Things That Might Surprise You About Your First White Water Rafting Adventure

White water rafting can be an incredible thrill. Usually, you go out with a guide and a group of other paddlers, and you spend at least a few hours navigating the rapids and making your way down the river. It's exhilarating, adrenaline-inducing, and bound to be a good time. However, there are a few things you may be surprised about on your first white water rafting trip — like the following.

It's not actually that easy to fall out of the raft.

When your guide re-briefs and educates you before the rafting trip, they'll give you all sorts of instructions regarding what to do if you fall out of the raft. You'll have a life preserver on to make sure you don't drown. You'll be told to hold onto the boat if possible and to wait for your fellow rafters to come to you. All of these instructions may lead you to assume you'll fall out of the raft, at least a few times, on your adventure. But really, people don't fall out of the raft very often. It's important to know what to do in case you do fall out, but chances are, you never will.

There are quiet parts of the trip. 

You always see people paddling across the craziest rapids. The sport is called "white water" rafting, after all. But while you will spend time in the rapids, you'll probably spend some time paddling peacefully down the river, too. You have to paddle down the calm stretches of the river to reach the rapids. And after a few minutes of battling rapids, you'll actually be excited to reach a calm section. 

You really bond with your fellow paddlers.

If you don't know everyone on your raft, things may be a little awkward at first. But you'll bond faster than you realize! Paddling together really brings people together. It is an excellent team-building activity. Even if you were strangers when you pushed off from the shore, you'll be friends by the time you step off the raft. In fact, sometimes people meet back up with their new paddling friends to paddle together again and again!

Now you should have a better idea of what to expect from your white water rafting adventure. Above all else, though, remember to go into this adventure with an open mind. You never quite know what challenges will come your way and what fun you'll end up having.

Contact a rafting company near you if you are interested in a white water rafting experience.