Scene V - River Rafting in Bhadra river

Arun's instructions:

• The life jacket can stand 120 kilos, so there is nothing to worry (sigh!)


• Hold the paddle end with a proper fist formation.


• The other hand should hold the paddle stick at a height comfortable for one to paddle.


• To move forward, put the paddle at 90 degrees into the water, with your upper body moved a bit forward and pull the paddle back along with moving your body backwards.


• Vice versa to move backwards.


• When I say hold on, hold on to the rope tied to the boat.


• When I say rapid forward, paddle rapidly so we move forward faster.


• If the boat topples (Ah! This was the tough part to even listen to!). If the boat topples, you would start floating within 2 seconds. Everybody move towards the boat and hold it up with your hands.


• Now! who all knows swimming? (I knew this would be coming! Should we even try this? But I want to...) It might be difficult for only the guide to save all of you, in an unlikely event. So, he also showed how we could lock the paddle heads and pull each other.
  

First thing asked us to do is to get down to water, experience the floating. I was only told then that the depth was 30-40 feet! I just pulled up my socks and got into the water, never wanted to leave the rope. It was an amazing feeling. I hadn't imagined I would go floating in 30-40 feet deep water levels. We enjoyed our time floating in the water for about 10-15 minutes.

Arun then pulled us all up into the boat (he just held us by the jackets and pulled up like gunny bags). When we started he said, "Rafting is a team event. Very much needs everyone to be in synch".

Sree and Saket took to the front. I and Atanu synched up with their paddling. Arun was controlling the direction sitting at the back. We rafted a small fall, in the due course hit a rock. But we did synch up good to move out quickly. That gave us all a bit of confidence. The falls were not too high, but there were currents and whirls we had to escape. The river would be plain for a few meters and then there would be 2-3 falls and currents we had to rapidly paddle through. We stopped by every stretch to look back and feel good about getting through it. The whole experience was fantabulous!