The one thing my husband wanted to do on our Panama trip was white-water raft. And while I certainly wasn’t against it (I mean I do want to white-water raft), I wasn’t totally ecstatic about it either.I’m not a huge water person. I do know how to swim, but the prospect of rough water and the potential of going overboard made me nervous. But I wasn’t going to chicken out!
So the Chiriqui River Rafting guys picked us up at our hostel at 7 a.m. for our hour-long trek across Panama to get to our starting point. Along the way, we picked up some others – a couple from Dallas, another couple from Chicago, and a family from Kissimmee. All of us were first-timers except the couple from Dallas who has rafted all over the world.
With helmets and lifejackets on, we made our way down to the river’s edge and hopped into our boats – the Kissimmee family in one; the rest of us in the other.
The river’s water was chilly but after the hike down the rocky road to get to it, it felt refreshing. I had read in the brochure that this particular part of the river had a lot of good rapid action, which did nothing to calm my nerves.
Plus, Dave from Dallas left me on the shore with these words: If you fall out, don’t put your feet down. If your foot gets caught in a rock, you are sure as dead.
Whaaatttt???!!!
So off we went, with our little paddles, listening as our guide yelled instructions and told us what class of rapids were coming up. We were told this would be rapids 2 and 3, but every once in a while our guide would yell, “OK guys, rapids 4 coming up!” And I wanted to yell back, “Rapids 4? I didn’t sign up for rapids 4!”
I’m pretty sure it was in the midst of a rapids 4 section that we lost it. All I remember is hitting a solid wall of water and the raft going straight up and tipping over, leaving all of us in the current.
So off we went, with our little paddles, listening as our guide yelled instructions and told us what class of rapids were coming up. We were told this would be rapids 2 and 3, but every once in a while our guide would yell, “OK guys, rapids 4 coming up!” And I wanted to yell back, “Rapids 4? I didn’t sign up for rapids 4!”
I’m pretty sure it was in the midst of a rapids 4 section that we lost it. All I remember is hitting a solid wall of water and the raft going straight up and tipping over, leaving all of us in the current. I, the water lover, ended up completely submerged. I flailed my arms for a couple of seconds before realizing I wasn’t doing any good. I just had to relax and let the water do its thing. I knew it had to spit me out sooner or later.
Thankfully I felt no rocks.
When I finally did surface, I saw Wes a few feet from me hanging on to our overturned boat. I, however, couldn’t breathe which made me panic as Wes told me to reach for him.
Now as I held on to Wes and finally was able to cough, our guide stood on top of the raft and told us to let go so he could turn it right side up.
I was finally starting to calm down, when the guide in the kayak yelled for us to hurry up and get into the boat as the next set of rapids were quickly approaching. So, what do I do? I turn around and see the impending rapids. Again, panic!
Our guide threw a rope to us and we heaved ourselves back into raft. Unfortunately we had no paddles and only a portion of our group. The Chicago couple ended up being rescued by the Kissimmee family and were regrouping on the other shore.
Soon after that excitement, it was time to stop for lunch. The guides put out a pretty nice spread of lunchmeats, chips, cookies and juice. Food, however, was the last thing on my agenda. First, was coming up with a plan so I didn’t have to get back in the raft and do the second leg of the trip. That was not an option.
After about a half hour or so, we hopped back into the raft and made our way down the river. This time the rapids were much calmer, but the water felt freezing now and my teeth kept chattering. We hit a few shallow spots where we got stuck on the rocks, and those of us who still had shoes (me not being one of them as my underwater struggle left me one shoe down) had to hop out and push. Otherwise, the second half was uneventful, which I was grateful for.
The experience ended at a cow pasture where we had to keep our eyes peeled for steaming piles as we made our way back to the van. The kayak guide was kind enough to give me his flip-flop to get me back up the ant-infested dirt road that also took us through a small, muddy pond. We tried not to think what might be living in it as we sunk in up to our knees.
Capping off the trip, was a flat tire that we got along the highway on our way back to Boquete. Thankfully, the Kissimmee family, who we had already dropped off, saw us and came back with beer. Yet another day in Panama ending with much-needed alcohol.
Thankfully I felt no rocks.
When I finally did surface, I saw Wes a few feet from me hanging on to our overturned boat. I, however, couldn’t breathe which made me panic as Wes told me to reach for him.
Now as I held on to Wes and finally was able to cough, our guide stood on top of the raft and told us to let go so he could turn it right side up.
I was finally starting to calm down, when the guide in the kayak yelled for us to hurry up and get into the boat as the next set of rapids were quickly approaching. So, what do I do? I turn around and see the impending rapids. Again, panic!
Our guide threw a rope to us and we heaved ourselves back into raft. Unfortunately we had no paddles and only a portion of our group. The Chicago couple ended up being rescued by the Kissimmee family and were regrouping on the other shore.
Soon after that excitement, it was time to stop for lunch. The guides put out a pretty nice spread of lunchmeats, chips, cookies and juice. Food, however, was the last thing on my agenda. First, was coming up with a plan so I didn’t have to get back in the raft and do the second leg of the trip. That was not an option.
After about a half hour or so, we hopped back into the raft and made our way down the river. This time the rapids were much calmer, but the water felt freezing now and my teeth kept chattering. We hit a few shallow spots where we got stuck on the rocks, and those of us who still had shoes (me not being one of them as my underwater struggle left me one shoe down) had to hop out and push. Otherwise, the second half was uneventful, which I was grateful for.
The experience ended at a cow pasture where we had to keep our eyes peeled for steaming piles as we made our way back to the van. The kayak guide was kind enough to give me his flip-flop to get me back up the ant-infested dirt road that also took us through a small, muddy pond. We tried not to think what might be living in it as we sunk in up to our knees.
Capping off the trip, was a flat tire that we got along the highway on our way back to Boquete. Thankfully, the Kissimmee family, who we had already dropped off, saw us and came back with beer. Yet another day in Panama ending with much-needed alcohol.
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