Adventurous Training – Whitewater Rafting

What is Whitewater Rafting?

Whitewater rafting involves travelling down whitewater rivers using inflatable rafts. Group 314 uses the very best in whitewater equipment, including commercial grade 14 foot rafts.

Whitewater rivers are graded as follows:

• Grade 1 – Moving water with a few riffles or small regular waves. Easy passage, but care may be needed with obstacles.
• Grade 2 – Rapids have many medium sized waves (less than 1m), low ledges or drops, easy eddies and gradual bends. The passage is easy to recognise and is generally unobstructed.
• Grade 3 – Rapids have fairly high waves (1-2m tall), broken water, strong currents and eddies, large holes, exposed rocks and small falls. The passage may be difficult to recognise from on the river and manoeuvring around obstacles is required to negotiate the rapid.
• Grade 4 – Difficult rapids that have high, powerful, irregular waves, broken water, often boiling or strongly recirculating eddies, strong powerful hydraulics, ledges, drops and dangerous exposed rocks. The passage often difficult to recognize and precise sequential maneuvering is required. A definite risk of injury or long swims exists.
• Grade 5 – Very powerful rapids, with very confused and broken water, massive waves, large drops, violent and fast currents, abrupt turns, difficult powerful stopper hydraulics. Many dangerous exposed rocks and fastly boiling terminal eddies. There are numerous obstacles in the main current, including dangerous, possibly life-threatening hazards. The extreme for commercial operations. Complex, precise and powerful sequential maneuvering is required for safe passage. A definite risk to personal health and safety exists.
• Grade 6 – Extremely dangerous, classified as unraftable. All previous difficulties increased to the limit of practicability. Very confused, very violent, exploding and folding water so difficult that controlled navigation by raft is virtually impossible. Swimming this grade of rapid is considered suicidal. Requires extreme luck or skill to finish.

Group 314 conducts whitewater rafting on rapids up to Grade 4.

Benefits

Whitewater rafting is a rewarding activity because it helps to develop individual and group qualities such as:

• Courage.
• Communications.
• Leadership.
• Teamwork.

Some of the memorable experiences from whitewater rafting include:

• Visiting pristine wilderness river environments.
• Experiencing the thrill of rafting challenging rapids.
• Working as part of a high performing team.
• Experiencing total quiet and blackness.

Locations

Whilst there are whitewater rivers in many locations across Australia, the typical rivers normally used by Group 314 include:

• VIC rivers such as the Snowy, Mitchell, and Mitta Mitta.
• NSW rivers such as the Nymboida, Shoalhaven, Upper Murrumbidgee, and Upper Murray.
• QLD rivers such as the Tully.

Best Season

After rain all rivers can be suitable for rafting – unless the river relies on water from dam release such as the Tully River in North QLD.

The Nymboida River in northern NSW is often best in during the peak rainfall periods January to March but is suitable for rafting throughout the year after rain.

Rivers that are fed from Alpine regions are often best in Spring when the snow melts but can also be suitable for rafting throughout the year after rain.

Equipment

All equipment technical equipment is provided by Group 314, including:

• Wetsuit.
• Paddling jacket.
• Lifejacket.
• Helmet.
• Throw bag.
• Raft.
• Paddle.
• Drybags.

Participants are asked to bring their own water bottle, thermal top, and water shoes (or old runners).