Petrohue River Rafting

Well, today our canyoneering trip was cancelled due to heavy rains all through the night last night, making water levels too high to be neck-deep in them all day jumping down waterfalls.  We were glad at the rain regardless; the sleeping here last night was so good!  We adjusted our plans, and to take advantage of the higher water, we opted for some whitewater rafting with the same company who would have run the canyoneering trip.  It was a full-load of people, too, because many of them also had their canyoneering trip cancelled today.

Just Before...

And Right After!

We didn´t get what we wanted, but we had a great time nonetheless.  The river was clear-green, very clean and beautiful, volcanic rocks and black sand everywhere.  The surrounding mountains & volcano were cloaked in mist, but the cliffs rising up to the clouds were coated in temperate rainforest.  The rapids were also big, at least the way we hit them, and I knew it because I myself drank probably a gallon of river water by the end of the ride.  This area is overwhelmingly emerald-green; the water, the plants (very lush), it all really reminds me of the Pacific Northwest.  We had rain off and on throughout the day, and it was a comfortable temperature.  We did swim in the river, and they allowed us to swim through one of the rapids as well as jump off a cliff into the river, but I wouldn´t say it was nice and warm.  By the end I was shivering and ready to be dry again.  I started out bummed to not do the canyoneering, but after that ride on the Petrohue River, I was quite happy with the way things turned out.

Tomorrow morning we leave for the fjord near Cochamo, Chile.  We´ll be there 2 days and one night, sea kayaking.