So far for the year 2012, this day in Utah gets into the list of one of my perfect days.
So we started early to do a full day of rafting in Westwater Canyon. This area is about 1 hour and 30 minutes drive from downtown Moab.
Our entire group took 3 rafts. Here are the first 2 rafts packed to the maximum hold.
And here’s ours:
There’s just 4 of us including our wonderful guide, Arnie (rightmost). The other person is this nice guy from New Jersey who like us, was very smart to choose the non-paddling group! Hahaha 🙂
Well it may seem like abit of “cheating” but I’m very sure we had More fun than the 2 other rafts combined. We had very legit reasons anyway. I had to catch a flight early next morning (5AM!) to go to London for a work trip. It’s work. I cannot show up half-dead with aching limbs! And my husband had a strenuous bike tour he joined early the next day. He too, cannot be doubly exhausted!
I thought we would have it easy and breezy seeing that Arnie will do the paddling and rowing for us. Ha, famous last thoughts as you will later see.
The first half of the day was abit breezy. We had to reach the class 3 and 4 rapids anyway, and for most of the morning, we just took the journey in, listening to the history of the place and the historical adventures Colorado river had throughout the years. It was interesting to know that this area used to be the hideaway of bandits back in the gold rush.
We also saw about 3 American Bald Eagles, apparently a very rare sighting. Our guide also took this time to advise us what we were about to experience in the afternoon. It will be after lunch when all the action starts happening.
Lunch came soon. we reached a clearing and the tour company set up a very nice quick lunch made of sandwich with fillings of your choice, 3 different salads, pastas, chips, cookies and fruit.
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| getting ready for some whitewater action! |
After a very thorough safety briefing (you will be taught what to do if your raft overturned, how to get back on the raft, etc), off we went!
Now just because we weren’t paddling didnt mean we weren’t going to get wet. The total opposite! We were positioned at the front of the raft. To meet every splash head on!
We don’t really have a lot of action photos during this time, but we have a better one — a video in HD!
Singing in the first half of the video is our guide Arnie. He’s really one of a kind and we’re so grateful that we landed in his raft. He knows Utah like the back of his hand, he’s got several degrees (including masters) under his belt, a very nice bloke overall, and a fantastic singer to boot!
At the end of the day, I had this reminder on both my feet of how much fun I had:
By the way, those Keen sandals? I bought them at the tour company’s shop in Moab early in the morning. They sell outdoor gear and clothing and were having a footwear sale. I got those for USD 60.00 — a definite steal. Half the price of what you’d pay for that exact pair here in Australia.
Anyway this wraps up my perfect and last day in Moab, Utah. To quote Arnie’s song:
“I think today is Sunday but I’m just to drunk to say, ‘Hell there ain’t no need to sweat it lord, its just another day’ ”
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We went with Canyon Voyages Adventure Company
211 North Main, Moab Utah 84532. Try to be in Arnie’s raft. He’s the most awesome guide in that company!
We did the Full Day Westwater Canyon trip.
Wow! Looks like such an amazing experience.
x
Michelle
http://www.michellesstylefile.com
Hi Michelle, yes it was definitely a fun day. id love to do it again! thanks for dropping by. awesome giveaway you’re having over at your blog! 🙂