Sunday, April 20, 2008 Summer Chronicles 2008: Hit the rapids! By Jinggoy Salvador
I SHOULD have done this a long, long time ago. And thanks to Jaki D., the adventurous side of me was awakened. Her insistent nature and persistent invitation finally paid off. She got one lazy bum turn into an active individual -- that's me.
Late nights are no good if you have something planned the next day, more so if it's something that will involve physical exertion. That's what happened. I was hoping that I can avoid any phone calls from the other 'paddlers' but my wish was not granted. They got hold of me and thus the flight delay was suddenly my fault. I thought it was a given rule that if you don't make it on time, it's au revior to you. Unless, you make a call saying you will be late.
It was a "blessing in the sky." The moment I got geared up, I felt the shiver, the excitement. I was drawn into the group's enthusiasm. All of us Davao River Virgins, if I may call us that.
After a quick briefing at the Davao Wildwater Adventure hub at the Crocodile Park in Ma-a, we went our merry way to the Davao River, Calinan sector.
"The Davao Wildwater Adventure, Inc. is here to promote water sports particularly whitewater rafting with the Davao River as its playground. Its aim to promote Eco-tourism, to bring people closer to nature, to feel the thrill in our very own Davao River."
By doing so, they do add to the thrust in promoting this city as a prime destination for sports and recreation.
Here's the deal: you shell out P2k each and a group of five is needed to get that raft rolling on the river. Fair deal for that includes your transportation (from Crocodile Park to Rafting Area and back), packed lunch & bottled water, use of gears and equipment, the river guide -- not Kevin Bacon, but don't let it stop you from feeling like Meryl Streep -- a souvenir shirt, plus, a photo and video in CD of your adventure -- yes, it's documented.
Here's what you will be hearing from them from the time you make your booking: "Make sure you are physically and mentally fit to join the activity. Whitewater rafting is an extreme sport. Wear light and comfortable clothing that you don't mind getting wet. Sweatshirts and nylon pants are recommended. Footwear could be sandals or old rubber shoes. Diving boots are recommended. Don't wear slippers. You may also bring caps, sunglasses (with straps), and sunscreen. Bring extra bottled water for your hydration. We will provide small bottled water during lunch. You can also bring an extra shirt and a small towel placed in a plastic bag, which will be secured in a common dry bag. You may leave all of your personal items at the lockers at the shop or you may leave them in your car. Do not bring jewelry for they will be lost in the river and cell phones for they will get wet. Sign a registration and release form before boarding a vehicle or a raft. Be ready to paddle and get wet!!!"
If you got that, then you are ready to hit the rated Class 3+ (two class four rapids) Davao River.
And so I did with four more virgins on board, one non-virgin (that's Jaki, our host), and the good ol' Kevin Bacon river guide.
The stretch was 13 kilometers, and that's all good, nothing unlucky with that trip. In fact, every minute was unbelievably filled with fun, excitement and conversation. Fun - paddling; excitement - when conquering the rapids and most importantly, great conversation (showbiz and intrigues - with a bit of Brian and DJ bits). Oops, I missed out on the photo ops. We made darn sure that the camera will never catch us in a bad angle. For that perfect smile tip all the time, feel free to call Dodgie, he's the ace on this aspect.
Time flies. The rafting trip takes more than three hours to finish, but with us, it seemed a lot less. It must be the company. That's another tip, make sure the group you're with is fab - like ours. If not, be the one to make it fab, they will jump in and that will make your Davao River trip worth paddling.
See you downstream...
