Whitewater Tubing: Get You Butt into it
Being the daring mother that I am, I ventured to take my three sons and three of their friends on a whitewater tubing adventure down the Potomac River. In all, there were three scared ten year olds, three intrepid fourteen year olds, and one ‘braver than smarter’ 44 year old lady. We wound up at Butts Tubes, Inc., the result of a web search of activities to do in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia. The website, www.buttstubes.com, told us all we needed to know. Well, not exactly, the web said the price for the day was $20 a rider, but when we got there we ended up paying only $17 per rider.
What did we get for our $17? Simply one of the best days of our summer. Promptly at 10 a.m. the seven of us boarded a shuttle bus that would take us fifteen minutes up the river. During the drive up the river, ‘safety’ directions were delivered. Honestly, you had to pay close attention as the driver was trying to talk over the sound of the wind coming through the windows and the sounds of the experienced passengers chatting away. If you were astute you would hear everything you needed to know for an enjoyable and safe trip.
After departing the bus and securing our mandatory life vests, we made our way down a small slope and climbed aboard a firmly inflated, vinyl tube with handles. For the next two hours we alternately floated in peaceful calm beneath blossomed shade trees and through rapid waters breaking white over scattered rock formations. At one point we discovered an eddy which swirled us around and around in a secluded fourteen foot circle. Other rapids were easy to navigate in and out of, thus providing the opportunity to maximize the excitement.
The C and O Canal Trail runs along the east bank of the river and the Harper’Ferry National Historic Park runs along the right. These protected lands provide a beautiful, clean, and scenic landscape. We enjoyed watching hikers, bike riders, and the occasional train pass overhead as we crossed underneath a railroad bridge.
Despite all this special communion with nature, there were some scary moments. Right off the bat, while still in the flatwater, the old lady fell out of her raft and had to swim a few feet to catch the raft before it drifted too far away. Later, one of the ten year olds lost his raft in what he swears was a huge waterfall. I guess to him it felt that way. In reality it was more like a three foot fall. In this rapid water area, it is a little more difficult to catch up with a lost tube. However, the tube caught onto a rock no more than six feet away. In the end, all of us were a little scraped up where we had rubbed too hard against the tube, or attempted to hold onto a rock we didn’t need to.
Eventually, we floated to our take out spot. After a rather steep climb up the river bank, we arrived at the bus stop. We had to wait no more than five minutes before a white and blue Butts Bus showed up to start the adventure all over again. With the efficiency of the Butts Tubes team, we were able to fit in three floats down the river and still take a nice lunch break. Butts Tubes does not serve any food, but they are conveniently located next to what seemed like a small mom and pop grocery store where one can buy snacks, drinks, and the makings for a sandwich.
If you’re looking forward to your own whitewater tubing adventure, keep the following in mind. Wear sunscreen. Wear clothes you can live without. My middle son tore one of his favorite beach shirts. Wear shoes that stay securely to your feet and provide a firm bottom surface. Anticipating overwhelming heat, we decided to take a cooler with us. That’s right, you can rent a tube to hold your cooler. I found that the cooler tube slowed me down. We abandoned it for the last two trips. If you bring the right kind of water bottle, you can tie it to the tube and keep your speed.
By the end of the day, all seven of us were exhausted. I changed into dry clothes for the two hour drive home. The kids fell asleep in about twenty minutes. But, before they did, they talked on and on about how much fun they had and when they could go again and whom they could include in the trip. There’s no greater reward for a Mom’s hard work than to know that her kids had a great time.
