The possibilities were always going to be fantastic. I knew from the Adrift rafting experience that we had run the river for years without exploring every channel of it – some we still have not explored. In most sections of the Nile in Uganda, the river is divided into multiple channels, solid mounds of pink granite and black ‘steel’ rock form very permanent islands and the river very slowly carves away at the African continent. These islands, over thousands of years, have become heavily covered in vegetation. Giant fig trees wrap their roots around the rocks and penetrate the cracks between them, ferns nestle amongst these, towering musisi are a favourite of the fruit bats and vines heavily drape over almost every island. Which channel to choose, where to go; what is going to give us the best ride?
I was anxious to make the first jet-boat operation on the Nile work. The boats were invented in our home country, New Zealand. In our South Island, many rivers are shallow and braided and impassable by conventional propeller-powered boat. The jet unit inhales water from the beneath the boat, compresses it and shoots about 20 litres per second from the stern of the boat. Not only does this jet propel the boat forward at speeds up to 90 kilometres per hour, but it provides a means of steering the boat. At these speeds the rapids do not need to be very big and we leave the largest rapids on the Nile to the rafts and kayaks.
Because the jet boat moves at speeds much faster than the river, we can race up and down the rapids and at times the entire boat leaves the water. We have now found some of the most exciting and interesting runs I could ever have imagined, racing between the rock islands in the river, bouncing up swift flowing currents and drifting in shallow pools marvelling at the magnificence of the Nile. One of the most exciting aspects of the jet-boat ride is the ‘buzz’ where we can race, at full speed, against the shore or a mid-stream rock and ‘buzz’ the rock with the bow of the boat at the last minute. This is the time for the camera, as the expressions on the faces of the participants at this time is always one of sheer exaltation and surprise. Brace yourself for the screams.
What makes Wild Nile Jet experience on the Nile so exciting is that it is an experience for everyone and some of our loyal supporters are no more than three years old. Up until a year ago, options for the very young or older were limited to our family rafting trips. These are incredible trips but the Wild Nile Jet ride is only 30 minutes long. For those short on time, there can be no more exciting way to visit the Victorian source of the Nile.
