Whitewater....

 July 6, 2025

As a family, we have decided that experiences are more important than 'stuff', so Thursday past, we celebrated a belated family birthday with a thrilling whitewater rafting trip on the Madawaska River.

We arrived with time to spare before our trip, so walked down and looked at the river where it flows by the headquarters.

There were a couple of playboats in the rapids there.

We were togged up in helmets and life vests, individually checked for correct fit, then loaded onto the buses, and driven to the put-in.

The bigger rafts, the bottom one on the tier of three, (and the solo one to the right) were for folk who just sat inside them and rode along, one river guide steering with big oars from the back of the raft. 

Once at the put-in, those who wished could jump into the river from this un-used bridge. 

The recent rains had increased the water flow rate, and Thursday was the first day it was deemed safe to do this, as the river had started to recede slightly. The leaders were standing by with throw ropes, and the big raft was stationed in the lee of the bridge abutment. We watched the lone oars-woman battle the big raft across the current to station it there. What amazing muscles that girl will have by summer's end!

Us 'Adventure rafters', were each given a paddle and loaded into the smaller rafts, instructed how to sit up on the side of the raft and wedge our feet inside along the middle bolsters.

 Just under the highway bridge, which is quite close downstream from the one pictured, we eddied out of the current, and were given paddling instructions, which would be yelled from the stern by our guide, as we proceeded. Instructions were included about how to ride the rapids if we were thrown from the raft. We practiced the strokes as instructed, then headed out onto the river. The river is quite swift with 4 sets of vigorous rapids along the stretch used for this endeavour. We bucked through the rough water and got liberally soused many times, eddying out several times along the way. It was a hot, sunny day, and just before the take-out, we all rolled off of the rafts into the river for a swim.   

It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, despite the original trepidation when we all had to sign waivers!