While you may be eager to get out on the water for a whitewater rafting trip, it's important that you stay safe during the experience. That's why you should know what to do if you fall into the water when out rafting.
Stay Calm
The first thing you need to do is stay calm. A common mistake that people make is to panic, which will cause them to have trouble breathing and use a lot of energy when the best thing that you can do is stay calm and float. Panicking is not going to make the situation any better for you when all you can really do in the moment is stay calm and float.
Know How To Float
It's important that you never try to stand up in the water once you fall in because you do not know what could be underneath the water where you can't see what you're standing on. The reason for this is due to a worst-case scenario where your feet get caught on something and you can't get yourself loose. You'll always want to float on your back with your feet upward. You should be taking breaths between the waves to ensure that you do not accidentally swallow water. Hold your breath until the next break in the waves, where you'll take another big breath.
Swim Away From Objects
If you see an object in your path while you're floating, such as a log, you'll always want to go around the object. This will give you the best chance to avoid being stuck in the water since there is a chance that you could go underneath the object. If you can't avoid an object in your path, always do your best to go over it rather than under it.
Grab The Rope
Every boat is going to have a rope along the side of it. This rope is meant to be grabbed if you fall into the water, rather than grabbing someone's hand. If you grab someone's hand, it is likely that you'll pull them into the water as well, which would mean that now two people are overboard. You should always grab onto the rope, and then people will lift you back into the boat by grabbing onto the shoulder straps of your harness. Let them control the lift so that you can stay balanced while being brought back onto the raft.
