Marie Monaco, Jill McConnell and I did great on the August 12th raft trip, despite the nervousness of our guides when they first saw three "older women" show up. At the end, we were dubbed by all the guides as "best raft" out of nearly 90 participants, mostly 20-something year old male paddlers. Whaaat? For real! We're the Rockin' Raft Queens! (See Facebook posts at TCSC FB pages with more trip details and photos).
Let's go whitewater rafting with Whitewater Rafting Adventures (WRA), the premier rafting outfitters in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania! WRA is located in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania near the historic town of Jim Thorpe and is a 40-year old, family-owned business with consistent great reviews.
WRA's Class II and Class III whitewater trip is the most popular with its wet and wild, 13.5-mile trek on the Lehigh River that runs through breathtaking scenery of Lehigh Gorge State Park. Saturday, September 2, is one of many scheduled weekend whitewater dam release dates throughout the summer and fall.
You'll paddle on your own with five other paddlers in a six-man raft. I can help make up teams of paddlers from the TCSC sign-up list of registrants, if needed. I'll email each of you to let me know of your paddling experience and I'll also need your cell phone numbers.
Read the trip specifications and considerations to see if you're able to participate: https://www.adventurerafting.com/whitewater/
You'll be briefed ahead of time about what to expect and led by a guide who'll lead the group in the front raft followed by up to 90 participants in a dozen or so rafts. Bringing up the rear is a WRA guide to help those who need assistance along the way.
This is a drive-yourself trip. You'll figure out carpooling on your own with participants who sign up. I can help if you don't know people well enough yet. I recommend traveling on I-81 South and then taking 476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) from Wilkes-Barre on. We'll all meet at WRA in Nesquehoning at 11 am.
Once we arrive at 11 am to get settled and check in with WRA at 11:30 am, we'll get suited up with life vests, which are provided, and have our briefing session. We'll be transported in busses to the start point, which is an additional $6 added to the $71.95 trip price. The total price is $77.95 per person.
Member's guests are welcome but they must become TCSC members prior to the paddle. Guests can also go on the trip through WRA on their own without signing up here if they'd like to meet up with us there and join in at the same time. They will NOT be listed as part of our TCSC trip.
If you're not a member of TCSC, Join here. Dues are $25 per year.
Contact: Jill Darling (email) or 607- 239-1029.
Go to the WRA website in the link and SIGN UP AND PAY FOR THE TRIP INDIVIDUALLY ON YOUR OWN. There are currently 76 out of 90 spots left on the Saturday, September 2, 11:30 am, WRA trip. If you're definitely interested, sign up ASAP--don't wait and miss out. This trip will fill up fast as the days go by because it's Labor Day weekend and open to the public.
Five years ago, our son, Greg, and our four grandchildren, who were ages 9-14 at the time, had an absolute blast! Experienced paddlers who know how to steer (very important) need to sit in the two rear seats of the six-man raft, which meant that Greg and I were positioned there. The next best paddlers sit in the front and the weaker ones are in the middle. That's the way we did it and it worked so well that we were able to keep up with the guide and paddled right behind him the entire time.
A number of rafts didn't fare as well and ended up needing assistance. If people get stranded on a rock or have some other issue, the group waits up ahead along the bank until the others catch up. That's when you can get out and cool off in the water, eat a snack, take pictures, go find a tree to stand or squat behind--I'd rather not swim in manmade warm spots, thank you. We'll also have a lunch break.
Wear dry-fit clothing or bathing suits. You may need a jacket later in the evening. Bring a change of clothes that you'll leave in your car in case you get wet, which is very likely--just count on it. It's supposed to be 83 degrees and humid and sounds like the perfect day for getting in the water to cool off.
Closed-toed water shoes or light sneakers are recommend and footwear must be secure. You're not allowed to wear flip-flops or open-backed shoes on the trip.
Bring water bottles for hydration, sandwiches, snacks and sunscreen. Three varieties of sandwiches to choose from in a boxed lunch is available for an extra $9.95. Water-proof bags tied to the raft with a clip that can attach to the D-ring on the raft would be a good idea for your belongings. EVERYTHING in the raft will get wet. They discourage bringing your phone for that reason, however it can be placed in a water proof bag and secured to the raft (see photo). The outfitters provide you with a water-proof bucket that isn't attached to the raft, but does float if it gets knocked out. Keep things secure: we don't want to retrieve loose items out of the rapids.
If you wear prescription glasses or sunglasses, buy a water-bouyant eyeglass retainer for them like the ones pictured. No one needs to permanently deposit their $400 prescription glasses in the bottom of the river.
Examples of water-bouyant eyeglass retainers and waterproof bags.
ATTENTION: Water Rafting Adventure Rule - no alcohol or drug use prior to or during the trip. I'm also going to add: no smoking or vaping during the paddle unless you're stopped for a break and out of the raft, which is common courtesy toward others.
WRA photographers will be poised and ready to take pictures partway through the trip that you can purchase afterward for $13.78 for one and $25.50 for two. Additional copies can be purchased and mailed to anyone else in the group who'd like photos. Only two photos per raft can be bought and taken and the rest are mailed out.
Figure on spending seven hours at Whitewater Rafting Adventures with about five or six hours on the water. You're on your own once the raft ride is over. You can eat dinner at McDonald's right in Nesquehoning, or one of many quaint restaurants in historic Jim Thorpe, or the Pilot Travel Center (Burger King & Sonic) in Hazelton, which is only 25 minutes from WRA on the way home. We can divide up and eat accordingly or not. It's up to you.
Sign up to register here first so I know who is going. Then go to the WRA website in the link and SIGN UP AND PAY FOR THE TRIP INDIVIDUALLY ON YOUR OWN. There are currently 76 out of 90 spots left on the Saturday, September 2, 11:30 am, WRA trip. If you're definitely interested, sign up ASAP--don't wait and miss out. This trip will fill up fast as the days go by because it's Labor Day weekend and open to the public.
