the boat to slide at high speed over the water , making rafting a somewhat risky activity.
The practice of rafting
Watercourses present different difficulties. In some cases, the surface is almost flat, a feature that makes rafting easier. At the other extreme, there are very fast rivers, with large waves, important rocks and waterfalls : in these cases, rafting becomes a sport only for professionals.
In Latin America , there are a large number of rivers that are used for rafting. The Atuel River in Argentina , the Urubamba River in Peru , and the Chagres River in Panama are some of the most popular options .
Rafting is often practiced in river rapids.
Security measures
To practice rafting, it is essential to use a life jacket and helmet . On the boat, on the other hand, there must be ropes to carry out rescues , a whistle and a first aid kit, among other items.
Taking into account that it entails risks , it is important that people who practice rafting, in addition to wearing the relevant vest and helmet, also take into account other advice regarding precautionary measures that they must undertake to avoid unnecessary damage:
- They must pay attention at all times to the instructions given by the guide accompanying them.
- They must wear shoes that do not slip and have good grip.
- It is important that if you are going to do this descent in a river with very cold waters, you put on a neoprene suit.
- Before practicing this adventure sport, they must have eaten properly, so that their bodies have the necessary energy to be able to cope with it and even complicated situations that may occur.
- They should also know the basics regarding the uses of oars as well as communication signals, how to help a partner who has lost balance and has fallen into the water or how to act if they fall from the boat. . In the latter case, it is advisable to carry a whistle hanging around your neck so that others can be notified so that they can help you.
- In the same way, another prevention tip that is recommended to follow at all times is to never practice rafting alone, you should always do it in the company of more people.