It was questionable whether or not I would be able to lead a group of teenagers unguided down Class II and III rapids today, but we made it.  Without injuries!

I credit our success to the captain of our raft, Pastor Michael.  I may have been the only other adult on the raft, but I was by no means qualified to be a captain.  I’m the small girl who always has to move around to “balance weight” and is the first to get thrown from the raft.  Thankfully, this didn’t occur until after we had crossed the Class III Nantahala Falls.  

After about two hours on the river, we beached our raft on a manmade embankment and got out to scout the falls.  They’re close enough that a group can abandon their raft and walk back to the rental area, but we successfully convinced the one doubtful teenage girl that we would be just fine, that no one would fall out, and that if she did, we would immediately get her back in.  We also prayed!

It was immediately after the Class III rapids (that we successfully navigated almost without getting wet…basically, because we’re awesome), when we were literally 200 yards from our docking site that we got stuck on a rock.  The raft lost its balance, and well, so did I.  The water was shallow, however, and I could have walked to the shore from that point.  I let my group have the satisfaction of pulling me in, however.   I hear they had to do the same thing with my editor last year and I understand the importance of traditions.