By: Evelyn O. Katigbak
Let me share one little secret… I don’t know how to swim. I don’t know how to swim even a bit.
I grew up in a community where dwellers could go and enjoy swimming anytime of the week. Our village used to be part of an Air Base where soldiers’ dependents (meaning, family) could avail of swimming pool use for a minimal fee. Our village had two swimming areas, a smaller one at the Air Force’s Club House and a bigger one at the posh Officers’ Quarters.
I did hang out with either my siblings or friends in these swimming pools. But I did not learn how to swim.
What I knew was to have fun.
Recently, I surely had a blast in water adventure. I tried whitewater rafting in Cagayan de Oro City.
Whitewater rafting in CDO is a flagship tourism activity in the city. It is promoted by both the local government and the Department of Tourism. As such, rafting is an activity which requires accreditation for rafting outfitters. We got the latest accredited outfitter to be our rafting guide, Bugsay. “Bugsay” is both a noun which means paddle and a verb which means to paddle.
That was basically what we did: to paddle for most of the 3-hour rafting that covered 14 rapids (turbulent or rough parts of the river) in the 12 out of the 90 kilometers Cagayan River. The 14 rapids-rafting is offered to first time rafters and perhaps, also to the non-swimmers like me. For the more adventurous, advance rafting which covers 21 rapids is offered.
But before boarding our rafts or specialized inflatable boats, our guides sufficiently briefed us about how to have fun and how to take caution as well, whitewater rafting being an extreme water sports. We were six in the raft.
Our guides were diligent in the paddle commands:
Paddle forward! One, two, three…
Back! One, two, three…
Rest.
Paddling is a group activity that enables rafters to navigate the river. The “rest” command or instruction was given each time we drew close to a rapid.
To fully enjoy the activity, our guides would give paddle commands of forward and backward when we are to face waves. But since I am a non-swimmer and waves gave me slight panic attacks, instead of paddling, I rested my paddle and held tight to the raft; so tight that I would miss performing the paddle command. One of the guides noticed this. Upon approaching a rapid, apparently the most turbulent of the 14, the guide quipped, “Here all will have to paddle. If you don’t, our raft might tip and then your holding tight to the raft would be of no use because we’d all fall in the water.”
Rafting is meant to surf through the rapids without capsizing. But when rapids are so turbulent, rafters must be prepared for a splash.
In between commands, our two guides would alternately talk about CDO and their own adventures in the bigger challenge called life.
One talked about the beauty of God’s creation. He referred to God as “Father.” He said, “These are all from our Father. He made this river and the rocks and the trees scenic. We are blessed by our Father.”
He talked with sincerity. He boasted about Cagayan River, I think, not because he is an accredited rafting guide but because there are indeed reasons to take pride.
In between rapids, the calm waters mirrored the beauty of the surrounding greenery. Trees stand tall on landmasses as river walls. The guide said that the local government should be credited for managing well the developments along Cagayan River. While rafting has been commercialized since 1995, hotels, restaurants, and other commercial establishments have not been allowed in the area.
“Ma’am, can you imagine a hotel standing right there as we raft?,” the guide said as he pointed to a landmass which has served as habitation for trees and animals for ages.
He also said that monkeys and snakes abound in the area. As if nature wanted to prove him right, we passed a rock wall where a snake skin hanged. “There, Ma’am! Snake skin,” he exclaimed.
Passing the most difficult part of the rapids, the other guide said, “Ma’am, we hope the promise for a chance to join an international rafting competition would materialize. It is our chance to showcase our skills.”
The outfitter’s owner has international sports networks and promised to open this door of rafting opportunity for them.
I couldn’t agree more. The three hours that we spent with these two guides sufficiently showed their competence as rafters. They gave us the paddle command, but, in truth, it was their skills in maneuvering the raft that made us through. They did not only make the trip complete but also unforgettably awesome! As we successfully passed rapids after rapids, one command boosted our morale as novice rafters: “High five.” The command meant we should raise our paddles as an expression of congratulating one another.
Further enhancing these rafting guides’ skills would give the Philippines pride, and their lives, a brighter future.
We were told when the end of the 3-hour adventure neared. I enjoyed every minute of it and I thought, why not give my all in paddling in the last 10 minutes? Thus, taking advantage of the nearing shore, I paddled. I followed every command even if I saw waves threatening to tip our raft:
Forward! One, two, three…
Back! One, two, three…
Rest!
And then the end came. We alighted from our raft and I took one last look at the breath-taking scenery I enjoyed while rafting.
And one more secret: Before the rafting guide’s briefing, I didn’t know that whitewater rafting is considered an extreme water sports. What I knew was that it’s all fun while cruising a river. A non-swimmer like me, I am proud that I have tried it!
For Cagayanos and tourists who are in Cagayan for a visit, the Jesus is Lord (JIL) CDO Sunday Worship Services are scheduled at:
4:30 – 6:00 a.m.
7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
JIL Church, Capistrano-Mabini Streets, Cagayan de Oro City