Almost Tragic Cave Rafting in Belize

Just returned from NCL cruise which included stop in Belize.
One group did the cave raft trip
with a local group, not ship sponsored. Water was fast and
high. A father and 11 year old daughter were swept overboard and caught by
current under an
overhanging rock. The girl almost
drowned but the dad was able to
hug her and still fight the current
enough to get free. Girl badly
scared and bruised up. Father
with nasty scalp lacerations and lots of river water consumed. Guide
helping with rescue badly gashed in forehead. Another person in
following raft broke his arm.
I would advise caution when booking this trip when water is
fast. I would also suggest that
the cave companies provide
helmets.

Harry Jones wrote:
Just returned from NCL cruise which included stop in Belize.
One group did the cave raft trip
with a local group, not ship sponsored. Water was fast and
high. A father and 11 year old daughter were swept overboard and caught by
current under an
overhanging rock. The girl almost
drowned but the dad was able to
hug her and still fight the current
enough to get free. Girl badly
scared and bruised up. Father
with nasty scalp lacerations and lots of river water consumed. Guide
helping with rescue badly gashed in forehead. Another person in
following raft broke his arm.
I would advise caution when booking this trip when water is
fast. I would also suggest that
the cave companies provide
helmets.

When we spent our one day in Belize, the ship offered cave tubing. I'm
not sure it was the same cave and the same river but it could be. We
chose to do something else and I'm really glad we didn't take our 2
teens on that one. When we got back to the ship we heard stories of one
group standing in the blazing sun for 2 hours waiting for the tubes to
return from the previous group. Then when they finally did get to go,
several returned with cuts and scrapes and one woman had a broken arm.

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
...
Harry Jones wrote:
Just returned from NCL cruise which included stop in Belize.
One group did the cave raft trip
with a local group, not ship sponsored. Water was fast and
high. A father and 11 year old daughter were swept overboard and caught
by
current under an
overhanging rock. The girl almost
drowned but the dad was able to
hug her and still fight the current
enough to get free. Girl badly
scared and bruised up. Father
with nasty scalp lacerations and lots of river water consumed. Guide
helping with rescue badly gashed in forehead. Another person in
following raft broke his arm.
I would advise caution when booking this trip when water is
fast. I would also suggest that
the cave companies provide
helmets.

When we spent our one day in Belize, the ship offered cave tubing. I'm
not sure it was the same cave and the same river but it could be. We
chose to do something else and I'm really glad we didn't take our 2
teens on that one. When we got back to the ship we heard stories of one
group standing in the blazing sun for 2 hours waiting for the tubes to
return from the previous group. Then when they finally did get to go,
several returned with cuts and scrapes and one woman had a broken arm.

Steve

I did the cave tupbing, not rafting, and it was almost tame!! But then
again, I live a few minutes away from where Deliverance was filmed!

lj, is that the Chatoogia (sp)? In Clayton GA? I did that river. Made
me squeal like a pig.

"lj" wrote in message
...

I did the cave tupbing, not rafting, and it was almost tame!! But then
again, I live a few minutes away from where Deliverance was filmed!

Uh, do you play a banjo? Sorry- couldn't resist G.
Paul Johnson

"Paul Johnson" wrote in message
...

"lj" wrote in message
...

I did the cave tupbing, not rafting, and it was almost tame!! But then
again, I live a few minutes away from where Deliverance was filmed!

Uh, do you play a banjo? Sorry- couldn't resist G.
Paul Johnson




LOL, no and I don't squeal like a pig either!! Actually, I am on the SC
side, about 30 miles from Clayton. I was 12 when the movie came out, but
re-watched it in the middle of a sleepless night recently.....the end of the
movie where they were moving the coffins and left the river were filmed in
the area near me. Most of the river scenes were filmed on and around the
SC/NC/GA line. I was young when the movie was made but remember when Duke
Power bought all the land and they filled Keowee and Jocassee and covered
much of that land and remember it was a big deal when Burt Reynolds was
around here.

Can you say which cave tubing company this was? We used Reggie's when
we were in Belize, and they were extremely safety conscious. But when
we were there, the water level was so low and slow, that we had to
paddle our way down the river with our arms. But boy did we ever get a
good upper body workout.

Jo-Ann


Harry Jones wrote:
Just returned from NCL cruise which included stop in Belize.
One group did the cave raft trip
with a local group, not ship sponsored. Water was fast and
high. A father and 11 year old daughter were swept overboard and caught by
current under an
overhanging rock. The girl almost
drowned but the dad was able to
hug her and still fight the current
enough to get free. Girl badly
scared and bruised up. Father
with nasty scalp lacerations and lots of river water consumed. Guide
helping with rescue badly gashed in forehead. Another person in
following raft broke his arm.
I would advise caution when booking this trip when water is
fast. I would also suggest that
the cave companies provide
helmets.

My cow has a huge upper body and a big glutteous maximous!haha
wrote in message
ups.com...
Can you say which cave tubing company this was? We used Reggie's when
we were in Belize, and they were extremely safety conscious. But when
we were there, the water level was so low and slow, that we had to
paddle our way down the river with our arms. But boy did we ever get a
good upper body workout.

Jo-Ann


Harry Jones wrote:
Just returned from NCL cruise which included stop in Belize.
One group did the cave raft trip
with a local group, not ship sponsored. Water was fast and
high. A father and 11 year old daughter were swept overboard and caught
by
current under an
overhanging rock. The girl almost
drowned but the dad was able to
hug her and still fight the current
enough to get free. Girl badly
scared and bruised up. Father
with nasty scalp lacerations and lots of river water consumed. Guide
helping with rescue badly gashed in forehead. Another person in
following raft broke his arm.
I would advise caution when booking this trip when water is
fast. I would also suggest that
the cave companies provide
helmets.

wrote:
Can you say which cave tubing company this was? We used Reggie's when
we were in Belize, and they were extremely safety conscious. But when
we were there, the water level was so low and slow, that we had to
paddle our way down the river with our arms. But boy did we ever get a
good upper body workout.

We has a similar experience with Reggie. I was actually hoping for
something a little more "exciting", having done lots of white water
rafting, canoeing and kayaking in my day. It was a lovely day with Reg
Tours, but the water was anything but fast and dangerous. Some spots
were so shallow that we had to get off our tubes and wade through the
water until it was deep enough. The current was bathtub-like.

Lee