5/22/2008 at 11:30 AM
Tags: Summer-Vacations-With-An-Edge, Summer Travel, Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, Waterfalls (all tags)
Yes, you've seen Niagara Falls before, but have you ever ventured over the edge in a barrel? No? Here's a tour that's the next best thing--and probably a lot safer.
Available on either the Canadian or American side of the border, Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours offer a ride in the rapids just before you would otherwise plummet to your death below. The 1,500 hp boats go up to 65 mph during the tour, and stop just short of the falls at a rough patch of class six rapids. The less adventurous can choose an enclosed vessel for the 60-minute journey, but for the full experience take one of the "Wet Jets" and get soaked.
The ticket will set you back $56, but they're hiring for the summer season so maybe you can work for some free rides. After you've changed into some dry clothes, go grab a bite to eat at one of the, uh, "wonderful" restaurants on Clifton Hill.
Related Stories:
· Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours [Official Site]
· Summer Vacations with an Edge coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: wjklos]
by kjb
9/11/2007 at 12:45 PM
Tags: Hawaii Travel, Waterfalls, Kauai Travel (all tags)
Adventure travelers already know that Kauai is Hawaii's best bet for waterfalls, and that it's blessed with copious rainfall (making Mount Waialeale one of the wettest places on Earth). But most of those waterfalls are on private property. And while waterfalls may be pretty to look at, they aren't necessarily as safe as plunge pools.
With guidebooks printing detailed maps for bushwhacking through private property to get to these waterfalls, Kauai's cataracts have gotten crowded and, according to the rescue workers in Kauai County, dangerous. The worst offender is probably Puhi Falls, a mild-looking waterfall just 20 feet high--that still manages to send one jumper a day to the local hospital.
The guidebooks have likely resulted in two off-the-beaten-path deaths already, albeit not at Puhi, after falling off a trail to some hidden cascades. County officials are incensed, as are private landowners, but that's not yet stopping the popularity of Kauai's plentiful falls.
Alex Salkever is the editor/founder of Hawaii travel blog Hawaiirama.com
Related Stories:
· Two Hikers Die on Kauai [Hawaiirama]
· Danger Lurking in Beauty [Star Bulletin]
[Photo: eNil]
by ASalkever
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