White Water Adventurers, Inc. was founded in 1969 by an Ohiopyle family, Robert and Shirley Marietta. In the early years, the guests on the river were few and far between and the guides were just locals that grew up on the river. Through word of mouth, rafting on the Youghiogheny (or Yough for short, pronounced "Yock") gained a following and White Water Adventurers grew with it, along with it's reputation for fun and exciting rafting trips.