beluga

beluga

Friday, August 5, 2016

Forewarned

We were warned......the jet boat's website warned that we would get wet, not that we might get wet, but that we would get wet.   They warned not to take any electronic devices on any of their Rogue River excursions.    Forewarned is forearmed.

I put my little red camera into a zip loc bag and tested the picture quality through clear plastic.

Lew agreed to pose with his new ball

Not too bad, sort of a soft focus effect.    Dave put his jeep key into another plastic bag and then into his pocket.    We left the phones in the jeep, hidden of course.

They warned us to make sure we had made provisions to keep our sunglasses and hats where they belonged.    Dave already had a croakie for his glasses and I bought one for mine at their gift shop.    We were all set!

We had booked a 2 hour trip down the Rogue River and into the Hellgate Canyon with Hellgate Excursions based in Grant's Pass.    We boarded the open air jet boat with about 40 other people around l:45 this afternoon.  

Right off the bat my camera balked at being in its plastic shroud and the lens would not retract.   I took the battery out and put it back in, nothing would convince it to retract so I took no pictures.    Not that I would really have been able to, I was busy.

The ride through the Canyon was wonderful, the water was clear and swift and the high rock walls were rugged and bare.    We encountered a few kayakers and rafters armed with supersoakers that delighted in shooting at us with strong streams of water.  Their aggression was met with equal measure.   Our captain would turn the boat and shoot his own huge stream of water at the "pirates" carefully swamping them.    A game they clearly were asking to play.

I was shocked, even though I was duly warned, when he executed the first "bow dunk" and a wall of water flew over the little windshield and slammed right into our faces.     Everyone laughed and cheered but I couldn't see a thing, water in my eyes, behind my sunglasses (I ducked) and my dripping hair hung down over my face.    Gasp!    I tried to dab my eyes with a tissue to stop the exodus of my eye make up.      The bow ducked again and another blast of water hit, but this time I looked (ok, my eyes were closed) directly into it.   Gasp!   It was a little better because it blew my hair back away from my face this time.    I took Dave's hankerchief and again tried to wipe my face.    Bam.....another shot of water and I finally realized that Captain Mike was watching me from above and was enjoying my attempts at civility and his ability to circumvent those attempts.

OK, everyone else seemed to be enjoying it immensely so I decided to just join the club.   And I did!   Who cared if I was soaked to the bone, who cared if I no longer had an intact ponytail?     It was hot and the water was cold.   The air was fresh and sweet and it was fun to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all!

The captain was a master of this boat.   He flew over shallow water, around floating snags, through small rapids as easily as we walk down the street.   He dunked us and spun us in wild 360 degree circles and made us scream and laugh and clap.     He stopped quietly to allow us to see a young Osprey sitting in a tree overhanging the river.    

I'm so glad we went on this ride, I'd do it again in a minute.   Next time, though, I think I'll wear a hat to help divert the wave.....

my jet boat coiffure







7 comments:

  1. I knew you would have a blast!,,.no pun intended!

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  2. I am hoping that the "third time will be a charm" so here goes ....your picture today was almost as good as that one of you kissing Dave that everyone loved! Glad to see that you guys were living the wild life in that jet boat, just taking life as it comes! Love you!
    Sorry the camera didn't work but, really, you must have had so much fun and your words plus one picture more than made up for it!

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  3. Literally LMAO!!! I could see the whole excursion - what a blast!! I can't imagine taking on a jet boat in a kayack, but obviously they were prepared :-))) A most excellent photo!

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  4. Sounds like a blast...Hans would be throwing up though!

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  5. Hilarious!!! What a wild ride—love the photo of you! We took my folks on a jet boat tour on the Rogue about 20 years ago, but it was a mild adventure compared to what you experienced! Sounds like you had a blast. :-)

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  6. Oh I so agree that ride is fun especially when you get wet. Im sorry but Im laughing at your hairy photo, love it, Sue !

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  7. I know this is late, but near Grants Pass is the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. I think you and Dave would have enjoyed that.

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