Whitewater Rafting: Have No Fear
By Meredith Rhoades
Fear is inevitable. But it’s up to you to either face your fear and overcome it or run and hide and wonder what could have been.
As I was riding the bus toward a whitewater rafting trip during summer vacation — and what I presumed was the end of the line for me — all I kept thinking about was what could go wrong. Whitewater rafting is no joke! I was very scared to say the least.
Activities involving water are not necessarily my forte. Nevertheless I had to fake it until I made it because if my little eight-year old brother could do it, so could I! If I backed out, he would never let me hear the end of it.
We were on our way to ride the New River in the heart of West Virginia with 40 other rafters and our guides. Our section of the river included Class I to III rapids. All whitewater rapids are rated on a scale of I to VI, based on a combination of difficulty and danger, by the American Whitewater Association. While Class III rapids do not require being an “expert” rafter like the Class V and VI rapids, they still triggered fear especially in a first-timer like me.
Fast forward about 45 minutes and I was sitting in the middle of a river fearful for my life, yet surrounded by awesome, supportive people and beautiful views helping me cope. I was about to paddle eight miles in an inflatable raft into the unknown. I had no idea what to expect and eventually I would realize that was a very good thing! Fearing the worst in my head, I started paddling.
Hours later after going through crazy rapids, jumping off some riverbank rocks, floating peacefully in the slow sections, eating scrumptious food, and enjoying gorgeous scenery I realized how amazing and unforgettable this experience really was. The fear was all in my head.
Coal Cracker Sports Advisor Wayne “Chum” Henninger shared this quote with me from Dr. Wayne Dyer, a renowned spiritual guru who recently passed away. It applies to my experience. Dr. Dyer said, “When you argue for your limitations, all you get are your limitations.”
As we were heading back to base camp on the bus, I started thinking about what I had just done. Through this whitewater rafting experience, I faced and overcame a very big fear of mine. And I came out the other end with a big smile.
I realized that life isn’t as exhilarating or worthwhile if you never jump out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. And besides, now my little brother can’t pick on me!