White Water Rafting

Several months ago during a trip back to see the family, I happened to ask my dear mother, as she kindly dropped me back at the Station, where exactly did they build the White Water Rafting Centre? I knew it was due to be built locally. Turns out not only was it just up the road in Waltham Abbey, but also my mother had booked an entire boat as a treat for the family and unbeknown to us, my cousins, brother, sister in law, Dusan and I would all be spending two hours in the rapids in early September.

That was all about two months ago, so waking on the 3rd of September, I was both excited and apprehensive. Dusan found it hard to wake up, especially after working a series of nights but we soon found our way in the car to Essex and then made our way with Mother & Father to the Lee Valley Rafting Centre.

Parking the car, we made our way accross the rapids to the main lodge building. Finding our way inside there was a steep Aluminium staircase that led up to the largest roof terrace I have ever seen. There waiting were my Cousins, Samantha, Denham and Lee, and their cousins, Nicola & Lyndsey, plus Uncle Trevor & Janice & Colin.

At the prescribed time we made our way through the double doors and were explained the house rules, before being split into groups and sent through to the changing area where we were allocated Wet Suits and shoes and were shown how to use the lockers. Changing into Wet Suits was a bit of a new experience. My first leg slipped in with some ease, but the second one was completely stuck and I had to tug on it for a long while before I finally got my foot through. Are my arches that high? To my horror, as I tried to pull it up I realised that my left foot was fine, but my right foot I had pushed through the right arm! Several minutes later I was zipped up and Dusan and I made our way through to the centre court. With the family emerging in Red, Yellow and Blue Wet Suits I thought we looked a bit like the crew of the Starship Enterprise.

From here we were allocated our rafts and our guide and issued boyancy aids and helmets. The guide spent a while explaining rules and we naturally had to sign a waiver, before we were taken to the lagoon and explained how to manover the raft sucessfully. Pearched on the edge of an inflated boat, we had to push our feet under the row in front of us to ensure you did not tip overboard. We were shown what to do should we fall out and learned how to rescue one another. How to tip left, how to tip right. How to get down. We then practiced rowing. All forward, all back. Left side forward, Right side back, etc. Then, to our horror, those on the right were forced to jump in so the rest of us could demonstrate rescue technique. After we had all been dunked and rescued we were taken to the edge of the rapids and explained what to do in the event of capsize. Then asked to one by one, Jump in and prove we can sucessfully swim as instructed. Finally we boarded the boat and rowed to the escaltor that would take us to the top!

The first time down is like that moment when the log flume or rollercoaster goes over the top. Your stomach starts to turn butterflys and then addrenaline takes over. We were instructed how to row as we made it down the first set of rapids and then we got stuck. Stuck in a whirlpool of water with several other rafts. Row as we might we could not help but swirl around in circles, along with the other rafts. All row right, all row left, all down. Nothing got us down the next fall. Then the instructor, Arik called "All left". All ten of us shuffled to the left side of the raft and it edged downwards and over the fall.

The second time down, we were more expereienced and finally learned to row in time. Far easier than Canooeing. But suddenly the raft in front had capsized upsidedown. All ten inside were now floating downstream at which point the rafts upstream were instructed to hold where they were.

As we continued our journeys we took turns at taking the front posistion. If you were up front, you didn't need to row, and simply could enjoy the ride. I think actually you were considered ballast. The final run I was instructed to take the front posistion, each fall meant a complete dunking and the entire raft tipped 30 degrees. It was actually the best place in the boat. So much fun and so exhilerating and once you are wet in a wet suit, you stay warm.

The final ride over and our 2.25 hours up we changed and went up to see the official photos. The Lee Valley Rafting centre have 5 professional photographers and put together a CD of pictures and short videos in fabulous High Deffinition, which were such good quality we bought one each.

It was one of the most exhillerating and fun things I have ever done and even better that I enjoyed it with Dusan and the family. Its actually the only Olympic 2012 venue that is open in advance of the Olympics so I guess we had a blast and experienced our own little piece of history. I can't wait to go back and do it again. So if 8 more people would like to share a raft, let me know and we can charter one for two hours.

Thanks a million to Mother for organising. It was simply fabulous and every one of us in the raft agreed! Thanks Mum xxx