Manage the Moisture

Managing moisture is the name of the game. Your equipment, clothing, and body can all be affected by the excessive rainfall of a monsoon climate. You’ll want to have frequent changes of clothes available, specifically socks and underwear, especially if your skin isn’t accustomed to high humidity.

Make sure that you have moisture-wicking clothing so that wetness doesn’t stick to you and so you can dry once you’re indoors. Wool can keep you warmer when wet, but this isn’t a big priority in tropical climates (unless you’re moving back and forth from air-conditioned indoor environments).

Having antifungal powders and creams with active ingredients to combat athletes’ feet is a good way to be prepared for any unwanted fungal skin infections that can come from excess moisture. Keep these and other moisture-sensitive items in a designated dry bag.

I strongly recommend packing a heavy-duty rain poncho. Army-navy surplus stores tend to have excellent ones. It’s good to have a spare, or for a cheap backup option, keep a few large garbage bags folded up in a ziplock bag in your backpack. These can double as a tent fly, bag cover, or even raincoat in a pinch. Tear three holes in a garbage bag, put your arms and head through them, and, voila! Emergency rain layer. Another great emergency option is to have waterproof matches or some other firestarter available.

Plan ahead for how many days you will go without access to opportunities for drying your clothing and equipment. Will you need a place to store wet clothes? You’ll want to make sure that they get to air out for some amount of time to prevent mold and mildew growth, which can damage fabrics and make them smell. If you’re hiking or outdoors for multiple days, it can be good to have a separate bag to carry wet things or find a way to hang them outside of your backpack so they can air out a little.

Waterproofing coatings for several products are available through most outdoor outfitters. Waterproofing parts of your bag or hiking boots might be a smart idea depending on what you’re bringing with you.

Embrace Layers

Find good waterproof gear and embrace layers. If you can ensure you are comfortable, even during heavy rains, you will enjoy yourself out there so much more.

A good thermos that allows you to keep warm drinks on hand can be nice as well. A good water filter means you don’t have to carry as much water, as there are more opportunities to refill during the wet season.

Finally, make sure you have a dry change of clothes and a snack waiting in the car. When you get back you will be very happy to have some food and warm clothing to change into while you reminisce about your fun monsoon season outing.

SUP Yoga

My preferred outdoor activity for unwinding is Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga or SUP Yoga! SUP Yoga is the best activity to unwind! Flowing through a yoga practice on a paddle board requires intense focus, otherwise, I fall. Falling into the water has helped me train my mind to be more in the present and let go of everything else in life.

SUP Yoga inspires heightened attention to my body. This allows me to notice where I may be holding stress and tension, and then release it. I am also more connected to activating my muscles, having a greater sense of embodiment.

“Savasana”, or “Final Resting Pose” done laying on a paddle board and gently rocking while listening to the sounds of nature allows my body to unwind. The gentle waves of the water are so soothing. I come out of a SUP Yoga practice more refreshed than anything else!

Fly Fishing

My favorite activity to unwind is fishing.

More specifically, I’d say fly fishing. Fly fishing takes you to some beautiful, pristine places and requires total concentration on the fly at all times (you never know when the fish will strike), so it is almost like a form of meditation. Even the casting motion is a beautiful, fluid movement when done right. It just feels good and helps relieve stress. Many good fly fishing spots don’t have good cell phone reception meaning your inner peace is less likely to be disturbed.

Overlanding

After many, many years of camping and hiking in remote areas of the world, such as Nepal or Costa Rica, I finally discovered overlanding. It happened by pure chance when I was driving around Australia, and I saw all these rooftop tents on top of vehicles. I bought one when I got back home, and since then I never looked back.

I love the idea of being able to go to beautiful national parks or remote beaches, park my car, open my tent in just a few seconds, and be able to roam around the area, just like when I go camping or hiking, but with the advantage of coming back to the campsite and sleeping like a rock in a comfy tent. It gives me the best of both worlds.

My family and friends love it, as we not only sleep well, but we have all we need on our vehicle: a small portable kitchen, a portable fridge, and gear or accessories to make sure we have a nice outdoorsy weekend on the coast of Oregon, or near the beautiful valley of Sedona. You get to drive on scenic routes, get adventurous on muddy trails, and breathe nature’s fresh air after setting up camp in less than five minutes.

Whitewater Rafting Involves Teamwork

The entire raft has to work together in order to navigate the rapids, safely and effectively. If one side of the raft is working against the other side of the raft, you’re going to be going in circles. Rafting is a great exercise in helping your team to learn to work together, communicate clearly and quickly, and most importantly, have fun together. Rafting is great fun, great exercise, and a great way to help your team come together and connect with each other.

Rafting Engenders a Positive Culture

If you’re the coach of a youth sports team or a business owner, you must understand the value of a positive culture. When employees look forward to their time together and reminisce about what they have been through, they will feel more valued and [are] more likely to work hard towards business goals.

The memories and fun from the rafting activity are likely to carry over into their daily lives. Employees can talk for months about their trip together, which they enjoyed from the core of their hearts. Also, apart from team building, the previous rafting memories will allow them to plan another trip next summer.

Teamwork To Succeed

Water rafting makes for an excellent team-building activity because it is a challenging, fun, and exciting experience that requires participants to work together to succeed. By working together as a team, participants can learn more about each other’s strengths and weaknesses, communication styles, and problem-solving abilities. By conquering the challenges of water rafting together, participants can build trust and camaraderie that will help them to work more effectively as a team in the future.

Three Reasons Rafting is a Good Team-Building Activity

It compels you to not slack off:

You’ll be with at least six people while white water rafting. Each one of you will have to pull your weight to complete this task. And even if just one of you slacks off, everyone else will feel it. That compels you to do your best.

You’ll see everyone’s potential (or lack thereof) as a leader:

White water rafting requires teamwork, and at some point, one of you will have to step up and take the lead. That, right there, puts every single one of you to the test to see who has leadership qualities.

There is a strong sense of accomplishment after:

Nothing brings people closer together than having that feeling of accomplishing a tough challenge. From that kind of strenuous activity, people get to forge strong bonds with one another.

Underwater Photography

I am an amateur photographer who loves taking pictures of nature while going on hikes. I follow numerous social media accounts, and some of the coolest photos I’ve ever seen have been shot in an underwater setting. These include photos of colorful tropical coral reefs, spooky shipwrecks, and aquatic animals.

The problem is that I am slightly nervous about being in the ocean without solid land nearby because I know that there could be dangerous creatures lurking beneath the waves. I’ve tried snorkeling in the past, and I did not enjoy it because I was afraid that I was about to get stung by a jellyfish, or worse, that a bull shark was closely following me.

I know that there are dry-box style underwater cameras that can be used to take underwater photos without the need to go fully in the water. But for this challenge, I would need to take scuba diving lessons to get the desired pictures. Luckily, I’m not afraid to learn how to go scuba diving – it sounds quite fun to me!

Even though I don’t live near the ocean, I can still take diving lessons at a specialized swimming pool and learn how to use the equipment needed for underwater photography.

I know that my fear of ocean animals that sting and bite is irrational, and learning more about these creatures and the low risk that they pose may help me control my fear and perhaps overcome it.

I’ve been reading a lot of articles about these underwater photography adventures, and I hope that someday I can take a photo of a colorful reef or a manta ray swimming through the water.

Scuba-Diving

An outdoor activity I would love to try but am somewhat afraid to pursue, is scuba-diving.

The thought of being so far below the surface of the water, surrounded by sea life on their terms, is an equally liberating and nerve-wracking thought.

On the one hand, being so close to animals we rarely get to see outside of nature documentaries would be an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. It would be fascinating to watch the fish dip and dive between the coral while being so close to them.

Yet there is still a little part of me that thinks, despite how many people regularly dive all over the world, what if something goes wrong while I’m down there? You hear horror stories of people surfacing too quickly or panicking when they are 20m below the surface.

For now, the prospect of me scuba-diving very shortly is slim, but I won’t rule it out entirely.

Skateboarding

In recent years, influenced by friends and online influencers, I’ve started getting fascinated by skateboarding. I truly want to give skateboarding a go, but I am somewhat afraid to pursue it. This is mainly due to the physical risks and, consequently, [the work related consequences] that come with skateboarding.

From what I’ve read and seen, skateboarding is quite physically demanding – falling off and hitting the pavement is part and parcel of the activity. For a working adult at the age of 30 who’s just started noticing lower back issues and joint tightness, that’s quite scary!

Though I find the sport cool, I am unsure if injuring myself is worth it. I have to consider the risk of physical injury that may also cause me not to be able to work at full capacity. Being a business owner, I have to weigh those risks, as they may affect my business operations too.

Perhaps that’s why most skateboarders are young children and teens who are more resilient physically and lifestyle-wise.

Cycling

I’d say cycling is a nice outdoor activity I’d like to get into. More specifically, cycling to work instead of public transport. It’d be a nice, refreshing change of pace from the usual routine.

I’m slightly afraid, however, [because of] the number of mishaps I’ve seen occur on the road involving cyclists. Their safety on the road seems to rely heavily on factors around them.

Is there a cycling lane on the road? Are drivers paying as much attention to cyclists as they are to other vehicles? The answers, at least where I commute, don’t seem very encouraging. So you might see why I’m a bit hesitant.

Wilderness Camping

The outdoor activity that I want to try but am somewhat afraid to pursue is a wilderness family camping trip.

As in, the ones in which you set destination goals, pack the essentials, and then go on a little weekend adventure, aiming to get there while figuring out the route as you go. Survival-style camping. I’d love to do it with my family, as I think it would be an amazing experience.

However, I’m worried that if anything happens during the trip, I won’t have the right skills or knowledge to provide a solution. I’m not exactly an outdoors person, so I really wouldn’t know what to do in an emergency.

Maybe I just need to do some research, and practice a few skills before I feel confident enough to plan the actual activity.

Cliff Diving

I have always wanted to try cliff diving, but my fear of heights always gets the best of me. The thrill and scenery appeal to me, and I’ve tried multiple times to schedule a trip. Somehow, I always manage to make an excuse not to push through.

As of now, my excuse is the pandemic. I hope to overcome my fear, and I hope to do it within the next five years.

Rafting Minimizes Awkward First Dates

Going on a first date is an exciting time. Full of nerves, bliss, and sometimes anxiety. You want it to go well, and you want to make a great impression with minimal awkwardness. So what’s a perfect first date activity that can tick all the boxes? Water rafting!

• You get to spend time adventuring together as your endorphins get going.
• It’s a fun way to connect, having to work together navigating the waves.
• It’s an exhilarating experience guaranteed you both won’t forget.
• You get a chance to show off how strong and brave you are because rowing through rapids isn’t for the weak-hearted.
• Most likely, there will be natural, romantic scenery.
• It breaks away from the common date ideas that can get old and boring.
• You leave a great impression of a fun, adventurous person who planned a unique experience.

It’s a Perfect Outdoor Date

For those who love adventure and outdoor activities, water rafting is one of the best first dates out there. The adrenaline that comes from the exciting rapids, along with the downtime from the calmer stretches, makes for a perfect first date combination. As they say, nothing bonds people together like exciting experiences!

It’s an Adventure

Rafting is a good first date activity because it is adventurous. It is a good way to connect, and you get out of your comfort zone. Plus, it could be a relaxing day under the stars with a fire at night.

Follow The 5-Second Rule, Dress Appropriately, and Stay Hydrated

Outdoor activities can be a fun way to bring the whole family together, but there’s also a risk of danger. To ensure the safety of your children, you need to obey the 5-second rule. This means that you don’t allow a child under eight years old to escape your line of sight for more than five seconds. When you’re around water, this becomes the 2-second rule.

You also need to be aware of the weather for the day. Dress your children appropriately based on the conditions you’re expecting. If the temperature is expected to drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or zero degrees Celsius, you should stay indoors.

Regardless of the temperature, make sure your children are well hydrated before you embark on your adventure. Bring lots of water with you as well.

Explain and Teach

The best way to ensure that the kids are safe during a nature-related activity is to prepare them for the trip. It’s best to give them a mental picture of where they will be, what they can expect, and the things that they are allowed to do there.

You can also explain to them the possible dangers that can happen but make it an interesting learning activity and try not to scare them off. An example is to not touch all mushrooms, as they can irritate your skin.

Teach them that it’s not fun to get lost in the forest as there is no electricity at night. Teach them that bears are cute, but we should be careful of them. Help them understand that being safe does not need to spoil the fun and excitement.

Discuss Safety Rules

Talk about the activity with them ahead of time. Explain how to do it, how to do it safely, and what not to do. They need to know what actions might result in injury and what they should be doing to prevent that.

Then, before you start doing the activity, quiz them on the things you just told [them]. It will also make it easier for you to spot them acting in a way that might get them hurt, which will allow you to quickly call them out or make them stop before anything bad happens.

Teach and Prepare for Animal Encounters

When bringing kids outdoors in a nature-related activity, it is best to clothe them appropriately with gear that protects their hands, arms, legs, and feet. This is because these parts of the body are most vulnerable to possible attacks by snakes or other venomous animals that you might encounter.

It’s also a good idea to educate them on basic animal encounter etiquette, like what to do when they spot or come face-to-face with certain wildlife.

Another thing that might help is to give each of them an alarm whistle that they can use in case they get lost or hurt.

When hiking or camping for more than one night, it’s not a bad idea to inform the local authorities about your itinerary so they can respond promptly in case of any untoward incidents.

Plan and Prepare

One thing to ensure kids’ safety during a nature-related outdoor activity is to plan. Before embarking on the trip, make sure to check the weather if there are chances of rain, strong winds, or if it is sunny.

Next, prepare the gear. Make sure to have all items and outdoor gear ready such as walking sticks, hats, sunblock, water bottle, trail food, raincoat, radio, GPS, and map, among others. Also, it would be good to have a first aid kit ready in case accidents happen.

Grade Level and Added Adventures

Definitely [consider] how adrenaline-packed the expedition is. I look for river rafting on Grade III and IV rapids, along with whatever high octane adventures I can do alongside, such as zip-lining, mountain biking, and climbing.

Difficulty, Location, and Scenery

I like to switch it up, so I’ll consider the difficulty of the rafting as well as the views of the location. If I recently did some intense white water rafting, I’ll likely choose a calmer river for my next trip. I’ll also try to pick new places to try or at least places with different scenery than my most recent trips. This gives me an excuse to travel more and visit new places.

Seek Out Reputable Companies

Outdoor activities can seem a bit daunting if you’re not familiar with them, but water rafting is a fun way to get started. The best way to get started is to find a reputable company that offers beginner-level rafting tours.

The guides will give you all the necessary instructions and safety gear, so you don’t have to worry about anything. They’ll also provide transportation to and from the river, so all you have to do is show up and have fun. Just make sure you dress appropriately for the weather and water conditions. The guide will also go over this with you, so you are prepared to hit the water.

Research and Prepare Well for Your Adventure

If you have never been white water rafting, a thorough internet search is a good place to start. Look for reputable companies with a variety of options from beginner-friendly one-day rafting trips to multi-day rafting trips such as the Green River Gates of Lodore or Yampa River through Dinosaur National Monument – both good introductory trips for first-timers with exciting whitewater.

A local family-owned company is another good bet. They have first-hand knowledge of the area, are in touch with the entire guide staff, and quite often, a manager or owner will be on your trip. Talk with friends, family members, coworkers. Find out what type of experiences they have had with guided river trips. They may direct you to a company that they had a fabulous experience with.

Definitely ask questions of the outfitter, read the pre-trip literature they provide and follow their suggested pack list. You do not want to be out on the river for a day or four days without gear that will make your trip successful and more comfortable.

Another suggestion is to research what is available where you think you may want to go rafting. Find out what other activities are available and extend your vacation to see and do more than just the rafting trip.