Alaska Excursion

How does a wheelchair user with limited mobility and legs that go numb white water raft? Easy!

Here we go!

 

  • Go with an experienced guide. Our guide, Sam, was AMAZING!
  • Wedge your feet under the seat in front of you. Once people were sitting down, I could not have pulled my feet out if I wanted to!
  • Be a turtle. I paddled quite a bit, but when the water was super choppy, I would slide down between the seats. I was fairly tightly wedged in, and felt very secure.
  • Have an amazing husband. Ryan was fully engaged in the adventure, but he always had one eye on me. There was one area in particular where it got so rough, our guide was nearly thrown out. Even with all of my previously mentioned safety measures, I felt like I was going to leave the boat!! Ryan grabbed me and pulled me back down, keeping me safe.

 

Preparing for white water rafting

Getting ready for white water rafting. The shop itself was not accessible, but they made on the spot accommodations for me, like laying down a mat on the gravel so I could put on the dry suit more comfortably. They helped with my chair when the ground was too dangerous or too uneven to navigate on my own. They let me judge my abilities like a competent adult, and allowed me to choose my participation level.

Swimming in the river

 

Of course, when I was given the chance to get in the frigid water, I took it! How many people can say they’ve swam in a glacial river?

 


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *