Whitewater Rafting on the Nile

The first rapid, Overtime

Friday was definitely one of the biggest highlights of our Uganda week!  Nile River Explorers was just up the road from our motel, so soon after 8 that morning, Janell and I walked up and got signed in and had coffee until it was time to go.  After a quick briefing about the itinerary for the day, we were fitted with helmets and life jackets and then grabbed a sack breakfast to eat on the road...(Which btw was amazing! If you don't know what a Ugandan rolex is, you should look it up... super delicious!!! We also had fresh fruit and wonderful juice!) Traveled 15km downriver (yes, bc the Nile flows north) ...got unloaded and maybe around 10:30 or 11:00 we finally got out on the water.  Our group started the day off with a bang... While we were still running through safety procedures, etc. and were practicing how to climb back into our overturned raft, one of the ladies broke her toe (hit it hard on a paddle either while we were tipping or while we were flailing around in the water trying to hoist ourselves back in.)  She spent the whole day in the safety raft where she could just relax and stay comfy and dry.  We weren't positive that it was actually broken, but the next day we met her and her two daughters on the streets of Jinja just after they had been at the hospital and confirmed that it really truly was broken.  

The day was just epic!  A lot of the rapids were class 5, so we had some serious fun.  About halfway through, we had a light lunch on the water, then after getting out, we had an amazing BBQ lunch before we headed back.  We got home around 5:30 or 6:00...just as worn out and exhausted as can be, but just happier than happy.  Looking at these pictures again makes me really wanna pack up and head to Uganda again!! ;)

On our way over...

It's incredible how seconds feel like minutes, long minutes, when you're trapped under the raft and every time you try to swim out, another wall of water hits you full force...

This was the second time we flipped.  Thankfully, I stayed with the raft every time we went over, (I'm the red helmet on the left) so I got in on the adventures of looking for lost people and paddles...BUT totally missed the adventure of being rescued by one of the safety kayaks... Those of us who were still hanging on for dear life to the safety rope would climb up onto the overturned raft and then once we were out in calm water again, we'd jump off and flip it and then climb back in and go retrieve our missing team.  Either they'd get picked up by another raft or one of the safety kayaks.  

This was our final flip.  I was so done after this.  The water looks decently calm on this picture, but I can still feel the power of the beating waves...makes you feel so small and weak...so feeble and vulnerable.  We had just flipped on the rapid before, and knew we likely would again, but I was just exhausted.  So worn out.  Completely drained.  Each time that I thought I was coming up and could gulp some air, I'd only get hit by another huge wave and swallow a bunch of water as I went down  under ... gasping desperately for oxygen.  By the time I was safely stretched out in the raft inhaling the biggest breaths I could, I was just ready to be DONE!{for the day:)}  Feeling partially blind didn't help matters either, since I lost one of my contacts at one point or another in the midst of the battle.  I truly felt as though I had gone through a giant washing machine...and stayed in one cycle too long...but wow!  The whole day was just an extremely satisfactory experience... I'd recommend it to anyone... great service, super outfitters, and when you go - DO be sure to get in Nathan's raft.  He tops them all.  Guaranteed that our United Nathan's Team had the most fun of anyone that day!!! :) :)