When we embarked on the journey down the Delaware Water Gap, we were not quite sure what to expect. Nevertheless, we were excited for the trip ahead. There were six of us including myself; four women and two men. The largest rafts that were available were barely large enough to fit all of us comfortably, but we managed to make it work. We were told to expect to be on the river for at least two hours for the 6 mile long trip. It was a lazy river and in order to disembark, we had to paddle to a particular check point where the other staff members were waiting. At first, we were quite fine with that. Nothing better than a scenic tour of the Delaware Water Gap on a hot summer day with a group of friends. Besides, how hard could it be to paddle. Well, it didn’t take long for us to find out. Shortly after setting sale, we struggled to stare the raft properly, and realized how difficult it was to perform a simple a task as going straight.
After several attempts, we were able to stare the raft correctly. Still, we struggled to maintain pace. To make matters worse, we were blindsided by a massive thunderstorm which seemed to have came out of nowhere.
We were forced to exit the raft and seek shelter for fear of getting struck by lightning. After several minutes of relentless rain, thunder, and lightning, we were finally able to board the raft again and continue on our journey. Eventually, the dark clouds dispersed and the sun graced us with its presence again.
Nearly two hours into the trip, there was still no sign of the halfway landmark (a great white house). By this time, we had drunk more than half of the water we brought on board. To make matters worse, none of us thought to take food or snacks, and hunger was beginning to creep in. We could hardly enjoy the picturesque scenery along the river with our stomachs rumbling, especially when other rafters could be seen enjoying picnic-style meals. Luckily, one of our friends on board always carried candy in her purse, and there were enough for all of us. Who knew butterscotch could taste so good. We savored it, trying to make it last the entire rest of the ride. However, within two minutes it was gone.
By the time we reached the halfway mark, we were worn out from padling and lethargic. Nevertheless, we pushed on hoping to see the end of the tour. Besides, we had an incentive: barbecue chiken back at the cabin. Nearly four hours in, we finally saw signs of the end point. Our stomachs growled with excitement.
Despite some minor hiccups, overall, the tour was a pleasant one; although some of my friends may disagree. It was way more adventure than they bargained for. Nevertheless, the experience was one to remember.
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