advice on guided rafting Franklin River

[sim1oz]

So I finally think I've persuaded my hubby to 'consider' rafting the Franklin for a special anniversary coming up next year! While we are busy saving up the $$$ I thought I would seek advice on how to choose between the different guides. We've never done guided walks before so I don't really know where to start. There seem to be three main companies that offer a guided trip for the full length of the river:

1. Tasmanian Expeditions http://www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au/index.php?section=trips&id=285 - 9 days
2. http://www.franklinriverrafting.com/ - 10 days including Frenchmans Cap
3. Water by Nature http://www.franklinrivertasmania.com/ - 10 days including Frenchmans Cap

We only have very limited kayaking experience so I'd rather go with a guide who knows what s/he is doing. The camping/walking is not an issue, we've been on 7+ day trips and have all the gear. All the guided groups look very similar on their websites and the prices are also fairly similar. Two leave from Hobart, one from Launceston. Two return by bus, one by seaplane (weather permitting).

Have you done the Franklin River trip with any of these groups? What was it like? When is the 'best' time to go?

Thanks,
sim1

[Tortoise]

Sorry, my info is ancient. I can, however, relate to your situation, and am sooooo glad I spent the money.

I can also highly recommend taking the book For the Term of his Natural Life - for the likely days off the river, waiting for it to go down. Brilliant to read it in that environment. For the record, the book can be cut into 8 sections allowing all those without the foresight to bring a book to join in, with a fair bit of collaboration. Technology makes things simpler these days...

[walk2wineries]

Grief, that must be quarter of a century ago. End of January and I have never been so cold - stinger suit, thermals, heavy sweater, my own 5m wetsuit with 7mm jacket, raincoat and if I was paddling briskly for long enough I nearly thawed. I read a description afterwards by a travel writer "putting on the dripping wetsuit in the morning was like sliding between slices of refrigerated liver" and I think he nailed it.
Enjoy! We did the 10 days, Collinswood entry then seaplane out, honestly don't recall vendor, chief guide was a Graham. Or Graeme.
Peregrine did a 6 day, coming in part way down. Some of their punters were really cross that the guides made them get out during one descent that an enthusiast might call interesting but which I thought terrifying - guides from both vendors standing 10m apart with ropes while guides took the rafts down, and any of our group who wished to stay on board. Yes, beautiful scenery. Did I mention, it was cold?

[sim1oz]

Tortoise and w2w, thanks for the tips!

w2w, any tips on staying warm? Sounds like you had lots of layers. Was the weather cold, or just the water? Would pouring warm water into the wetsuit in the morning before hopping into it help? What about merino thermals? Not sure my budget will stretch to a drysuit....

[Tortoise]

Grief, that must be quarter of a century ago. End of January and I have never been so cold - stinger suit, thermals, heavy sweater, my own 5m wetsuit with 7mm jacket, raincoat and if I was paddling briskly for long enough I nearly thawed. I read a description afterwards by a travel writer "putting on the dripping wetsuit in the morning was like sliding between slices of refrigerated liver" and I think he nailed it. ?

Only a quarter of a century? My, you young thing, you!

I confess i'd suppressed the refrigerated liver memory. Warm water sounds great, but it'd take a while. Ask the guides if they have a way of improving that part of the experience - if they do, go with them! But I can't say I had any memorable cold experiences apart from putting the wetsuit on in the morning. We had thermals, but nothing special. The hysterical thing was the group of nudists who were going through at the same time we were. In the chilly evenings when we were toasty in our warmies, they were standing around in only their jumpers, turning blue.

I'm pretty sure we did it in 10 days, including paddling out to the tourist boat for a pick-up. I do remember those head winds in the Gordon. I probably would have been ok with skipping that bit, but for the book. To go past Sarah Island etc was a fantastic way to end. We didn't have the option of Frenchmans.

[SteveJ]

Wet suites!! Dry suit is the only way to go, I started wearing one a few years back for my snowmelt packrafting and would never go back, I often get a bit hot in it and go for a dip

Steve

[sim1oz]

Is the water that cold enough in Tassie to justify a dry suit in summer/autumn? Which brands of dry suit do you recommend? Can you get them in Australia?

[north-north-west]

Sorry, my info is ancient. I can, however, relate to your situation, and am sooooo glad I spent the money.

I can also highly recommend taking the book For the Term of his Natural Life - for the likely days off the river, waiting for it to go down. Brilliant to read it in that environment. For the record, the book can be cut into 8 sections allowing all those without the foresight to bring a book to join in, with a fair bit of collaboration. Technology makes things simpler these days...

C'mon, surely Flanagan's Death of a River Guide is the obvious reading for that trip . . .

[Moondog55]

@W2W What's a "Stinger suit" ?? Not done much water work/traveling but when I had a watercraft I had a 7mm Farmer John and a CCF insulated jacket ( second hand Canadian thingie which was also the PFD) and in winter on the Yarra I was too hot so how cold is the Franklin then?
I have talked to people who have worn 7mm wetsuits with waterproof gardeners boiler suits over the top for rafting down from the Snowy Mountains

[north-north-west]

@W2W What's a "Stinger suit" ??

Lycra suit. Think neck to ankle Speedos. Will add a teensy bit of warmth to a wettie - and make it easier to get the rubber on and off - but they're kind of like using a silk liner with a down sleeping bag.

[Moondog55]

OH DOH!! Irukandji jelly fish, a Rashhie in Vicspeak

[icefest]

Not quite a rashie, a stinger suit usually covers the entire body.