As any river-runner will tell you, no river can ever be considered moderate all the time. Moving water has many tricks up its sleeve. Members of the public who are out for a bit of fun—fishing, tubing, or just swimming—are sometimes carried over weirs and can’t escape the suck-back.

Over the past weekend, an Adventure Standards Africa Rafting Refresher and basic competence assessment for river guides was held on the Vaal River. This event presented a scenario where someone was sucked back into a weir (the recycling hydraulic below a wall with water pouring over it). A boat on a tagline was then used to paddle up from below the weir, with the rescuer reaching out to pull the victim from the ‘washing machine.’

An important aspect of the assessments is to ensure candidates are safety-conscious at all times. They must understand the risks that lurk in the rapids—and even in flat water. This was just one of the tests during two days of freezing weather, which did not deter the candidates. They persevered, successfully earning the basic Technical Proficiency Certificate in Rafting.

Photos Graeme Addison, Facebook page

Overall, it was a great weekend despite the cold front lying over the Highveld. During the course, participants also explored whitewater rivers from around the world. Local guides were encouraged to see themselves as part of an international fraternity of rivermen (and women).

Remember, when going on a guided adventure trip, you have the right to expect that the guides will keep you out of harm’s way.

Their duty of care extends to proper safety briefings, equipping people well, knowing where hazards lurk, being capable of avoiding them, providing rescue, and essentially saving ignorant and reckless people from themselves. For more information visit https://asafrica.org