White Water Rafting in Cagayan de Oro
White water rafting is an adventure you should not miss when you visit Cagayan de Oro. Among the several companies that offer this venture, my friends and I decided to get it at Great White Water Tours. It was highly recommended by an old friend, a frequent CDO traveler, who talked of its highly-admired service.
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| A group shot at the drop off point. |
We opted for the half-day rafting trip that lasted approximately 4 hours. We were charged P1,200/person which included the following:
- round trip transportation to and from the rafting site
- rental of rafting gears
- snack midway of rafting adventure
- full meal at the main office site
- use of shower room
The 1st agenda when we got to Great White Water Tours is a briefing on survival tips and what to expect during the rafting trip. If there's one thing that separates Great White Water Tours from the others, it would be that it will NOT force you to sign an agreement that states that the company will not be held liable if something bad happens to you. At first, it came as a shock to me and my friends. But after further explanation, we had to admire them. They were not being too confident but they wanted their clients to be responsible and smart. The officer who briefed us said that 90% of our safety depends on us. They have equipped us with the survival techniques that we need. All we have to do is follow them and what our experienced guides will tell us.
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| White Water Rafting in Cagayan de Oro |
It rained prior to our white water rafting adventure. The minor landslides gave the water a brownish color.I was the only female in our group and I didn't want to disappoint them by chickening out on the advanced course. It rained the night before our white water rafting schedule and the rapids were extra wild. The officer who briefed us recommended we take the advanced course so we can maximize our rafting experience. Rapids in the advanced course are relatively more untamed compared to the basic course. Such rapids will sometimes cause you to fall out of the raft or the raft itself will flip over. Yes, you read right. The officer suggested the advanced course primarily because of it. He said we'll be missing a lot if we do not experience the flip. The objective is to experience the rapids OFF the raft. I wanted to be scared but I have my life jacket and well-experienced guides with me. I had nothing to worry about.
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| Not so white water due to heavy rains the previous day. |
When the water current is not so wild, don't forget to enjoy and admire the scenery. Here are some safety tips or things to remember: (These are based on the briefing and personal experiences.)
- The orientation or briefing before the rafting tour is VERY important. The reminders that I will be mentioning here will most likely be discussed during the introduction. Be attentive.
- Wear your gears properly and at all times. We were provided with a life vest and a hard helmet. The vest will fit small to large frames. As I am petite, I was worried that the equipment that will be handed to me will be loose when I wear them. But all worries went away when I saw how versatile the vests were. Not only are they strapped to your sides, it is also strapped from below. (Please see 2nd image for your scrutiny.) As for the hard helmet, it comes in sizes. Hooray! The helmets are lifesavers if someone accidentally hits your head with a paddle.
- Do NOT wear slippers. Flip flops are a no-no! You'll just be asked to remove them the entire rafting trip. You need a pair of shoes that has straps or those that can be secured to your feet. You don't want to worry yourself with losing your slippers especially when you fall off the raft.
- Do NOT attempt to swim when you fall into the water. Swimming will be a waste of your energy when you fall off the raft. The rapids will just force you to its direction. When you fall, your life jacket will let you float in approximately 5 seconds. Allow yourself to float and glide through the rapids. It's important to put your legs up to avoid any stones beneath you. Your guide will automatically jump off the raft once a person falls into the water. He will first grab you by your life vest and will glide with you to take away your fear. You will be pulled up the raft when it catches up with you. There will be instances when you will need to stay in the water longer depending on the rapids. Remember to offer your back before the guide pulls you up. It's easier for you to sit your way into the raft rather than to mimic a climb to pull yourself in.
- Allow yourself to fall when you get out of balance. According to our guide, most injuries come from forcing yourself to stay inside the raft when you're about to fall. You don't want to strain any muscle or dislocate a bone.
- When you find yourself underneath the raft when it flips, bring yourself out by pushing yourself down and pulling yourself up away from the raft. This happened to me. Our raft flipped and I found myself trapped under it. Instead of trying to push the raft over my head, I should have pushed myself down so I could get out from under. It will be pointless to try to knock over the raft if you're under it because it's heavy.
- Listen to your guides. Each group will be assigned at least 2 guides. Listen to them. They will always remind you of safety measures and will tell you what to do.
- Do not wear any jewelry. You're bound to lose them if you fall into the water. I lost my watch during my white water rafting adventure.
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| Safety gears for white water rafting. |
We were transported to the rafting site where our guides immediately gave us our gears. It is important to wear these properly. It would help if you'll let one of your guides check you to make sure everything is in place.If you're wondering how I was able to take these pictures with me on it during our white water rafting adventure in Cagayan de Oro ... I didn't take them. There was a guide on a separate raft who kept all our valuables like cameras, wallets, mobile phones, etc. dry and safe. He will also be in-charged of taking pictures or videos of your group so you don't have to worry about documenting your venture! He will sometimes be infront of your raft or behind it. Your group just needs to decide which 2 cameras he will use.
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| Merienda was provided halfway through the course. Eat well. Believe me, you'll need it! |
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| Buffet lunch |
We were all very hungry after our white water rafting adventure. Good thing Great White Water Tours provide buffet meals after your activity to regain your energy.Kudos to Great White Water Tours for our adrenaline packed white water rafting adventure it gave my friends and I during our stay at Cagayan de Oro.
P.S. This article was originally published on November 2009 at Nail Art Designs by Simply Rins