Rafting in Cicatih River, Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia

Tadinya ragu2 apakah akan bawa kamera di atas rubber boat tapi untung ada penitipan water proof. Maklum in pake kamera biasa yg bukan tahan air.

Beruntung duduk di perahu nomor satu dan mendarat duluan di pemberhentian-1. Untungnya lagi ada batu besar yang pas banget utk ambil posisi angle perahu barisan belakang sedang mati2an mengendalikan perahu masing2. Jadilah snap shot ini.

Buat yg boatnya tumplek spt digambar, ini pengalaman paling menarik dan fun. Apa nggak enak, udah basah2, mendarat, terus makan bacang isi plus bajigur hangat. Semuanya Alhamdulillah selamat. Di pemberhentian terakhir, mandi, ganti baju hangat, makan lalaban khas Sunda dengan sambelnya yg menggiurkan, sambil duduk dipinggir sawah. Kalau inget ini, pengen rasanya pulang segera......


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White Water Rafting in Cicatih River during Weekend
Rafting in Cicatih river Sukabumi Jawa Barat during weekend is interesting & thrilling outdoor activities, especially during rainy season in February ’03 that I visited, the water level was high enough, when the city of Jakarta was experiencing flood. Cicatih and Citarik are the closest rivers from Jakarta for white water rafting enthusiast. It is exactly brown instead of white as deforestation in upstream was taking place, especially during a torrential rain. Cicatih is adventurous river as grade level reach as high as 3 and 3+, even said it is 4.

There are many commercial white water rafting operators here that manage it with high safety standard. Hence, it is safe for someone who likes a challenging outdoor activities but never have a rafting experience before. Other plus point of Citarik is just 2 or 2.5 hours drive from Jakarta to Sukabumi. Few km just before Sukabumi, turn right to take a direction to Pelabuhan Ratu. Less than 15 km in this road, there are at least two operators offices there that you can registered directly, but better if you booked it before. If Saturday or Sunday morning, you wake up and suddenly you want to do something different?, try a white water rafting. Make sure that you leave Jakarta before 6:00 am, to avoid annoying traffic jam in Cibadak market. Cicatih is thrilling experience but save for novice like us if you are 12 years old and above. It is pleasure activities for whole family members.

The unique of Cicatih River is relatively continuous rapid; leaving the first rapid come to the other, so you have a good reason to express your joy and stress relieve, shout it loudly. In this river there is a nick name of each rapid such as Dragon that it waves is seamless, Mixer that is swirling and make your raft stuck-dancing, Ice Block with a narrow passage that ask you and the team to be prepare for a precise maneuvering otherwise the raft would jump onto the side wall of the river and cap side down. Gigi rapid is the big rapid that is real challenging like riding a wild horse. Don’t go panic if you totally wet or even jump unintentionally.

The professional operators will pick up you from the water. They are in tandem position with us in the same raft and some others waiting you in the back of big stone, ready to winching you by the rope. What you need is just laugh for your self and enjoy. Total voyaging time is 2 hours for 12 km, starting from Bojongkerta village and ended in suspension bridge of Leuwilalay.

At a half journey, we will stop at one place far away from any village where both river banks is a step straight walls; somebody said it is a Sukabumi Colorado. You can rest here for a moment after a hard work with a cup of water and “bacang isi” - meat in a steamed sticky rice wrapped in coconuts leaf that become a very special meal in your memory.

Most of the environment here is hilly terrain with a big andesit rock and walls of the riverbanks. That’s why the Cicatih rapid is class 3+. If you are not in focus overcoming the rapid, you have a glance look to surrounding seeing long tail monkey on the bush, monitor lizard waiting something in the riverbanks and eagle patrolling the sky.

At the end of journey you have enough time to relax in “Saung” a sundanese style of hut in the middle of rice field. You get a simple massage for a muscles relieve, a heavy lunch for stomach relieve with an excellent Sundanese menus and shower to refresh. For me, it is a delighting and memorable journey that I recommend you to try. At 16:00 pm, you already in your home for the next activities.

Archie of Ras Laffan