Introduction
Rafting is a water sport in which a raft is navigated
over a body of water like a stream, river, or a water channel. Rafting is
mostly done in outdoor and natural settings. But in modern times, indoor
rafting facilities have also been created in theme parks and water sports
playgrounds. Rafting is dependent on the quality of water surface which makes
it different as compared to rowing a boat. Rafting is done on rough water which
usually has a white surface due to the water turbulence. A team of rafters
boards a specially designed raft and faces the challenges of the water channel
as well as the rough waters (Hunter, 2007). The number of team members and the
size of raft are variable. In the grading of sports, rafting is considered an
‘extreme sport’, participating in which may be hazardous for the participants,
even leading to death. This sport is controlled and supervised by the
International Rafting Federation which organizes different events throughout
the world.
Levels of Difficulty in Rafting
Rafting is graded according to the difficulty of water
situation. The International Rafting Federation has divided levels of water
difficulty in six grades. The level of difficulty keeps increasing with higher
grade. The risk of life and injuries also increases as the grade of white water
goes higher. Following is an explanation of the different grades of water
difficulty.
Grade 1: It requires basic skill level because the rough areas are
small. The rafters may have to maneuver the raft to a small degree. The water
poses less challenge due to low level of water difficulty and less under-surface
roughness.
Grade 2: Under water surface is rough which produces rough water
with white surface. There may be rocks in the water or on the sides. The
rafters have to maneuver the raft skillfully avoiding the rocks.
Grade 3: At this level the water is all white because of the
high amount of surf on its surface. The underwater surface is quite rough which
also produces waves. The water also has some drop in underwater surface due to
which rafters may have to go through sudden increase of speed. Rafters have to
do a lot of maneuvering to keep the raft afloat and balance it between rocks.
It is possible for the raft to topple if maneuvering is not correct (Kellert & Powell, 2009).
Grade 4: Waves are higher due to which the amount of white water
is more than before. Rafters may have to face more drops in water due to which
highly accurate maneuvering is required. At this stage the control of raft
becomes difficult because of the speed of water and waves.
Grade 5: The height of waves increases and the water is mostly
white. The body of water gives a lot of challenges like rocks and other hazards
on the way. The water speed is higher and rafters have to go through several
drops of water. It is very difficult to keep the raft balance. Rafters have to
show high level of team work to proceed and avoid overturning.
Grade 6: This is the highest level of difficulty. This level is
mostly executed in rapids in the mountain valleys when the speed of water is
very fast. There are many falls. The number of challenges like rocks and other
hazards is also higher. Drops are of considerable height. Rafters have to
suffer several impacts which may be of high risk nature. The water channel is
usually considered impassible due to the risks involved. Rafters are likely to
suffer injuries because of the extremely difficult operating conditions. Only
the professional rafters can reach this level due to their ability to maneuver
the high waves and extremely rough water surface. Amateur rafters are not
allowed to navigate this type of water channels in professional sporting level.
Safety Issues in Rafting
Due to its highly risky nature, rafting is considered a
life-endangering sport. Several protests have been raised against the
International Rafting Federation (IRF) for allowing rafting in grade 5 and
grade 6 conditions. But the IRF maintains its position on the requirement of
safety gear, precautions, and awareness of the risks involved in this sport. IRF
insists on following the safety precautions which are matter of personal
discretion like any other sport (internationalrafting.com, 2014). When people know
that it is dangerous, they should participate in it only after proper training
and with proper equipment. Most of the rafters face the risk of trauma due to
sudden and high impact, the paddlers’ stress due to odd positioning in the
raft, and difficult interaction with the force of the water. Rafters also face
the risk of submersion for which they require proper training.
Gear and Equipment Safety Regulations
An extreme sport like rafting can be played only with the
help of appropriate gear. With the IRF insistence of following safety
procedures regarding the rafting gear and equipment, the users as well as
manufacturers are paying high attention to these aspects. Legislation also
exists about the quality and material of stuff being used to make the rafts and
the rafters gear. People who take rafting trips for recreation are advised to
learn about all the risks involved. The raft operators are also bound to inform
and provide basic training to the people who wish to take part in recreational
rafting (Fiore, 2013).
Due to the strictness of IRF and the availability of safe
equipment and gear, rafting has become safer now than it used to be in the
past. The rafters have to face certain risks and dangers which can be avoided
through careful planning of the rafting trip. For example, the mountain streams
often have fallen trees in them which can be cleared before a rafting trip.
Similarly the survey of a water channel can show the behavior of water pressure
and speed at different places. Raft operators can also guard against underwater
rocks and water falls on the way. These factors can reduce the risk of injuries
by preparation beforehand. These days accidents in rafting mostly happen due to
the irresponsible behavior of the rafters who do not follow safety procedures.
There is a high number of professional rafters in the world who have been
engaging in this sport since several years without any major injury. It also
shows that new rafters should follow safety precautions and procedures.
Challenges to Environment due to Rafting
Rafting is an outdoor sport which requires natural
settings. It is mostly done in the mountain areas where river streams run at
high speed in narrow channels. Most of the rafting competitions also take place
in hilly areas. The impact of rafters moving to these places in high numbers is
being felt on the environment now. For example, the high amount of waste
created by campers and frequent travellers to streams and other water channels
is a major concern. The transport used to carry the rafters to high altitudes
for experiencing higher grade of difficulty in rafting is also causing air
pollution. People’s involvement in the natural settings also disturbs the peace
and calm of wild life. Due to this fact animals are disturbed in their natural
living places (Kellert & Powell, 2009).
Some rafting companies have also tried to improve the
water facilities in some areas for rafting. These companies do dredging,
blasting, and excavation of river beds to make the water flow easier for new
rafters. Through these activities the rafting companies reduce the underwater
water resistance for easier rafting experience. But these activities have
caused a lot of damage to the environment in the areas where rafting is
popular. Environmental issues are a major objection of environmentalists about
this sport. IRF is monitoring the situation but still it has little control
over commercial organization which damage the rivers to attract new rafters (Hunter, 2007). Often the blasting
and dredging activities in the rivers high in the mountains creates hazardous
situation in the downstream causing unnatural dams and flash-floods.
Rafting in UAE
Like other water sports White water rafting is also quite
popular in the United Arab Emirates. Since the natural settings of rafting do
not exist in UAE, man-made rafting channels have been created in theme parks
and water sports facilities in different parts of UAE. For example, the Wadi
Adventure in Al Ain is providing water sports lovers in UAE a unique experience
in rafting. The rafters are given a brief training session before they can
enjoy the rafting experience in outdoor settings. But the great contrast is
that instead of the snowy mountains around, the Al Ain sand and Jebel Hafeet
foot hills are found around the water channels (Brandon, 2014).
Other places in UAE where rafting is available for water
sport lovers include Dreamland Aqua Park in Umm al Quwain, Iceland Waterpark in
Ras Al Khaima, and Wild Wadi in Dubai. All of these places provide special
equipment and safety gear to the rafters. People who like the experience can
also raise the level of difficulty by participating in rafting in more
difficult water situations. Unlike the water parks the Wadi Adventure in Al Ain
provides different levels of difficulties and challenges for rafters. In this
way the people who want to enjoy rafting can learn the basics of this sport in
UAE before they could proceed abroad for higher level of experience and
excitement.
My Experience with Rafting
I went for rafting in
Indonesia and it was an enjoyable experience. I think that was level 4
because the waves was high and it was difficult to control because the
speed was high.
References
Brandon, M.
(2014). Wadi Adventure Wave Pool and Surf Park in Al Ain UAE.
Retrieved December 7, 2014, from Surf Park Central:
http://www.surfparkcentral.com/wadi-adventure-wave-pool-and-surf-park-in-al-ain-uae/
Fiore, D.
C. (2013). Injuries Associated With Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking. Wilderness
& Environmental Medicine, 14(4), 255-260.
Hunter,
R. (2007). An analysis of whitewater rafting safety data: risk management for
programme organizers. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning,
7(1), 21-35.
internationalrafting.com.
(2014). Code of Conduct. Retrieved December 8, 2014, from
International Rafting Federation: http://www.internationalrafting.com/
Kellert,
H., & Powell, R. (2009). Interactional theory and the sustainable
nature-based tourism experience. Society and Natural Resources, 22(8),
761-776.
