River Expeditions: Splashy Or Serene

Life on the river sounds romantic and exotic. For readers who think of languid summer evenings and lily pads, there are plenty of trips in Europe. For those who think of death and dismemberment in rushing rapids, raft trips in the West promise adventure without destruction.

The Western River Guides Association lists more than 100 outfitters in 14 states and Canadian provinces, from Arizona to Alaska, who offer wild trips down the Salmon, Snake and Rogue Rivers and calmer ones along the Colorado and Rio Grande. There are trips for people who want never to get wet and for others who want never to dry off, for scenery freaks and fishing bugs, and for ordinary drifters.

The guide is free from Western River Guides Association, 7600 E. Arapahoe Rd., Suite 114, Englewood, Colo. 80112; 303-771-0389.

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Though there are some very gentle river rides in the American West, barge trips in Europe are much more civilized than almost anything available in the New World. With galleys and berths, the craft are homes as well as vehicles, and most are too cute to inspire rapid heartbeats.

But there can be quite a sense of adventure in skippering your own boat, and there are lots of them to rent along the extensive canal network of England and Wales. Prices for a two-berth barge for a week range from about $375 to $700, depending on luxuriousness and time of rental; larger boats, with as many as 12 berths, cost more.

Canal speed limits are 4 m.p.h., so there's no danger of mayhem, and the canal system is well-mapped. An extra attraction is that most of the towns along the canals are somewhat off the tourist track, so there can be a special sense of discovery.

UK Waterway Holidays publishes a pretty directory of U-drive-it boats that also lists hotel barges. It's free from Dial Travel, 311 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md. 21201; 301-685-2661.

And speaking of hotel barges, Floating Through Europe offers just about the most pleasant array of cruises of any organization, most of them in France, with a few in England, the Netherlands and Belgium.

If the boat didn't move an inch, the cuisine and wine would be worth the price, which, admittedly, is a little steep, about $1,000 to $1,500 a week per person. Barges are decked out with flowers; the wood and the brass are all polished; the china, glasses, cutlery and linen are fresh and first-class.

A free directory of trips is available from Floating Through Europe Inc., 271 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016; 800-221-3140.