Monday, March 16, 2015

Preparing To Kayak Harpeth River

By Lena Stephenson


There is nothing more invigorating than a day on the water. Whether you decide to go shooting the rapids on a Class III river or have a gentle kayak Harpeth River, it will refresh you like nothing else on earth. Going whitewater rafting has the added benefit of leaving you feeling like you have cheated death, and won.

The excitement begins almost immediately after you hang up the phone after arranging the trip. Not only is preparation the key to a successful day out, the process is fun in itself, especially deciding what you are going to take for a picnic! Even deciding what to wear can be fun. If it's your first jaunt of the season, you may want to go out and buy some new shorts, a top, extra socks, and the obligatory bandana. Nobody knows why, just everybody wears one.

Another advantage to whitewater rafting is the extra calories you are going to burn, lots of 'em! This is not the day to diet, you owe it to the other people who will be paddling the big rubber boat with you. This is the time to splurge on big sandwich rolls, thick with filling and extra mayo.

You may wish to take a thermos full of tea, coffee, soup, or hot chocolate. If there is one thing you can count on, you will definitely get wet! A hot drink on a shore-break can revive you and prepare you for the devil waters ahead. Whatever you take, make sure you put it in a waterproof container. This won't keep your sandwiches dry if you turn over in the boat, but there is every chance that this will not happen.

Don't take anything with you in the boat that you would not be happy to simply throw into the water. In the unlikely event that the boat overturns, and they do, it will be gone forever. So no cell phones (you probably wouldn't get a signal anyway). Fine, if you really can't live without that selfie, take your spare phone.

Take sunglasses, but not your good ones. If it is a sunny day, the glare on the water will be unbearable. If you really must wear prescription lenses, make sure you can secure them on your head with a hat, scarf or one of those devices designed for the purpose.

At some point, someone will tell you to put on a life vest and a hard hat. Do this. If you fall out of the boat, these will save your life. Prevailing wisdom is to aim your feet downstream if you fall out so that if you crash into a rock, it won't be with your head. This is not always possible. If there is a store near where you enter the water, there will probably be a photograph of someone who did not listen to this advice. It will not be their best photograph.

When the adventure draws to a close, it will take your hours to wind down. Enjoy it. In fact, use the time to plan your next river trip!




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