My husband and I are experienced ww rafters. Just the month before we'd done an all day trip on the New River in WV with class IV's and two V's!
So we were disappointed when friends who are not at all adventurous came to visit and insisted on nothing more rough a leisurely 1 1/2 hr float trip with Big Creek.
Well, it was NOTHING like described or I expected but fortunately our friends liked it.
Honestly,there were numerous class II1/2's and some III's!! Our guide even put us in a pretty good rapid where we had to really paddle hard to get in and out of it and he showed them how to "surf" the raft. Because we were expecting an easy float, there only 3 of us had brought paddles. So we had to work a bit! Ok for us but if you're expecting to just sit back and relax the entire run you're in for a surprise.
It was WAAAY more than the float I'd done on the Snake in Wy and more than they'd wanted but we all had a ball.
One note of caution.....because we'd been expecting nothing more than class IIs, we never thought we'd get wet. So despite being told to bring a change of clothes and towels, we dismissed that advice thinking it was advice geared towards white water rafters not floaters. Well, there were several big waves and we all got very wet. Do bring dry clothes, shoes and towels.
Also, while we had great fun I think that potential floaters should be given a more realistic description of the run. We were told that the float was suitable for age 3 or 5, I can't remember, and up. I do remember thinking, boy, that's very young so I think it was 3.
There was a little boy who had just turned 5 and his mom in our raft and honestly, I think even 5 is too little and too young for some of the rough water we went through. And as a reference point, you should know that as a Brownie scout leader many years ago I took my troop rafting on the Kern River in Ca. at age 7 on a tame run of 2 or 2 plus!
At one point he lost his balance and tilted over towards the edge. His mom had to grab him. That young is just not safe. Maybe the water was rougher than usual. I don't know. It was July 21st, not high water level from spring run off.
Other than the above, it was organized, efficient and fun. I've never had a guide, anywhere who wasn't fun and competent. This was no exception.