Guide School: Not for the Solitary or Weak of Heart

A simple question for an even simpler answer, the phrase “I’m okay…are you okay?” was readily repeated during the first few moments of my initial whitewater rafting safety talk. Little did I know how strongly those words would resonate through every conduit of the O.A.R.S. California Whitewater Guide School. In its simplicity, the slogan was used when river guides needed to pose the question to other guides or people swimming through the current for dear life. Several pats to the top of your head in someone’s direction would communicate information regarding safety, concern and sometimes humor. If the recipient reached upwards to pat their own head, you knew they were okay too. That’s all it took – no additional complications or loss of message.

Our first day on the river we used this “instant message system” to understand the dangers of whitewater and the importance of taking care of each other. From that point forward, as we began to study more, we took the question/answer development to an entirely exclusive level. Thrown into an environment of initially very cold, wet weather, intense physical activity and limited sleep, we began to evolve. A group of strangers molded into one cohesive group.

Seemingly mundane efforts, like waking up every morning at either 5 or 6 o’clock became group endeavors. If you didn’t have an alarm clock, or if you did and it failed to rouse you, other members of the group would rustle your tent walls hinting about breakfast. Think that’s no big deal? How about when you are running a Class III rapid appropriately named “Troublemaker” and you hit it sideways!? Thank goodness for your newfound teammates because they become hands of God, hurling you back into the raft if you find yourself swimming through furious, frigid water. Cries of “Swimmer! Swimmer! Swim to me!” are replaced with eager shrieks of your own familiar name…which is a heck of a lot more encouraging than the former address. Or maybe it’s the end of a long day on the water and you find yourself struggling to climb into the raft for the 15th time. I’ll never forget the look on my friend Bryan’s face as I tried to hurl myself over the baffle into the boat one last time. He was so hopeful and so enthusiastic – I couldn’t have done it that time without his support. It carried me considerably farther than any physical effort he could (and would, if I truly needed it) have offered. So whether you were in danger of missing breakfast or missing a substantial rock in the middle of whitewater, if they’re okay, you’ll be okay too.

The generosity and camaraderie did not linger on the river at the end of the day. Evenings were spent reminiscing about close calls and energetic runs. Anyone nearby could hear the peals of laughter and good music throbbing from our campsites. This was the beauty of it all. Never have I been so surrounded by wonderful people, guides and students alike, enjoying the sheer splendor of a place we grew to call home. There is something magical to be said about taking moments away from your virtual reality and your comfort zone. These moments began to define a much stronger piece of each one of us, a piece critical to maintaining our balance between busy lives and the natural environment. Our combined efforts created such equilibrium, making sure everyone and everything was ‘okay’.

Written by Brita Olson

Raised on a small island in Northern Michigan, Olson's love for running water developed at an early age. This love drove her away from the Midwest to California to begin work preserving sustainability and delving into the O.A.R.S. segment of adventure travel. Brita enjoys learning about other people, spending time on the water, excursions on her road bike and - when at all possible - combining the three.