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First Timers make sure to ask a lot of questions
Float The James的点评
点评：Our group floated with Float the James on July 18, 2026, and what should have been a fun family outing turned into one of the worst and most frightening experiences we've ever had.
This was our first float trip, so we relied on the staff to explain what to expect and how to stay safe. Unfortunately, the only safety information we received came from the shuttle driver on the ride to the launch point. We were told to reapply sunscreen every 20 minutes, drink a bottle of water between every two alcoholic beverages, and make sure we exited the river at the correct take-out point. That was essentially the extent of the safety briefing. When we arrived to pick up our equipment, there were around 25 guests. We were the only group renting individual tubes while nearly everyone else chose six-person rafts or kayaks. Looking back, that should have been a red flag.
I specifically told the employee helping us that this was our first float trip. We were given our tubes and three cooler tubes. The tubes were much smaller and less comfortable than we expected, especially compared to what family members had previously used on other Missouri rivers.
The employee then asked if we wanted oars. Since we had never done this before, I asked if they were really necessary. Her response was essentially, "It's up to you." I asked if they were mainly for pushing off in shallow or slow-moving areas, and she replied, "Exactly." Based on that information, we took only two oars for our group.
Within minutes of launching, we realized the oars weren't just for slow water—they were practically essential for steering. Without them, we had very little control and constantly drifted into the riverbanks. Since we only had two oars, we tied our eight tubes together so the two people with oars could help steer the group. We believed this was a slow, beginner-friendly six-mile float as it had been described to us.
About three-quarters of the way through the trip, we encountered a massive fallen tree stretching across much of the river. The current had picked up, and with eight tubes connected together and only two oars, we had no realistic way to avoid it.
The collision was terrifying.
I was at the front of our group and had to forcefully kick off the tree to try to keep everyone from becoming trapped, injuring my knee in the process. My husband was struck repeatedly in the head by tree branches. Both of my brothers were thrown from their tubes, and one became trapped underwater in the branches before he was able to free himself.
All three cooler tubes flipped over. We lost three cell phones, all of our food, most of our drinks, and—worst of all—the keys to my father's truck, which was supposed to get us home. Other floaters tried to help by grabbing whatever floated past, but most of our belongings were gone within seconds.
Experienced floaters we spoke with afterward told us that the fallen tree had reportedly been there for quite some time. If that's true, it raises serious concerns. While we understand that rivers change and outdoor recreation carries inherent risks, we believe customers should be warned about known hazards—especially first-time floaters. We also believe first-time customers should receive much better guidance about whether individual tubes are appropriate for current river conditions, the importance of each person having an oar if using tubes, and the risks associated with tying multiple tubes together.
When we returned, we were simply told that we had signed a waiver and that the company was not responsible.
We understand waivers exist, and we accept responsibility for not knowing everything as first-time floaters. However, we trusted the outfitter to provide reasonable safety information so we could make informed decisions. We never expected to encounter a dangerous obstruction capable of throwing people into the water and trapping someone beneath tree branches without any warning.
Thankfully, everyone in our group survived, but it easily could have ended much differently.
I hope Float the James reevaluates how they prepare first-time customers, communicates known river hazards, and determines whether individual tubes are appropriate when significant debris is present. No family expecting a relaxing day on the river should experience what we did.
We will never use Float the James again, and I would strongly encourage first-time floaters to ask a lot of questions before choosing this outfitter.
This was our first float trip, so we relied on the staff to explain what to expect and how to stay safe. Unfortunately, the only safety information we received came from the shuttle driver on the ride to the launch point. We were told to reapply sunscreen every 20 minutes, drink a bottle of water between every two alcoholic beverages, and make sure we exited the river at the correct take-out point. That was essentially the extent of the safety briefing. When we arrived to pick up our equipment, there were around 25 guests. We were the only group renting individual tubes while nearly everyone else chose six-person rafts or kayaks. Looking back, that should have been a red flag.
I specifically told the employee helping us that this was our first float trip. We were given our tubes and three cooler tubes. The tubes were much smaller and less comfortable than we expected, especially compared to what family members had previously used on other Missouri rivers.
The employee then asked if we wanted oars. Since we had never done this before, I asked if they were really necessary. Her response was essentially, "It's up to you." I asked if they were mainly for pushing off in shallow or slow-moving areas, and she replied, "Exactly." Based on that information, we took only two oars for our group.
Within minutes of launching, we realized the oars weren't just for slow water—they were practically essential for steering. Without them, we had very little control and constantly drifted into the riverbanks. Since we only had two oars, we tied our eight tubes together so the two people with oars could help steer the group. We believed this was a slow, beginner-friendly six-mile float as it had been described to us.
About three-quarters of the way through the trip, we encountered a massive fallen tree stretching across much of the river. The current had picked up, and with eight tubes connected together and only two oars, we had no realistic way to avoid it.
The collision was terrifying.
I was at the front of our group and had to forcefully kick off the tree to try to keep everyone from becoming trapped, injuring my knee in the process. My husband was struck repeatedly in the head by tree branches. Both of my brothers were thrown from their tubes, and one became trapped underwater in the branches before he was able to free himself.
All three cooler tubes flipped over. We lost three cell phones, all of our food, most of our drinks, and—worst of all—the keys to my father's truck, which was supposed to get us home. Other floaters tried to help by grabbing whatever floated past, but most of our belongings were gone within seconds.
Experienced floaters we spoke with afterward told us that the fallen tree had reportedly been there for quite some time. If that's true, it raises serious concerns. While we understand that rivers change and outdoor recreation carries inherent risks, we believe customers should be warned about known hazards—especially first-time floaters. We also believe first-time customers should receive much better guidance about whether individual tubes are appropriate for current river conditions, the importance of each person having an oar if using tubes, and the risks associated with tying multiple tubes together.
When we returned, we were simply told that we had signed a waiver and that the company was not responsible.
We understand waivers exist, and we accept responsibility for not knowing everything as first-time floaters. However, we trusted the outfitter to provide reasonable safety information so we could make informed decisions. We never expected to encounter a dangerous obstruction capable of throwing people into the water and trapping someone beneath tree branches without any warning.
Thankfully, everyone in our group survived, but it easily could have ended much differently.
I hope Float the James reevaluates how they prepare first-time customers, communicates known river hazards, and determines whether individual tubes are appropriate when significant debris is present. No family expecting a relaxing day on the river should experience what we did.
We will never use Float the James again, and I would strongly encourage first-time floaters to ask a lot of questions before choosing this outfitter.
翻译：2026年7月18日，我们一行人参加了“Float the James”漂流活动。原本应该是一次愉快的家庭出游，结果却变成了我们一生中最糟糕、最恐怖的经历之一。
这是我们第一次参加漂流活动，因此我们指望工作人员能说明活动流程以及如何确保安全。可惜的是，我们所得到的唯一安全提示，仅仅是来自前往出发点的班车司机。他只是叮嘱我们要每隔20分钟重新涂抹一次防晒霜。每喝两口含酒精的饮料，就要喝一瓶水，同时还要确保我们能从正确的出口离开河道。这就是安全说明的全部内容了。当我们去取装备时，现场大约有25名游客。我们是唯一一群租用单人漂流艇的团队，而几乎其他所有人都选择了可容纳六人的筏子或皮划艇。现在回想起来，这本应是一个警示信号。
我特意告诉负责接待我们的工作人员，这是我们第一次参加漂流活动。我们拿到了皮划艇以及三个用于冷却的管子。这些皮划艇比我们预想的要小得多，乘坐起来也不太舒服，尤其是与其他密苏里州河流上游客们使用的皮划艇相比。
随后，工作人员问我们是否需要桨。由于我们以前从未体验过这种活动，我便询问桨是否真的有必要。她的回答基本上是：“随您决定。”我又问桨是否主要用于在水浅或水流缓慢的区域推动船只，她回答说：“没错。”“根据所获信息，我们为整个团队只准备了两支桨。
出发几分钟后我们就意识到，这些桨并不仅仅适用于水流缓慢的区域——它们实际上是操控方向所必不可少的工具。没有桨的话，我们几乎无法控制方向，船也总是漂向河岸。由于只有两支桨，我们把八只橡皮艇用绳子连在一起，这样负责划桨的两人就能协助引导整个船队前进。当初有人跟我们说，这是一段全程约六英里、适合初学者的平缓漂流旅程。”在行程进行到约四分之三的时候，我们遇到了一棵倒下的巨树，它横亘在河面的大部分区域。此时水流变得湍急起来，我们把八个皮划艇连在一起，但只有两支桨，根本无法避开那棵树。
这次碰撞十分可怕。
我当时在队伍最前面，不得不用力蹬向那棵树，试图防止其他人被困住，结果膝盖也受了伤。我的丈夫则多次被树枝击中头部。我的两个兄弟都从漂浮管中被甩了出去，其中一人还被水下的树枝缠住，过了好一会儿才挣脱出来。
三个冷却管全都翻了过来。我们丢失了三部手机、所有的食物、大部分饮料，最糟糕的是——我们还弄丢了父亲卡车的钥匙，而那辆卡车本应载我们回家。其他漂浮者试图帮忙，伸手去抓那些漂过的物品，但我们的东西几乎都在几秒钟内就全都不见了。事后我们询问了一些经验丰富的漂流者，他们告诉我们，那棵倒下的树据说已经在那里存在很长时间了。如果情况属实，这就引发了严重的担忧。虽然我们明白河流状况会变化，户外娱乐活动也必然存在一定风险，但我们认为应该向游客告知这些已知的危险因素——尤其是初次体验漂流的人。我们还认为，对于初次体验的游客，应当给予更详尽的指导，告诉他们所选的漂流管是否适合当前的河流状况。使用漂流艇时，每个人都需手持桨板的重要性，以及将多艘漂流艇捆绑在一起所带来的风险。
返回后，我们只被告知：我们已经签署了免责协议，因此公司无需承担任何责任。
我们明白免责协议的存在，作为初次参与漂流的人，我们也承认自己并未了解所有相关事项。不过，我们原本期望旅行社能提供合理的安全信息，以便我们做出明智的决策。我们从未料到会遇到这种危险的障碍物——它能在毫无预兆的情况下把人甩入水中，还可能将人困在树枝之下。
所幸我们一行人都安然无恙，但情况本很可能变得截然不同。
我希望“Float the James”能重新评估他们对初次体验者的准备工作，切实向顾客说明河流中存在的潜在危险，并在有大量漂浮物的情况下判断是否适合使用单人漂流圈。任何指望能在河上享受轻松时光的家庭，都不该经历我们所遭遇的事情。
我们以后再也不会选择“Float the James”这家公司了。我强烈建议第一次参加漂流的人，在选定旅行社之前多问一些问题。
这是我们第一次参加漂流活动，因此我们指望工作人员能说明活动流程以及如何确保安全。可惜的是，我们所得到的唯一安全提示，仅仅是来自前往出发点的班车司机。他只是叮嘱我们要每隔20分钟重新涂抹一次防晒霜。每喝两口含酒精的饮料，就要喝一瓶水，同时还要确保我们能从正确的出口离开河道。这就是安全说明的全部内容了。当我们去取装备时，现场大约有25名游客。我们是唯一一群租用单人漂流艇的团队，而几乎其他所有人都选择了可容纳六人的筏子或皮划艇。现在回想起来，这本应是一个警示信号。
我特意告诉负责接待我们的工作人员，这是我们第一次参加漂流活动。我们拿到了皮划艇以及三个用于冷却的管子。这些皮划艇比我们预想的要小得多，乘坐起来也不太舒服，尤其是与其他密苏里州河流上游客们使用的皮划艇相比。
随后，工作人员问我们是否需要桨。由于我们以前从未体验过这种活动，我便询问桨是否真的有必要。她的回答基本上是：“随您决定。”我又问桨是否主要用于在水浅或水流缓慢的区域推动船只，她回答说：“没错。”“根据所获信息，我们为整个团队只准备了两支桨。
出发几分钟后我们就意识到，这些桨并不仅仅适用于水流缓慢的区域——它们实际上是操控方向所必不可少的工具。没有桨的话，我们几乎无法控制方向，船也总是漂向河岸。由于只有两支桨，我们把八只橡皮艇用绳子连在一起，这样负责划桨的两人就能协助引导整个船队前进。当初有人跟我们说，这是一段全程约六英里、适合初学者的平缓漂流旅程。”在行程进行到约四分之三的时候，我们遇到了一棵倒下的巨树，它横亘在河面的大部分区域。此时水流变得湍急起来，我们把八个皮划艇连在一起，但只有两支桨，根本无法避开那棵树。
这次碰撞十分可怕。
我当时在队伍最前面，不得不用力蹬向那棵树，试图防止其他人被困住，结果膝盖也受了伤。我的丈夫则多次被树枝击中头部。我的两个兄弟都从漂浮管中被甩了出去，其中一人还被水下的树枝缠住，过了好一会儿才挣脱出来。
三个冷却管全都翻了过来。我们丢失了三部手机、所有的食物、大部分饮料，最糟糕的是——我们还弄丢了父亲卡车的钥匙，而那辆卡车本应载我们回家。其他漂浮者试图帮忙，伸手去抓那些漂过的物品，但我们的东西几乎都在几秒钟内就全都不见了。事后我们询问了一些经验丰富的漂流者，他们告诉我们，那棵倒下的树据说已经在那里存在很长时间了。如果情况属实，这就引发了严重的担忧。虽然我们明白河流状况会变化，户外娱乐活动也必然存在一定风险，但我们认为应该向游客告知这些已知的危险因素——尤其是初次体验漂流的人。我们还认为，对于初次体验的游客，应当给予更详尽的指导，告诉他们所选的漂流管是否适合当前的河流状况。使用漂流艇时，每个人都需手持桨板的重要性，以及将多艘漂流艇捆绑在一起所带来的风险。
返回后，我们只被告知：我们已经签署了免责协议，因此公司无需承担任何责任。
我们明白免责协议的存在，作为初次参与漂流的人，我们也承认自己并未了解所有相关事项。不过，我们原本期望旅行社能提供合理的安全信息，以便我们做出明智的决策。我们从未料到会遇到这种危险的障碍物——它能在毫无预兆的情况下把人甩入水中，还可能将人困在树枝之下。
所幸我们一行人都安然无恙，但情况本很可能变得截然不同。
我希望“Float the James”能重新评估他们对初次体验者的准备工作，切实向顾客说明河流中存在的潜在危险，并在有大量漂浮物的情况下判断是否适合使用单人漂流圈。任何指望能在河上享受轻松时光的家庭，都不该经历我们所遭遇的事情。
我们以后再也不会选择“Float the James”这家公司了。我强烈建议第一次参加漂流的人，在选定旅行社之前多问一些问题。
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