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.