River Tubing 101

Summer is here! Time for the fun in the sun and water activities. One of the most relaxing and easy activities is RIVER Tubing! It’s a real life lazy river from a water park with much less chlorine. I grew up going to water parks on the west coast, but here in the south, the river runs free! My friends, who are born and raised in this area, came prepared and taught me ins and outs of tubing.

Before you head downstream, there are a few things to keep in mind. Experienced tuber approved:

·        Bring two cars

·        Cooler and a float for the cooler(some tubes have built in coolers as well)

·        Beverages: water, alcoholic, non-alcoholic

·        Water Shoes!

·        Children should wear life vests

·        Waterproof phone cases with straps to hold onto

·        SUNSCREEN! So much sunscreen.

·        Optional: Bring a paddle if you want more control, if not, your hands work well!

o   A dry bag with a speaker to play music

How to:

Night Before:

It is best to get a head start the night before the day of tubing by inflating the tubes. This will allow you to get to the river and immediately be ready to go. Be sure that your car can hold the inflated tubes before blowing them all up. Also, pack all of your other supplies the night before as well so that in the morning there is minimal scrambling around. The crowd will typically pick up around 10 AM, so if you want to beat the heat and the people, it is best to get there around 9:30 or so.

Be sure to pack: sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, water shoes, WATER, and any other beverages you may choose. We had a great time with some adult seltzers. Snacks are optional, but great to have after the trip. Getting wet hands in a chip bag isn’t that appealing when you’re out and about.

Morning Of:

It’s the morning of! Excitement is building! Even with the excitement, breakfast is important. Take the time and have a solid breakfast before hitting the water. You will be out there for quite some time. This will keep hunger at bay and also will make times more enjoyable since there isn’t much to eat. We had a hearty waffle house breakfast before our departure.

After breakfast, we headed to the tubing end point on the river. This is where you will leave your first car. Once you finish tubing, you will be able to get to this car and mozy back to the one at the drop in point. The inner tubes need to be with the second car since that is what is going to take you to the top of the river. Towels, tarps, and a change of clothes can be left in this first vehicle. If you have one vehicle without a roof rack, this is the one that should be left at end. This is because you can deflate the innertubes when you get back to save space. Consider bringing a trash bag or a tarp to put down on the interior of the car. The tubes will be wet and probably covered in some sort of sediment.

Once this car is in a safe place, take your other car and innertubes to the drop in point of the river. This is when the good times get rolling!

 When planning this trip, remember: THE MORE THE MERRIER! You will be just vibing having a good time. Make it a river party!

On the water tips:

Bring a cooler with it’s own inflatable to ensure your beverages stay close and cool!

·        Feet first in rapids if you can manage to make that happen. Feet going toward the rapids allows more control and awareness of what’s to come

·        Close your mouth on rapids! If you’re too busy smiling, you’ll get some of that tasty river water in your mouth and who knows what’s in that

·        Starfish to get over rocks and shallow areas. What is “starfishing” when tubing?. To starfish: you’ll spread your arms almost into a “T” formation and press downward with your upper arms and thighs, raising your bum to be in line with the innertube itself and not sinking below it. This will help you traverse rocks and shallow pits much quicker without getting beached or hit too badly by a protruding rock

·        Use a paddle to gain more control in the rapids and currents. Hands work as well, but not as efficiently. Also, if you don’t have a paddle, you can find a stick to use on the side of river. That also will help you steer clear of rocks

·        Reapply sunscreen throughout your trip!!

After the rapids:

            Once you make it to the end of your tubing journey, there is still some work to be done. Our trip took us about four hours to complete. This included taking a break on some cool rocks to hang out. I brought a change of clothes since I cannot stand staying in wet clothes, but my friends stayed in theirs until they made it home. We deflated the tubes for ease of transport and went to retrieve the first car up at the top of the river. After saying our goodbyes, we went and grabbed a few beers and a great lunch!

Other Options:

If you are new in town and are unsure of where the drop off points are, there are typically companies that will let you rent tubes/life vests and they handle all the driving. This is a great way to ensure that you’re safe. Also, you have the opportunity to meet new people!

The companies will normally offer options of tubes with mesh bottoms in either single or double riders. They will most likely require you to wear a life vest as well for liability reasons.

Conclusion:

Have an awesome and safe time tubing this summer! Remember your sunscreen and bring all of your friends.