Expectations Your first few rafting excursions may not be as pleasant as you expected. But, they will be fun. I would suggest bringing some kind of small towel as you may find yourself wet and muddy. Navigating the raft is also a pain for beginners. It takes practice to get the raft to go precisely where you want it to.
Time is also another thing to consider.
Small rivers and streams move very slowly. Many times slower than a walking pace. Even with a lot of paddling, the pace is slow.