So Greg and some of the kids surprised me the night before my 60th birthday with a coupon telling me I was going on the James River White Water Rafting Trip the next morning at 8:30 am. That would be July 4, 2013. It has been on my bucket list for years. I was so surprised and excited. We had a boat for 6. You have to be 12 to go. So it would be Me, Jordan, Dana, Ellie, Chloe, and Reagan. Greg, Chelsea, Melissa, Felix, Maddox, Evie and Tess were going to go to the 4th of July celebration at the Botanical Gardens.
We got up and went to Martins for breakfast ( courtesy of grandpa) at 7am then off we went on our adventure. We arrived at the place ( Riverside Outfitters). You have to sign a waiver...that should have been my first clue that is was pretty dangerous:) I never saw he website or video or anything because I did not know I was even going. Good thing or I may not have gone:) We had to leave all our stuff in the car so no phones, cameras or anything. This is the description on the website:
Riverside Outfitters’ signature whitewater rafting trip down the Falls of the James in Richmond ‘s James River Park System. Experience the only Class II – Class IV white water rapids running through a major U.S. city…right in your own backyard. See why Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine named the James River Park System the best urban park in the region from GA. to MD. We’ll put-in between the Pony Pasture and Reedy Creek sections of the park and get the chance to see Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons and other wildlife friends as we enjoy a gourmet lunch on one of the many river islands. Then, as we turn the corner at Belle Isle, we’ll emerge from what se Get ready to shoot the big-water and surf the big waves! We’ll end the trip at the 14th St. white water takeout at the bottom of historic Shockoe Slip…then it’s back to the Riverside Outfitters shop– more like turn-of-the-century farm house– for a beverage and some front porch sitting’…a great way to end a great trip! Exact trip duration will depend on water level and speed of current…we will be on the water for approx. 3-5 hours.
Rafters must be at least 12 years old, at least 90 lbs and know how to swim.
They took us by bus to the spot where we were to get in our rafts. There were 6 boats in our group. The head guy, Lou, chose our raft to be his. He has been doing this for 23 years. I am sure when he saw me and the 3 little girls, he thought he needed to be on our raft :} He spent ay least a half an hour going over all the safety procedures required to survive the trip. He scared the wits out of me...but I decided to be brave and carry on.
Turns out the water was at 12 ft..the highest it gets that they let people go out on it. It makes the rapids very dangerous and exciting. Nobody can believe we did it. Luckily, I didn’t even really know what it meant. They were coming on the news telling everyone how dangerous the river was that day so to wear life jackets and be careful tubing, etc. I was awake the night before a little worried about our boat capsizing....little did I know it would really come true.
We boarded our raft. It was hard for me to bend my legs and wedge them the way he wanted us to...because of my knee problems. It hurt really bad. There was no way I could do it for 3 hours. So he decided to put me in the center of the boat holding on to a rope hooked to the front of the raft. Needless to say, I did not have a paddle.
We had a peaceful few hours going down the James enjoying the beautiful scenery and sun. The kids jumped out of the raft a few times to go swimming along the way , as did people in other rafts, There were 6 in our group. We stopped at Belle Isle for lunch. There is a covered pavilion, etc and they have the lunch catered, if you pay for it. Everybody ate and got ready to roll again. This is where we head into the scary rapids. I had him check my life vest and my helmet and he said I was fine.
We were all set. Off we went. In a flash, we were in the rolling rapids. He was yelling to paddle hard. The girls were in the front working with all their might. You are suppose to go forward through them. But we were turning sideways because they were so powerful and before you know it our boat went up in the air and we all dumped out. They told us if we got tossed out to get on your back with your feet pointed up , lay your paddle across your body vertically and hold onto it and ride the current until someone rescue’s you. as we came out of the boat , I grabbed onto the rope on the side of the raft with one hand, got on my back and held onto one end of a paddle. Except it was Jordan’s paddle. He had the other end. So I let go of that. Then he was afraid I was going to get caught in the rope as the raft was flipping all over, so he told me to let go of it. As soon as I let go, I went under the raft got in a big riptide and was pulled every which way in and out and upside down. I went flying into some rocks getting body slammed several times and turned upside down and in and out. The current was so strong it sliced the sole wight off my rebock sandals that were double strapped on my foot. Then it took my sandal right off my foot and flew up in the air. Funny thing is someone found them floating and returned them to me. I was yelling for help every time I came up for air. My helmet was covering my eyes so I could not see anything. By that time, our boat leader had rescued Chloe, Jordan, Reagan and Ellie (last) back into our raft. Dana, like me, got mixed up in the current and was beat up pretty bad. He made it to the land and got up on the rocks. Chloe was freaking out that she couldn’t see he dad. Jordan said they had to yell at her to calm her down :) They told her he was on the side.The drama of it all. I was somewhere else and another raft came to rescue me. Except they almost killed me trying to get me in the raft. My vest was loose, as as they tried to pull me into the raft,they cut off my air supply and were choking me. They just kept doing it 5 times. I finally got my hand up to wave them to stop and they realized what was happening. I was so so traumatized from this choking..it was horrible. Another guy came over to the side and grabbed a different part and they pulled me in. I laid on the bottom crying...”where are my grandkids?” They told me they were safe. So they tried to get me back up to get out and rest on a rock for a minute....almost loosing my pants in the process. They were almost off my body. Good thing I had on a long t-shirt :) The girls and I were pretty upset and really just wanted to go home. But the rest of the tour guides told us how awesome we were and we could do it. Our boys said suck it up girls, this is the only way we are getting home :) So I pulled myself together ( as did my awesome brave granddaughters...they are 12, 12 and 10 years old). I knew I needed to face my fear and carry on. They told us we were through the worst of it ( which really wasn’t true) probably to get on on board again. Off we went, with the girls back up in the front on the edge of the raft paddling with all their might. Lou says, Suzie you are awful quiet..is everything ok? “ Hah....I wanted to say , are you kidding me.....these guys tried to choke me 5 times”. I was still traumatized from that more that the scary turbulence I had been mixed up in. I don’t think anybody realizes how scary that is. But i keep telling them :)
We went through some more scary rapids. They girls did great. We were afraid we were going to lose Ellie and Chloe again off the raft. Regan held onto Chloe as we went through the worst. There were so many people on the river sunbathing...yelling “ Girl Power... you go girls” ...when they saw my little girls navigating the raft in the front. We survived and made it back to the final destination where the bus picks you up and takes you back. We go off and took off our gear and rode back in the bus. When we got back, they give the under 18 gatorade or water and a cold beer to the adults:) I said I needed some whisky and heavy duty drugs :). Don’’t worry, I had a gatorade.
It was a crazy fun, harrowing experience. It was the most dangerous day we could have ever gone. There were many stories of near deaths and rescues on the news that night from tubing accidents, etc. Even some LDS couples from the branch. The Beens and the Duncan’s have gone tubing on the 4th for the last 20 years. they thought it was too dangerous to go that day. Who knew? If I had known, I am sure I would have never done it.
I have had alot of comments...people can’t believe I went. Sone of my friends think I lost my mind temporarily. I could barley walk the past 5 years and now to be whitewater rafting seemed like a miracle. It was. You really should be in good physical shape to do this :) I do have great respect for the water having grown-up at the beach and near drowned in the rip-tides before. I really didn’t know how this thing worked and obviously had a different picture in my mind. I did not know you sat up on the edge of the raft. I went as a kid with my folks on vacation in Seattle. I went in a kayak down the Colorado river in college. But I am sure they were not level 4-5 rapids. Everybody is part of the team, even the grandma’s and 12 year olds, and you all have to paddle to survive. I don’t think we had enough power for the strength of the current that day. We were to only ones that tipped over in our group. But they had lots of big strong boys in their rafts. We had the head guy and even he couldn’t keep us afloat :)
We will be talking about this for years to come. I am sure I will have to go to post traumatic stress therapy for choking :) Greg just looks at me when I tell him about it....I want to choke him so he really gets what I am saying :)
He took me out to dinner and took a picture after I got showered. I could barley walk. I spent the night on the couch with 3 Alleve and several hot packs nursing my pains and bruises and watching the Capitol 4th on TV. The next night, we went to the Byrd to see “42”,
the story of Jackie Robinson. It was a great movie. We sing patriotic songs in the theatre when the organ comes out of the floor. Between the rafting trip, the movie and the songs, it caused me to think alot about courage and bravery. It was the stimulus for my testimony at church on Sunday.
We have many opportunities to exhibit courage in our lives. As fun as this was, I hope my posterity
will remember me for other courageous things
I have done in my life that will be more important eternally :)
Thanks family for the trip and taking a few more years OFF my life :)
