After jet boating, skiing won't seem the same again

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 11, 6 August 1985, Page 24

After jet boating, skiing won't seem the same again

If you've travelled to Mt Ruapehu to ski and adverse weather closes the slopes, what can you do?

Ken Bullians, managing director of Taumarunui Jet Boat T ours, believes that the one thing all skiers with time on their hands must do, is take a high speed trip on the Wanganui River. With its three jet boats — two eight seaters and one smaller craft — Ken's company offers a variety of tours, lasting from ten minutes to two days. The tours also range from sedate sight-seeing trips to "loopy specials." Ken's proud boast for his high speed trips is, "if we can't scare them, there is something wrong with them!" A typical all day tour for a party of forty involves splitting the group in two with one group travelling along the scenic Wanganui River

by jet boat for approximately thirty kilometres. History of the river boats and Maori tribes, features of the river in the late eighteenth, early nineteenth century is explained with landmarks pointed out. The party is shown how to read the water, an important ability when boating, and told about the annual jet boat marathon. The other twenty people travel by buS to a deer farm, where they are given a guided tour. At a certain vantage point -on the road the bus is at an ideal spot to watch the jet boats negotiating rapids. Both parties meet at a sheep and cattle farm where they have lunch.

If the sheep are available and weather permitting some sheep are shorn. On the farm is a museum which incorporates Maori and early settler history. The museum is privately owned by Mr Jock Ercegand has to be seen to be believed. For the return journey the parties change their transport the ones who went up by boat return by bus and vice versa. For the even more adventurous — and people with deeper pockets — another tour utilises a helicopter instead of the bus, giving people a double dose of thrills — or fear! The only problem for skiers who decide to take a trip on the Wanganui River with Taumarunui Jet Boat Tours is that skiing will never seem the same again!