Rafting adventure at Cetina River

Have to say that I have some pressure inside me now. Writing pressure. So much have happened during these past weeks and I would have loved to share some of it with you but circumstances have been against that. I fractured my finger and there has been few different type of splints in it. First it was tided to the finger next to it making my right hand almost useless and now the splint is just in the actual fractured finger making my life a bit easier. Meaning also that I can again write using both hands. I normally write with a pretty smooth 10-finger system but with this weird 9-finger system that is now in use there seems to be a lot of mistakes to correct and my brain is going way more faster than my fingers can function causing some turbulence between them. But here we finally go and in this text you can find out the reason for this slightly disadvantaged state I´m in.

My sister came here from Finland and we spent a wonderful week during which we experienced and saw a lot and we talked even more. We have always been close and now as we live in different countries these moments of actually being together are priceless. Can´t wait to see her again in Finland in few weeks time as I go there to spend couple of months enjoying the northern summer. Anyway, one of the things we did while she was here was rafting down the Cetina River.

I have previous experience on the subject once in Bali, for my sister this was the first time. We were the only customers on this a bit different ride. We were accompanied by an experienced rafting guide Toni and also Nickolas who was at the end of his instructional training to become a rafting guide and now it was time for his assessment test so Toni monitored his level of expertise while we were going down the river. When we arrived at the starting point we were given the necessary equipment meaning helmets and life jackets followed by instructions and few demonstrations before we actually started our ride. Because there was just two of us actually paddling, it was time to time serious work in the bright sunshine during the peaceful calm parts of the river and it didn´t take long for the first drops of sweat to ride down our backs. But there was also time to wonder the great wildlife around us, the clear water revealed the fish and we also saw few small snakes swimming. The lush greenery, small waterfalls bringing the water from the streams and the majestic canyon landscape created such a framework that one could not ask for more.

The three-hour ride, a total of about 11km, was mostly fairly peaceful with a few small easy rapids coming from time to time and we managed to get through them easily. The most challenging part of the entire ride was after midway, at one point in that part we were even told to sit on the bottom of the raft instead of the normal place on the edge. And that's where I hit the finger to something causing the fracture. I didn't even notice it at the time so not sure what exactly happened, we were just laughing as the rapid pushed us from side to side in the raft. Only after we got back to the calm water I noticed a little feeling in my finger and that is was in a bit weird position: after the knuckle the first joint wanted to go to almost 90 degree downwards and then end the finger was even too straight. I was able to keep the finger in normal position without pain but it didn't feel quite ok. A more experienced guide explored my finger, it did not reveal any sharp or sudden pain related to bones being broken but it clearly began to swell. At that point we just assumed the joints had taken a bad hit but that´s all. We exchanged places so that I was able to keep my hand in cold river water while Tony paddled on my place. After about 15 minutes I continued paddling again, still no pain in the finger. At the end of the ride we helped with one rescue test that Nickolas had to pass. My sister and Toni throwed themselves into the river and shouted for help, Nickolas then had to rescue them with the rope within given time. I took time as catching the rope in the water and holding on to it might have been difficult with my injured finger. Nickolas passed the test with great time.

Although I was unlucky with my finger, I can highly recommend rafting adventure. During the trip you have the opportunity to stop swimming and even cliff jumping if you wish. At the end of our ride I also took a refreshing dip in the river, my sister already got that done during the rescue mission. As a nature experience this is at the very peak, the canyon of the Cetina River is truly impressive and the river environment is wonderfully green, water clear and pure. And after the ride it´s nice to have lunch in the city of Omiš, where the river meets the Adriatic. So if you happen to be around Split or Omiš, then do book a ride to enjoy beautiful Cetina River by rafting.