Girl Scout Service Centers - Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

White-Water Rafting Links
American Canoe Association: americancanoe.org
American Whitewater: americanwhitewater.org
International Rafting Federation: intraftfed.com
Rafting America: raftingamerica.com
Whitewater Rescue Institute: whitewaterrescue.com
White-Water Rafting Know-How for Girls
Build arm strength and stamina. White-water rafting can be a tiring
sport, especially if participants are doing the bulk of the paddling.
Before going rafting, make sure that your body (especially your arms)
is in good physical condition. To build stamina, do push-ups and
briskly walk or run.
Learn paddling techniques. Before a rafting activity, learn about
various paddling maneuvers, such as punching and high siding. To
see how these techniques are properly executed, visit ehow’s Web
site and watch the following video: ehow.com/video_2350614_
paddle-positions-whitewater-rafting.html.
White-Water Rafting Jargon
Eddie: Water � � owing upstream behind a rock or other obstacle;
eddies often provide a safe place to get out of a current.
Strainer: An opening where water is able to � � ow through, but a
solid object such as a raft cannot; a strainer is considered highly
dangerous and is usually formed by rocks piled atop each other,
or trees on banks, with water � owing through them.
What Would Your Troop Like to Do?
170 Volunteer Essentials
White-Water Ra�ing: SafetyAc�vity SafetyAc�vity Checkpoints
Checkpoints
White-water ra�ing is especially popularamong adventureseekers, but is enjoyablefor general outdoor lovers as well.
Thelevel of ra�ing difficulty ismeasuredbywhite-water classifica�on,which ranges from classesIto VI—Class I
represents waterwith veryfew roughareas that aresuitable forbeginners;Class VI rapids areconsidered to be
extremelydangerous andgenerally impassable. Ra�s comeinavarietyofstylesand lengths, themostcommonofwhich
arebetween 11 and20feetinlengthand typically seat four to twelve ra�ers. It’snearlyimpossibletostay dry while
white-waterra�ing, so it’s importanttodress forthe watertemperature, rather than theair temperature. If thewater is
cold,wearawetsuit; on cool days with cool water, wear awetsuit andapaddle jacket. Avoid wearing co�on because it
makes thewearer cold when theclothes getwet.White-water ra�ing is notrecommended forGirlScout Daisies.
Cau�on: You must seek council permission forac�vi�eswithuncontrollableand highly changeable environment
condi�ons,suchas unclassified riversand somewatercra� trips; girlsare neverallowedonClass IV andabove
whitewater.
Know wheretora�. Ra�ers may take advantageofscoresofAmerican and interna�onal rivers suitable forwhite-water
ra�ing, solongasthe properequipment, instruc�ons,and safety precau�onsare used. Ra�ing isdoneonlyonwater
that hasbeenapproved by your GirlScout council or that hasbeenrun andrated, andonwhitewateronly up to Class III
difficulty, asdefinedbytheAmericanVersion of the Interna�onal ScaleofRiver Difficulty.The American Whitewater
Associa�on provides informa�on aboutAmericanand someinterna�onalriver loca�ons, classes, andlevels.Also,
Ra�ing America offers sugges�onsfor global ra�ing loca�ons. ConnectwithyourGirlScout council forsitesugges�ons.
Include girlswith disabili�es. Communicate with girlswithdisabili�esand/or theircaregiverstoassess anyneeds and
accommoda�ons.Learn more aboutthe resourcesand informa�on that Wilderness Inquiry and Splore providetopeople
with disabili�es.
White-Water Ra�ing Gear
Basic Gear