Every year, one of my best buddies gifts his mom a wild adventure. It’s always something a little more daring than I would naturally choose for myself, but sometimes I get out of my comfort zone. This year it was sky diving – and I noped out of that so hard I thought I might have pulled a muscle. But last year it was whitewater rafting, which not only did I love, I have actually done it before.
He chose one of the premier outfitters in our area, Nantahala Outdoor Center, who has been safely guiding newbies down the Nantahala since 1972. This was the same outfitter that I took my first rafting trip with, back in the late 2000s, when I was a little more adventurous in college.
This excursion is so many amazing experiences all rolled into one. Of course there are many exhilarating rapids to navigate, but all of the guides are friendly and personable, immediately creating a feeling of camaraderie. There are several places to stop, swim and explore, including an amazing waterfall experience that will take your breath away – literally, it’s freezing cold, and you get to hike under / behind it. There are also a few places that you can safely jump off of the rocks into the river below.
This is an adventure that I would urge anyone to take. It feels exceptionally adventurous while still being very safe. The guide is knowledgable and prepared, as well as there being several other boats and several other guides who are also on the same team to help tackle any unexpected undertakings. Even as an overly cautious introvert, I felt prepared and confident in everything that we did because our guide talked it through what to expect and what to do if things went unexpectedly. He even told us when we were going to be ejected, how we would be ejected, and how to get back in the boat, which was pretty amazing because it all played out exactly as predicted.
Do it. Go whitewater rafting. You don’t even have to know the other people in the boat. Just go. You won’t regret it.
Leave a Reply