Radicle River Rafting

This last week Michael and I were lucky enough to go river rafting with our friends. Jeff, Amanda, Amanda's dad (Bob), Danny, Michael, and I all went. It was an awesome trip. We were able to camp and ran the Snake river 4 times before we were all tired out. The first time down was VERY cold (it was about 9 in the morning). Michael and I had decided we would be fine without wet suits, and we paid for it. :) I sat in the front with Amanda and got the brunt of the splashes. So, I decided I would be the driver the second time to give myself a chance to warm up. (This person drives the van down to the pick-up while everyone else rides the river). The third run was done in record time. With Michael as the captain (sits in the back and tells which side to row, where to aim, etc.) we hit all the waves just right. We passed 5 other boats and tired ourselves out. For the last run Amanda drove the van, so I used her wet-suit. It made quite a difference as I didn't shiver quite as much. On the area we were running there is a section called "Lunch Counter" that has some huge waves! I mean huge! I don't know exactly how high they are because from the raft they seem to be at least 20 feet high (which I am sure they aren't in actuality). On the last run we happen to hit lunch counter as it was in a swell. As we hit the third wave, a lateral wave from the rocks turned us sideways and we flipped!!!! Yes we flipped the raft. Below are some pictures from a professional who was on the bank at the time. Heading into the waves:

Starting to flip:
Flipping!!!:

Michael comes up for air and gets a lung-full of water, Danny grabs the boat:

This is the scariest picture for me. Seeing Michael under water like that really hit a nerve for me. The rest of us came up right next to the boat and were able to grab on easily before going into the whirlpools that followed. Michael was thrown far from the raft and barely was able to grab Danny (luckily Danny has long legs). This picture made me realize how scary this could have been. This is Danny trying to hold the top of the raft, and Michael underwater :(This is the last picture of us the photographer took. That's me (far right. . . my sunglasses survived it all while Michael's didn't), Jeff Winterton (middle), and Jeff's Father-in-law:

Each time we had gone through before, there were strong eddys that would bring us to a stop. When we got flipped, that was on all of our minds. If these eddys and whirlpools could bring a fast-moving raft full of people to a stop, then what would it do to one lone person. Thankfully, we were all fine. When we were all safely back in the boat (I was first back in . .. oh yeah!), Michael asked, "Did anyone feel an eddy?" None of us had. Then Jeff's father-in-law (Bob) said, "You know, we forgot to say our prayer this morning, so I said one for us before we went down." I know we were protected. Jeff was the only one who dropped his oar, and it got sucked into an eddy and came down behind us. That is why I know we were protected. I am so very grateful for a Heavenly Father who watches out for each of his children. I am especially grateful that he brought Michael safely back to me. I love Him and my husband and don't like to think of what I would do without either. Anyway, it was a blast and I would do it again in a heartbeat.