Rafting in Kern river

This is from the pages of Summer 2006. Back then I had a Yahoo 360. Found this in an old folder and sharing it now...

River Kern is about 4 hrs from our place in LA. It is an ideal spot for a project party. We (me along with my teammates) took a package that consisted of two trips in the river.

We were 12 people in total, and so it was 6 people in each raft, plus one guide. We divided into groups, and the guides gave us instructions about how to paddle, what to do when he said "forward paddle" and what to do when he said "back paddle". After the instructions were given, we set out in the raft into the river.

I was in the middle of the raft for the first half of the trip....but on the front seat in the second half....which turned out to be the more adventurous of the two!! On the first trip, the water was calm initially and then we hit the first rapid, which was of level one. The icy cold water came gushing and filled our raft. But it wasn't even the beginning of what we were going to see!! It was about 4 o clock when we started, it was the last trip of the day...the river had the highest current and largest volume of water flowing, in the past 23 years!! Kern obviously had great things planned for us!!! We were completely drenched in icy cold water when we crossed the third rapid which was a level two rapid. But the third, fourth and fifth level rapids were the ones that made my day!!!. On the second trip, I was seated in the front of the raft, and in the fifth level rapid, I was thrown up in the air...and i landed in the middle of the raft...!!! Way toooo much!! i really really enjoyed this project party!! :) It was damn tiring....paddling in the water...but damn enjoyable at the same time!! There were safe swimming spots in the river; here we got to float in the water with the life jackets on!!
but....before all the enjoyment...i also did one stupid thing....we had reached the place abt 3 hrs prior to the trip...so we guys just got on to this nice lil spot...with rocks n all...sat on it n were playing in the water....when suddenly one of Rajat’s chappals loosened and went along floating in the river...n we were all laughing at it....n then him and me went and got another pair.....then we were all sitting on the rock...when suddenly the river swept me away..and within seconds..i was being taken in by the current...i donno to swim :) and i wasn't wearing any life jacket...luckily my PM had a long stick in his hand (he was pretending to be fishing)...he threw it at me...and i was pulled ashore by him and Geetha (my roomie)...but for them..i wud hav broken a few bones...and God knows what..!!
well...the moral of the story is that...just be really very careful when u are around water places...esp of u cant swim...cos if u cant swim...u mite end up drowning ur rescuer...!!
ohhh...yes...and my PM said i was saved easily cos i didnt panic..in fact i was smiling when i was in water....n then had a hearty laugh when i reached the rocks..!! But everybody can't get lucky at all times...!! somebody out there loves me a lot!! :)

None of us had water proof cams with us. But the organizers have taken a few ammazzzing snaps of us in the rafting act!!!

They offer rafting, kayaking, tubing etc in the river. It's a hiker's paradise with steep risings on either sides of the river, camping grounds along the river banks...very beautiful place to have a fun trip.

For more info visit http://www.sierrasouth.com/index_tabs.htm