White Water Rafting

Excitement in the rapids

Playing with water, bathing in a river and watching a cascading waterfall have undoubtedly fascinated you over the past years.

Most of the time, you are allowed to enjoy playing or swimming in rivers which are flowing gently and are considered safe. However, there is a sport which takes you right into waterways having extreme conditions and gives you a truly thrilling experience in water. This is none other then 'white water rafting', which is becoming a popular way to spend one's leisure for many Sri Lankans too.

This is a recreational activity which involves navigating a raft down the river, dodging rocks and any other obstacles that might come your way. But, it is not in calm waters that this sport is done. It is in 'white water'. Have you ever wondered why this is called 'white water?' Well, it is simply because the water flowing down the stream comes in at such a high speed and mixes with the flow, forming air bubbles that make the water white as in a waterfall.

People have used rafts since ancient times to transport goods and people. However, it was first used for a leisure sport somewhere in the mid-1970s. White water rafting was included as a sport in the 1970 Munich Olympic Games.

In the 1990s, rafting started to become an event in major events like the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, and the whitewater events of the Summer Olympic Games hosted by Ocoee River in Tennessee Valley. In addition, the International Federation of Rafting was established in 1997 and the first Official International Championship was held in 1999.

'Rapid' refers to the areas in the river where white water is formed. This happens when the slope of the river drops in such a way that bubbly, unstable currents are created, making white, frothy water. There is the 'International Grading System' for white water which divides the rapids into six categories ranging from grade 1 to grade 6.

The grade reflects both the technical difficulty and the danger associated with a rapid, which means grade 1 rapids are the easiest and the grade 6 rapids are the most challenging.

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Basic guidelines

If you are interested in joining a white water rafting expedition, (only those above 10 yrs are allowed) there are some recommendations given for you as well as your guides.

Therefore, just make sure that you follow these in order to be on the safe side during such an adventure.

* The guides should be informed of any medical conditions that you have.

* The organisers should give the rafters a briefing of the safety precautions.

* A simple practice in calm water for you to get familiarised with 'paddling' should be done.

* All rafters should wear the protective helmet, life jacket and suitable flat shoes.

* The guides should have a knife, a flip line and a first aid kit.

* Guides should be aware of proper first aid methods and they should have proper water rescue certifications.

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White water rafting in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a country with rivers flowing towards the sea from all directions. Therefore, finding an area which would support white water rafting and give a truly thrilling experience to our countrymen as well as the foreigners who admire this paradise is not an impossible task.

The four main rivers, Mahaweli, Kelani, Kalu and Walawe are the prime candidates when it comes to white water rafting in Sri Lanka.

The rafting experience on the Kalu Ganga is said to be really fascinating as it passes through jungles on its way towards the south of the country. This has rapids of around grade 4-5.

The river Walawe gives a unique experience by providing a rafting experience as well as an opportunity to view wildlife as it flows through the Uda Walawe National Park.

This is categorised as a grade 2 river. The longest river of the country, Mahaweli has rapids ranging from grade 2 to 6. However, at the moment, the ultimate white water rafting experience is found at Kitulgala, which is situated towards the south west of Kandy.

The river Kelani flows through a rocky gorge in this area, making it ideal for white water rafting.

Speaking of Kitulgala and the river Kelani, there is another importance that you should be quite aware of.

The famous movie directed by David Lean, 'Bridge on the River Kwai', which won an Oscar award in 1957, was filmed at this place. Furthermore, the area becomes a good holiday option since the Belilena cave, which is fast capturing the attention of caving fans, is found nearby.

Aravinda Dassanayake