In
any outdoor adventure, safety always comes first. A tour of the great
outdoors may start with that first step into the wild, but it won't
end until you return home from it in one piece. Whitewater
rafting isn't any different; the churning waters can be a
dangerous place. In fact, the safety rules in place today were
derived from the costly mistakes whitewater rafters have made over
the past several decades.
Even in Class II or III
whitewater, life jackets are still a rafter's reliable ally,
especially if he's tossed overboard by the surging waters. According
to American Whitewater, a non-profit advocate of safety in
whitewater rafting, a third of whitewater rafting accidents can be
prevented by wearing life jackets. The rapids pose a threat even in
the calmest of waters. If the rocks don't pose a threat, drowning
does.
In
most nature trails like Yellowstone, you'll hardly come across
low-head dams, but it pays to keep an eye out for these structures.
Past the dam structure is a violent backwash that can pull a person
in and make him hit the face of the dam. American Whitewater
recommends getting a clear idea of the river and its features before
hitting the water. Stay away from these dams as much as possible.
