Woo-ee! Captain Eric of Niagara Jet Adventures swirled the boat around in a whirl of frothing water and deep waves and then stopped short, creating a huge volume of water that engulfed the boat and drenched the passengers riding in the rear “wet” seats.
The jetboat was filled with laughing and squealing passengers as we went bopping along the Whirlpool and the Devil’s Hole—class 5 white-water-rapids (6 being the highest category)—in the Niagara Gorge. Whether you sit in the exposed expect-to-get-soaked “wet” seats or the interior “dry” seats, you can be sure of a truly exhilarating experience—made even more so by the expertise of “cowboy” Captain Eric with his 360-degree spins.
Located in Youngstown, New York, Niagara Jet Adventures is just a 15-minute drive from Niagara Falls. Upon arrival you are shown a short introductory film, encouraged to ask questions, introduced to your captain, fitted with a life jacket, and ushered into the waiting jetboat.
Majesty of Nature
Niagara Falls, a.k.a Thundering Waters, has captivated the imagination of man for 12,000 or more years and still today, this majesty of nature inspires open-mouthed awe. To stand overlooking the falls, while it births rainbows out of its mists, is a never-to-be-forgotten thrill.
I first came to Niagara as a teenager and even though I’ve since travelled the world, on my recent visit I still found the same thrill in donning the complimentary rain slicker to ride the Maid of the Mist boat almost into the Falls; the same delight in getting soaked in the Cave of the Winds—a series of platforms taking you as close to the Falls as your tolerance for getting drenched allows; and riding the trolley over to Goat Island to view Horseshoe Falls.
By the way, if you walk or ride to Goat Island before 10:00 a.m. you are sure to see the daily rainbow that straddles the Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side, providing the sun peeks out.
The U.S. and Canada share Niagara Falls, each with its own massive cataract, and it’s fun to check out both sides of the river. Every night you can admire the Canadian side of Niagara and the coloured lights playing on the American Falls lit with an artificial rainbow, and on Friday and Sunday nights there is a fireworks display which can be viewed from either side. The Rainbow Bridge connects the two sides.
