There were over 140 rapids in my 187 mile trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. The water is 48 degrees F on a hot day. But what does riding rapids really look like? Where are the wettest seats? When you are cold, where are the driest seats?
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Watching rapids on the Colorado River |
A. (above) Raft B members waiting for Raft A...
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Raft on the Colorado River |
B. (above) Raft A occupants dry...
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Running Rapids on the Colorado River |
C. (above) Port pontoon is splashed...
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Running Rapids on the Colorado River |
D. (above) Port pontoon is doused...
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Closeup of people running rapids |
E. This is a closeup of (D): the Bathtub is hanging on...
(for terms like "bathtub" defined see this post)
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Closeup of people running rapids |
F. This is a detail of (D):
Person 2 is in the bathtub, Person 3 is in the shower seat,
Person 4 and 6 and and an unlabeled person (or 2?) are on the inner seats,
Person 5 and 7 on on the pontoons. Remember, this water is COLD, 48 degrees F.
Guides 8 and 9 are in the back - the driest place on the raft.
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People running rapids on the Colorado River |
G. (above) Another hit on the port side...
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People running rapids on the Colorado River |
H. (above) The bathtub is being filled... (remember, there are 2 people on the pontoon...)
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People running rapids on the Colorado River |
J. (above) More water...
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People running rapids on the Colorado River |
K. The back end lifts up and the bathtub is under... again...
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People running rapids on the Colorado River |
L. (above) Pretty much the entire raft is emerging from this - Note the water draining from the seat area between the pontoon and raft body...
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Hanging on while running rapids on the Colorado River |
M. (above) (Detail of L). The front pontoon rider hangs on with his hands, the water has pushed his foot way into the air...
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Rafting on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon |
N. Catch your breath, dry out and enjoy the scenery. There is serenity even, until the next rapids...
Some background: I took these photos when I went on my rafting trip with Wilderness River Adventures - I was in raft B. The raft B people "parked" raft
B upstream, walked downstream to photograph raft A going by, then went
back upstream and rode raft B down. It was exhilarating. And wet.
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