Issue: February 1998
Designer: A. Berg
Size: 20mm x 25.7mm
Plate #: 340, 341
Sheet of 50 stamps
Tabs: 10
Printers: Government Printers
Printing Method: Offset

Whitewater Rafting

The Greek philosopher Heracletus said that one cannot enter the same river twice, since a drop of water that has swept down the river will never return. Heracletus was no rafter, but he understood what every experienced rafter now knows -- that each river has rules of its own. Rhythm, character, dynamics and ever-changing, unpredictable behaviour: every river, and every journey down a river, must be treated with proper respect.

Whitewater rafting began as a method of freight. Using a military rubber boat, Lieutenant John Fairmont of the US Army undertook the first modern whitewater raft trip in 1842. Although his boat capsized and was destroyed in the turbulent river, his trip was important because he successfully traverse strong rapids hitherto considered unfit for boats.

Then, in 1869, a group of adventurous scientists led by John Wesley headed down the Grand Canyon's Colorado River. The group used wooden boats and rowed using the only technique known at the time: facing upstream. This prevented them from looking forward to see the dangers ahead and avoid them, and their boats shattered and were scattered in every direction. Legends of them are still told.

By 1909, Julius Stone was sailing down the Colorado River on the first commercial rafting trip.

After World War II, when many rescue boats from the US military ended up in private hands, the sport of rafting gained popularity. These boats, like those used today, were made of hi-tech materials, such as fortified Hypalon, and used no rigid materials such as wood or metal.

In the past decade, the sport of whitewater rafting has developed all over the world. Rafting provides people with an opportunity to be out in nature, offers great personal challenge, and affords an opportunity to develop teamwork.

In 1988, Eran Borochov and the author launched the first raft on the Jordan River, established the Jordan River Rafting company, and were the first to institutionalize the sport in Israel. Since then, whitewater rafting has developed, and hundreds of thousands of tourists have enjoyed the experience of rafting on the "mountainous" Jordan.

The Jordan River is especially advantageous for whitewater rafting. As the only river in the world whose source is above sea level and basin below, its gradient is particularly steep (a descent of 20 meters per kilometer) and it has many rapids.

But due to the building of dams on rivers for hydro-electric power stations, the future of the whitewater rafting sport is uncertain both in Israel and around the world. We can only hope that nature lovers and rafting aficionados will help prevent further damage to the rivers and preserve them for the benefit of all.

Waterskiing

In Israel, the sport's origins can be traced to, among others, Keret and Yashka Ganzy, who skiied on the Sea of Galilee on weekends between 1962 and 1982, building a jump and creating a slalom course. Their sons, Eitan Keret and Moshe Ganzy, inherited the obsession, attended waterski school in the United States, practised in Europe, and were among the first competitive skiers in Israel.

From 1979 until 1982, the Israeli championship was held annually at Jamar Beach on the Sea of Galilee, but from 1983, all competitive ski activities on the lake ceased as work began on a cableway facility to popularize the sport. The site opened in 1988, and the Israel Water Ski Federation was established.

When another cableway was built at Tel-Aviv's Begin Park in 1989, the sport became more even accessible to Israel's public. Whereas in the pre-cable period water skiing was a sport for the speedboated few, the Tel-Aviv site allows eight people to ski simultaneously at minimum cost.

The idea of the waterski cableway was developed in Germany. Since 1976, some eighty have been built. The facility in Tel-Aviv contains an artificial lake at its center, filled about 1.5m deep with fresh water. To keep it clean, tens of thousands of fish were introduced. Activities at the site include a water skiing summer school, organized events for soldiers and youths from abroad, and activities for elementary and high school students. Due to Israel's pleasant winter weather, European waterski teams also use the facility for training.