in the past, once the trees had been felled in strung together, the rafters would ride them down the river to the destination. today, with travellers on board, the rafts are safer. there are life jackets, handrails, and a bench, plus additional measures for coronavirus, like masks and reduced capacity. but it's still very open to the elements. so, we're approaching the first rapid and it's meant to be the steepest and most exciting. hang on!