Jet Boat Tours on the Niagara River

The Whirlpool Jetboats

I had visited Niagara Falls back in the Mid 1970’s. When I looked down at the whirlpool I never imagined that I would be able to be down there in a boat and survive the experience.

Whirlpool Jetboats

Our 10 year old son was originally a little hesitant to ride the Maid of the Mist. However, when he saw the Jet boats in the whirlpool he decided he wanted to try it. Looking down you will see the jetboats, which are large 1500+ horsepower boats entering the whirlpool and making a counterclockwise turn.

The jetboats leave from the King George III hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake. There are two types of boats: an open boat that will leave the occupants totally soaked at the end of the ride and an enclosed boat that will probably leave some of the riders soaked. We made the reservations through our hotel for the enclosed boat. I wanted to take my good camera to try to get some video and pictures. When you pay you have to sign a waiver and accept the risk of the trip. Once you’ve paid, you sit through an orientation. The crew members all seemed to really love their jobs and had a great sense of humor.

 
Lighthouse at a Yacht Club at Niagara on the Lake

Once the orientation was done, we walked down to the docks for life vests and boarding. There are some seating restrictions for younger children and those with any health issues. Once everyone was boarded, the crew gave us some last minute instructions and the captain fired up the 1500 horsepower of jet propulsion.

The lower end of the Niagara river right before Lake Ontario is mostly a slow speed zone. They kept the side hatches open which gave plenty of air plus an ability to snap some great shots of Fort George and Fort Niagara. If you are from the United States, remember that a good part of the War of 1812 was fought in the area and we were the ‘opposing team’.

Once you clear the slow speed zone the captain gets to play with all 1500 horses. The flat bottomed boat planes almost instantly and you are headed upriver at about sixty miles per hour. At this point conversation is difficult and you need headsets to hear the crew’s narration. Shortly thereafter, they treat you to one of their special “Hamilton Turns”. This is a high speed turn-on-a-dime-at sixty-miles-per-hour maneuver. As a hint, if you are in the enclosed boat and want to get the full effect make sure you are looking out the windows and not at the inside of the boat.

As you travel further north you will get unique views of the Queenstown-Lewistown bridge and the American and Canadian power plants. At the power plants is a wire strung across the canyon with a red buoy. This is the ‘point of no return’ where you are pretty much on your own. The crew then explains the procedure for running the rapids. At this point they request that you hold onto the seat bars with both hands which pretty much precludes taking pictures. There are a couple of points where the captain is using almost all of the 1500 horsepower to fight his way upriver. The ride however was surprisingly smooth. The hatches are all closed which is supposed to make the enclosed boat a dry experience. However, on one of our first plunges through the wave, the forward hatches had not closed completely. The occupants of the front seats got a royal soaking.

Once you get through the rapids, the captain heads back downriver for a couple of more runs. Then it’s up to the whirlpool. When you get to the whirlpool you are looking up at the Spanish Aero Car. It’s truly beautiful down there. The crew explains the geography and the nature of the whirlpool. We ended up doing a Hamilton Turn in the whirlpool. The crew opens the hatches to allow for fresh air and picture taking opportunities.

Jetboat in the Whirlpool

We headed back downriver for a couple of more rapids runs. As we were heading back my son said “we have to go on the Maid of the Mist. That should be easy compared to this”

Summary – This trip is definitely worth the admission.

Tips

•  Prepare to be soaked with the open boats. There is simply no avoiding it. Keep in mind with the dome boats that there is a chance you will still be soaked.

•  Keep in mind that there is some risk. I’ve been boating for over 45 years and was definitely impressed with the skills of the captain. However, you are playing in class 5 rapids.

• Don’t even think of taking a non waterproof camera on the open boats. It simply won’t survive. If you take a regular camera on the dome boat there is still a chance it can get ruined.

•  Use the bathrooms before you leave. There aren’t any facilities onboard.

• At the end of the trip, they will have photos of your trip available. They are not inexpensive but they were worthwhile as a memento.

• They have a gravel parking lot near the river. Inquire before you go as to the location. There was plenty of parking when we went.

• If you can, try to go on a sunny day.

• If you are going on the open boat you might want to purchase a waterproof disposable camera.

www.NiagaraViews.com

Photos of the Niagara Falls Area and Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada plus dining reviews and hotel, motel and B&B listings.

Legal Disclaimer. Notice - All materials © CGM Systems, Inc. 2005. No photographs or materials may be copied without permission. All materials are provided as-is and without warranty. Use of this site indicates your consent to these terms