article from JULY-SEPTEMBER 2008
Whitewater Adventures
Anticipation had been building and the day finally arrived. If you were to ask many of the campers what they were looking forward to most throughout the eventful two weeks of camp, they would enthusiastically answer, “Whitewater rafting!” Less than a handful of the campers had ever even been whitewater rafting, and excitement, mixed with a little bit of nervousness, filled everyone’s mind.
The moment the entire camp had been looking forward to finally arrived—it was time for the whitewater rafting trip.
The campers piled into the vans and departed on a two-hour road trip to Ohiopyle, in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Riding in the vans seemed like an eternity for most of the campers; however, everyone enjoyed the conversation and fellowship (not to mention an occasional “Are we there yet?”).
Once at Ohiopyle, the campers and staff quickly found their rafts and were briefed by the trip leader on the proper maneuvers and techniques of whitewater rafting. Everyone then carried their gray, six-man rafts down to the river. This was a little difficult for some, but most felt it was a good way to loosen up the arms.
Just before launch, everyone made sure to buckle their old, faded life-vests and tighten their smelly blue helmets.
Finally, it was time to go. The raft leaders pushed their team off the rocky shoreline into the chilly, yet refreshing, clear river water. On the water, with the first set of rapids dead ahead, the campers anxiously awaited the first test of the day.
At first, campers found it difficult to steer the rafts. They were turning left and right, with only a few actually going forward. The raft captains were trying with all their might to keep the rafts straight for the rushing, rocky rapids that were closing in on them.
Swoosh! The first raft hit the rapids, tossing to and fro like clothes in a washing machine. The campers continued to paddle with all their might. Spinning and balancing, they pulled as hard as they could and finally made it through. Once finished, they quickly turned around to watch the next raft come down the intimidating rapids.
In between the rapids were deep pools of water where campers could stop and swim. Even though the water was somewhat cold, some rafters leaped into the river, making sure to playfully splash their companions. Others simply rested or worked to rescue a team member that had been thrown into the raging river from the previous rapids.
About halfway through the trip, the beautiful gray sky let loose with a refreshing rain. Fog rose from the river and was offset by the lush green forest, creating one of the most picturesque moments of camp. After this brief scenic rest, the campers and staff prepared for the upcoming rapids.
Again, campers rushed toward the next set of rapids, this time in perfect harmony, paddling full speed ahead. With the river guides directing the rafts, campers swiftly turned, this time avoiding the rocks and whirlpools—for the most part! The noise from the speeding water faded out the cheers and commands from the surrounding rafts while campers with tired arms continued pushing their boats forward.
Although the trip lasted just over four hours, it seemed to fly by. All the campers and staff were ready to go back and start the trip over again, not wanting the day to end. While everyone was disappointed that the trip was finished, they still continued to cheer and high-five one another.
With tired, hanging arms, the campers picked up their rafts and carried them up a steep hill to the yellow school buses that would take the campers back to the vans. No matter how exhausted everyone was, they staggered into the buses.
The ride home was filled with an indescribable, joyous noise. Cheers overwhelmed conversations, and the noise in the bus grew louder and louder. Campers were laughing, rejoicing and sharing stories of their wild whitewater rafting adventures. It soon became crystal clear that all the anticipation and excitement was well worth the wait.
Needless to say, whitewater rafting did not disappoint.