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Mexico Rafting In Vera Cruz

“Rafting On The Pescador River In Vera Cruz”

Veracruz,  Mexico offers some awesome adventure sports including rafting in a pristine area near the village of Jalcomulco, about 90 minutes from Veracruz City. Expediciones Mexico Verde safari camp offers semi-luxury tent hiking, rappelling and whitewater rafting on the Pescado River.

Our choice was a float trip. Our guide, Arturo, launched the raft over a 25-foot cliff — our first clue that this would not be the usual cruise down the river. We wobbly walked down a steep path to the river’s edge. On a 10-foot cliff above us, a man named Algo sat in a kayak.

“If you are into kayaking, you might try water instead of land,” I told him.

“I will. I am the safety boat,” he answered. He then sailed through the air and plunged into the water.

My husband,  turned pale. He doesn’t swim, but because I love the water so much he was being a trooper.

“Don’t worry. This is easy — only Class II rapids,” said Arturo.

Okay. We climbed into the raft and began our 18k trip over 22 rapids which would take us through the beautiful, pristine wilderness that borders the Pescado River. At the second rapid, the boat smashed into a four-foot high rock and got stuck. It sat at a 45-degree angle. I heard a splash and saw Lou had joined the fish.

Getting my 6’2″ husband back into the raft was a challenge. Arturo — almost a foot shorter and 100 lbs. less then Lou — tried. It didn’t happen. Algo retrieved the oars and came to the rescue. Only now the raft’s position had shifted to about an 85-degree angle. The water was up to my neck. I looked up and saw a flock of vultures circling overhead.

After several attempts, he was hoisted into the raft, but the craftremained stuck on the rock. Our only option? Everybody out of the boat. Noticing that the vultures had multiplied, we cautiously jumped in and grabbed a rope. Algo towed us feet first to some slippery rocks. Even though we were drenched, we didn’t panic because our guides seemed to have things under control.

Soon the raft was righted. The vultures left.

“The water is low which is why there are a lot of rocks,” Algo explained.

This was not reassuring. So, Algo put his kayak atop the raft and climbed aboard. He and Arturo took charge. While the rest of us paddled, Lou just sat and enjoyed the scenery.

About halfway through the trip, I noticed light-skinned Lou had exposed legs.

“Why aren’t you wearing your pants? You will get sunburned,” I said.

“I don’t need them. I have my bathing suit.,” he replied.

We paddled into a canyon. Orchids hung from its walls. The tinkling of the water and the rushing of the rapids were the only sounds heard. Cormorants with out-stretched wings stood on the rocks drying themselves. We passed fisherman, people doing their laundry, kids frolicking in the water and even a guy washing his horse. These peaceful scenes were interrupted by more rapids. Thank heaven Algo and Arturo were so adept. They hopped in and out of the raft to nudge it off the seven other rocks that blocked our path. But the obstacles did not detract from our fun excursion.

We returned to the camp to change our clothes. Lou came out of the men’s bathroom, looked at me and asked, “Are you wearing my pants?”

I laughed. He was serious and asked again. If I were wearing his pants, they would be baggy and dragging on the ground. The camp staff started searching for them. They had vanished.

Once home, I uploaded our pictures. Funny thing, Lou was wearing pants when we set off on our watery excursion. They probably left him when he was trying to get back into the raft and he was too nervous to notice. I am happy he was at least wearing a bathing suit underneath. Otherwise checking into our nice hotel could have been a serious problem.

The adventure sport of  rafting in Veracruz, Mexico was such a riot that we can’t wait to return and do it again. But this time, he will bring some extra pants.

El Tiajin Archealogical Site Near Posa Rica VeraCruz, Mexico

© Roberta Sotonoff, 2009

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