Want to get wet, can you handle fast moving water down a river winding through the Maine woods on the front of a boat white water rafting?
Things to do for fun in Maine. Can you swim? Will you stay in the white water river raft pointed down the river from a hydro electric power plant discharge staging area? White water river rafting in Maine is one heck of an exhilarating experience. Many natives and vacationers from out of state visit Maine rivers often to climb in the raft, to learn how to help the guide on the back pilot the boat through the series of rapids and rocks down stream.
It is more than the thrill of fast river water when you sign on to be a member of a rafting party too.
The eddy out for the greatest, tastiest on the river meal prepared at the shoreline on solid terrain. The conversations of the crew members aboard your boat and others that dine in the woods next to a calmer area of the river where it is less noisy. And you meet interesting folks from all over, all walks of life who share the experience for the first time or one of many waterfront outings. The wild rice that goes along with your meat or fish choice from the grill in this kind of Maine wilderness setting is worth looking into if you are physically fit. And love the outdoors of Maine.
Powered by the river waves as you are instructed in orders to paddle left, right or on both sides with full steam ahead. To as an entire boat weave your wave in the rubber raft through a serious of fixed river obstacles. Like a slalom skier one at a time tuck, bend and turn to keep the boat hitting the waves from upending and splitting the crew into the cold fast water. The river that you are told by the instructor captain who sits on the back of the raft up higher than the rest of the paddlers. Who reminds you to keep your feet, your legs up if you do get pulled from the boat by the forces of nature when tossed this way, thrown that way. Because you want to avoid breaking those two legs and feet used after the fast boat ride down a Maine river. Hold on to that short rob in front of you with paddles raised high to avoid knocking someone’s teeth out. Maybe your own.
Whitewater rafting happens from April to October in Maine.
The later excursions on the Maine rivers require wet suits to avoid hypothermia. All ages, all abilities are provided for by Maine rafting companies. I have taken a bunch of river rides on Northern Outdoors yellow rafts and my youngest son Elliot was a raft guide for the company living near The Forks.
Trips white water rafting down the Kennebec, The Dead River and more of them down the Penobscot River create a tradition for our group. And offer tremendous exercise for the entire family on exciting rafting trips that accelerate based on the amount of water released from the hydro dams that is the horsepower to add to the day’s river ride.
The water levels are highest after a deep snow of a heavy supply winter provides the spring melt run off that swell the waterways.
These white water rafting or kayak conditions are harder to plan for unlike the timed release from the hydro power plants on Maine’s largest, most lively river rides with licensed guides. Helmets, safety equipment, a talk before the ride all make safety priority one.
The Kennebec River in Maine offers 12 miles of white water fun and it begins at Harris Station on Indian Pond.
The Kennebec ends at The Forks. Providing twists and turns and the ups, downs of special places on the river like the Kennebec Gorge. The Penobscot River offers rapids classified as 2 thru 5. What’s the difference explained below one by one.
The Dead River is a long, unbroken whitewater stretch.
Probably one of the longest in the East. Experience white water river rapids from class 4 and 5. The Dead River 16 mile route begins at Grand Falls, ending also at The Forks Maine.
The Penobscot River has special rapid names like “The Exterminator” and “The Cribworks” .
The Penobscot River raft run starts through Ripogenus Gorge that lasts 2.5 miles before a dozen more miles that wraps it up at Pockwockamus Falls. The lower Seboomook River region of this raft run is ideal for younger or less experiences river paddlers. Find river raft rapid class 2 through 5 on the Penobecot River.
More water, a faster ride and is it safer if the rocks are covered and not exposed? The river hydraulics make any paddling a challenge and the risk adds to the thrill of a Maine whitewater rafting trip. The water levels change daily and the way to tackle a river can vary which makes the ride a different challenge every time. Along with who you raft with, your guide and company can enhance or limit the take away when you peel off the wet suit and unsnap the life vest, remove the water shoes. Regardless, plan the river raft trip to eat up most of a day in Maine. This is not a short twenty minute water ride and hanging around for a micro brew of local hops, a glass of adult grape juice. Leading to tent camping out, or renting a cabin, spending the night in a lodge just adds to the take away to the white water rafting experience.
White water rafting, what to the class distinctions means?
Class 1 is easy paddling, no obstacles, small turbulence and a slow river current experience.
Class 2 adds more obstacles to make it interesting, comes with a medium current with waves.
Class 3 provides longer, more difficult river rapids and strong, not so predictable currents.
Class 4 is going to be a challenge in difficulty. Expect very difficult, steeper, longer rapids complete with lots of river obstacles to navigate around and through.
Class 5 is going to help you sleep tonight with strenuous vertical river drops, rugged hydraulics, swifts not so predictable currents and heavier obstruction traffic to paddle around quickly.
Class 6 on a Maine river is very dangerous, near impossible to negotiate and should only be attempted by teams of experts, after study of this part of a Maine river and with red alert safety standards enforced by the rafting party.
Capture Kodak moments with that waterproof helmet cam or hovering drone. Of laughing, screaming, hollering wet rafters plunging and paddling hard. Digging for all they are worth through places called Big Pocwockamus, Moxie, Nasowadnehnuk Falls and Big Eddy, Caratunk, The Exterminator. And living to tell about it with the refrigerator snap shot with a go pro camera to prove it. More about white water rafting in Maine at this helpful link. (Check out the Three Rivers Whitewater rafting video in the website header to wet your appetite.)
Grab a paddle, strap on the helmet and life jacket and get ready for high adventure on a wild Maine river.
More white water river rafting links to consider are raftmaine.com and northcountryrivers.com . One more to round it out and see it is not just white water rafting that the companies do to make it interesting and to appeal to a broader outdoor Maine enthusiast audience. This Maine whitewater rafting link spells out what you get for how long and for how much.
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