As the Camino captain found, looking down current from afar be very conservative - it is always worse than it looks.
And go up to the flybridge for a better view, not just the pilothouse.
Might be a good practice if in doubt to ask on channel 16 as well, or in this case, that tour company running the rapids.
Gives us lots to think about. At some point the current makes it a point of no return, and he appeared to do a great job from then on running the rapids.