Jet Boat Trip - Gold Beach, Oregon

We took a jet boat trip up the Rogue River while we were in Gold Beach, OR. 

Jet boats are a descendant of the original mail boats which carried news and parcels from the outside world to settlers upstream since 1895.  The jet boats are designed specifically for safely navigating strong currents and shallow, rocky areas.  They can travel in 6 inches of water over the rocks.

It was cold and foggy when we left.  However, as we headed inland away from the coast if was warmer and sunny.

We took the 80 Mile Roundtrip Whitewater trip.  We left the dock at 8:30 AM  and didn't return until around 2 PM. 
Our captain stopped numerous times for everyone to take pictures of the different wildlife we happened to see. 

We saw this black bear eating berries.   Her cub was in the shadows above her.

 

 

 

We saw a couple of Bald Eagles while on the boat. 

 

 

 

 

 

The scenery along the river was spectacular.
 

 

 

 

Some interesting camping choices along the river.

This is another on of the jet boats we passed along the river.

 

 

 

 Spinning the boat was part of the trip to make it more exciting.  They would do this at cruising speed.  The captain would reverse the thrust and turn the steering wheel at the same time.  This would cause the nose of the boat would go down we would spin around 180 degrees and end up heading the opposite direction and of course everyone gets wet.
We went upriver about 25 miles past the small town of Agness, which is in the middle of the wilderness.  We stopped there for a bathroom break.  From there we headed on upriver to shoot some rapids.   It was a little too rough to take pictures during this part of the ride...........

but this was the aftermath!  When we left the dock the young captain told me I would not get wet..........but somehow I knew better. 
After the rapids we went back to Agness to eat lunch.  We were there for about an hour and a half and that is about how long it took us to dry out. 

Below is a picture of the dock where the boats let everyone off for the trek uphill to the restaurant for lunch. 

There was a van that would take you up the hill, however, standing at the dock it didn't look that far.  We decided to walk.......what were we thinking?   At least we burned off some of the calories we were about to consume.

It was a really fun trip.  We took several videos of the trip, but they were too big to load on the blog. 



This dog was at the loading area for the jet boat trip entertaining everyone while we were waiting in line to get on the boat.  He would slide this rock across the parking lot from the Gift Shop to the Jet Boat docks.  He never took his front paws off the rock while he was sliding it.  He just used his back legs to move himself and the rock along.  People would pick up the rock and he would go crazy.....like a dog that wants you to throw the stick again.  Some people would take the rock back across the parking lot for him and he would slide the rock back.  It was really fun to watch. 

Other interesting things around Gold Beach.

 

 

We noticed a lot of boats in the river when we came across the bridge in the motorhome.  We found out this is one of the hotspots for catching Chinook Salmon.    

 

 

 

 

It reminded me of the boats in Boca Grande Pass fishing for Tarpon.  In some areas it looked like you could walk from one boat to another.

 

 

We saw some men cleaning their catch and stopped to talk to them. 

 

 

 

Alan asked if he could hold one up to take a picture.  The guy had 3 this size to clean.

 

 

 

 

The guy in the picture below was fishing on the river when we went for the jet boat ride.  He was in the process of reeling in a fish when we passed, so the captain stopped to see what he caught.  I'm thinking he's a local?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we were leaving Gold Beach, we passed an area called "Turtle Rock".  We looked over towards the beach and saw this.........turtle rock!