White-water rafting on the Cagayan river

Our trip began at a McDonald’s in the centre of Cagayan de Oro at 8.30 in the morning. This is the meeting place for all the participants. After signing a liability release form we all jumped in the back of a jeepney and were whisked off to the starting point on the Cagayan river; a short 30 minute ride out of town.

Once we arrived at the river it was time to don rubber shoes( scuba booties or reef trekkers are best), put on our helmets and life vest, pick up a paddle and listen to the briefing. The instructor/guide told us how and when to paddle and what to do if we fell out of the raft or if the raft capsized (neither of which happened).

It felt like a wet rollercoaster ride or the wash cycle in a washing machine.

After the briefing we were organized into groups, with each raft containing no more than six individuals. The raft I was in contained 5. I was in front, and our guide was right at the back. As the first rapids quickly approached I was filled with apprehension and excitement in equal measures. My feelings soon turned to exhilaration as the raft bounced over the rapids, we were bucked up and down and from side to side in the rubber vessel and splashed from everywhere. It felt like a wet rollercoaster ride or the wash cycle in a washing machine.