Lori Henry is a freelance travel writer based in Vancouver, Canada. She writes about cultural dance, indigenous cultures, outdoor adventures and wellness around the world.
Doug Green of Cariboo Chilcotin Jet Boat Tours on the Fraser River in BC, Canada.
Another early morning had us travelling from Barkerville, BC to a boat launch about 15 minutes from Williams Lake, British Columbia.
Doug and Charlene, who greeted us, run the jet boat tour company Cariboo Chilcotin Jetboat Adventures. After a safety briefing, we got aboard and headed out on the mighty Fraser River. And mighty it was.
We travelled upstream from the Chilcotin Bridge (usually called the Fraser River Bridge) against the rapids and chute. Doug was an expert driver, but there were some pretty choppy rapids to contend with.
Going through the canyon was like being in one of those fabulous photos of canyon walls. I’m only 5’2” but I felt even smaller compared to the massive rock walls surrounding me.
Russian Island on the Fraser River in the Cariboo Chilcotin area, seen from a jet boat tour in BC, Canada.
We didn’t even get wet or bumped around much, but looking around at the rapids we were going through, Doug sure had to manoeuvre the boat decisively.
The river was so high when we arrived at the unloading spot, there was nowhere to dock. We ended up docking on a small patch of rocks and walked up to the Xat’sull Heritage Village.
What I liked:
Doug and Charlene were great hosts gave good commentary along the way.
Doug told us about “Russian Island,” where a Russian man lived but really didn’t talk to anyone. He left abruptly in the 1940s and no one knows anything about him. His house is still there, totally ransacked now.
It was a total blast going through the bumpy rapids of the Fraser River! A good preview for our whitewater rafting adventure tomorrow.
Cariboo Chilcotin Jet Boat Tours also does hiking, 4×4 van tours, sturgeon fishing and native culture tours.
2 Responses to Jet Boat Tour, Fraser River from Williams Lake
Dave Koster on April 23, 2010 at 7:43 am
Thanx so much for the info on Russian Island. I went to Williams Lake on Tuesday to get some lime for our garden here in Quesnel. I made several stops along the way looking for some arrowleaf balsam root plants to use for a native herbal product we make each year. On one stop I was overlooking Russian Island for the first time and noticed the structure there and wanted to know its history. I read your article and wish to say thank you. I grew up along the Fraser at Canoe Creek and have never ceased learning more info about the river and its people.
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Thanx so much for the info on Russian Island. I went to Williams Lake on Tuesday to get some lime for our garden here in Quesnel. I made several stops along the way looking for some arrowleaf balsam root plants to use for a native herbal product we make each year. On one stop I was overlooking Russian Island for the first time and noticed the structure there and wanted to know its history. I read your article and wish to say thank you. I grew up along the Fraser at Canoe Creek and have never ceased learning more info about the river and its people.
I’m so glad you found the info helpful. A bit of a strange story, isn’t it? There are so many little quirky things along the historic Fraser River