The fun of white-water rafting on challenging Citarik River
The fun of white-water rafting on challenging Citarik River
By Primastuti Handayani
JAKARTA (JP): White-water rafting is becoming popular among
Indonesians, particularly those who want to escape the routine of
daily life while exercising muscles and mind.
Rafting was popularized by U.S. scientist John Wisley in the
1860s. He introduced the use of wooden rafts while leading a
scientific expedition along the Colorado River, well-known for
its rapids. The modern version of rafting was introduced in
Indonesia in 1975, where people cast their rafts onto the Alas
River in Aceh.
The benefits of the water sport, however, have been recognized
by several Indonesian tribes in Irian Jaya and Kalimantan who use
water as their primary means of transportation.
With natural settings, white-water rafting is not a
competitive sport since it merely brings out a person's
adventurousness and cooperative spirit.
To take part in a rafting tour does not require complicated
and expensive equipment as participants need only shorts, T-
shirts, sandals and, most importantly, sunblock. It is also
suggested that participants take an extra set of clothes to
change into after the soaking they are sure to get rafting.
They also have to wear helmets and safety jackets. Paddles are
provided by white-water rafting operators.
Amalia Yunita, a director of PT Lintas Jeram Nusantara, a
white-water rafting operator along the Citarik River, and
chairperson of the Indonesian Whitewater Rafting Federation, says
people do not need specific skills to go white-water rafting. But
she insists they have to be healthy and aged between 10 and 65
years. "They must not have risky illnesses, such as heart
problems," she says.
White-water rafting lovers do not have to venture far out of
Jakarta to enjoy the sport, for just south of the capital is
Sukabumi, West Java, where they will find the most interesting
Citarik River. Sukabumi is a two-hour drive from the capital.
There are six white-water rafting operators in West Java,
including PT Lintas Jeram Nusantara which calls its service Arus
Liar.
The Arus Liar trip begins at Pajagan village, where one must
pass through a tea plantation and paddy fields before reaching
the starting point.
Each raft, which accommodates five to six people, is escorted
by a river guide. The guide, who would have three months to a
year experience, explains the procedures and what to do an
emergency.
There are some points rafters must heed. During a trip, for
example, guides give commands such as "forward", "backward",
"over left" or "over right" to control the raft.
They also yell out "boom", meaning all people should sit and
hold the rope along the raft when the situation gets tough.
When a rafter falls overboard, others must stay calm and react
quickly. They have to row faster to grab him.
The person overboard must not panic, but float on his back
with his head above water. When the raft gets close to the
person, a fellow-rafter extends his paddle toward the person so
he can grab it.
When the raft reaches a calm part of the river, all aboard can
paddle slowly and enjoy the view along the river. There are often
many monitor lizards sunbathing along the way.
Knowing most rafters become hot on the trip, guides sometimes
let them cool down with a swim in calm parts of the river.
When approaching a waterfall, the river flow becomes quicker
and quicker. Passing through pin-ball rapids needs solid teamwork
because all rafters must coordinate and paddle hard and fast
before reaching the lower part of the river.
Speaking about the prospect of the rafting business, Yunita
says that many yuppies are becoming more interested in the water
sport, although Arus Liar initially had problems in marketing the
sport.
"Now, many yuppies and corporate executives come to Citarik to
try white-water rafting.
"Initially only expatriates came here to try. Now Indonesians
are showing an interest," she said.
There are a number of trips on offer. A half-day trip of 11 or
12 kilometers costs Rp 76,000 (US$32.20) on weekdays and Rp
97,000 on weekends. Operators provide a special student rate of
Rp 65,000 on weekdays.
A 23 kilometer one-day trip with two meals included costs Rp
135,000 on weekends, Rp 120,000 on weekdays and Rp 95,000 for
students.
A 23 kilometer two-day trip, including accommodation and four
meals, costs Rp 175,000 on weekends and Rp 155,000 on weekdays.
All rafting operators take care of the environment because
they sell the panorama, not only the trip.
Other rafting operators include BJ's, which also explores the
Citarik River, and Cherokee which operates on Citatih River, also
in Sukabumi.
Besides West Java, rafting can also be found in Bali. Six
rafting operators -- including Sobek Bina Utama, Bali Safari
Rafting, Bali International Rafting, Mysterious Ayung River
Rafting and Arha Bali Rafting -- operate along Ayung River, some
40 kilometers north of Denpasar.
Other cities which have rafting operators are Magelang in
Central Java and Padang in West Sumatra.
According to Yunita, not all operators insure their
passengers.
"The association (of rafting operators) is trying to make a
regulation requiring every white-water rafting operator to insure
its participants," she says.