Jet along the Snake River with Dad
By Zac Sexton Argonaut StaffPhoto at right by Zac Sexton
An Aardvark sport boat on plane.
Dad's weekend is here. For an adventure, rent a jet boat and cruise the 160 miles of the lower Snake River.
The stretch of river includes recreation opportunities of: fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, viewing pictographs, swimming, sun bathing, watching wildlife and playing on the beach.
A jet boat has the motor and propeller on the inside of the craft. The propeller draws water through the hull and forces it out the back, powering the boat in the opposite direction.
This design allows a boater to go through much shallower water than one could with a motor and propeller on the outside of the boat.
Jet boats are well suited for the low-water conditions on the Snake River each fall.
By renting a jet boat, a boater can make up their own schedule, or no schedule at all, and just enjoy the water and scenery.
The only business in the area that rents jet boats is Aardvark's Adventure Co., owned by Rich Eggleston. Aardvark's is located on the eastern edge of Clarkston on the banks of the Snake River.
Aardvark's also rents and sells accessories that may be needed for a day's trip, such as: beach games, water-sport equipment, camp gear, beach chairs and coolers.
Two different styles of boats are available to rent. Both are 18 foot welded aluminum jet boats with 175 hp Mercury SportJet motors.
The boats can seat up to eight people. The sport model has an open design with a center console. It also has rod holders and a live well for fish.
The "cruiser" model has a covered bow and windshield. Although both pull skiers, this model may be better suited because of its superior wind protection.
Aardvark's offers a variety of packages for boat rental. During the fall and winter, it costs $150 for a half-day rental (five hours) and $20 for each hour after that. Other options include the Early Bird special, where a boater pays $50 to pick up the boat the day before the planned trip at 6 p.m.
The 160-river miles that may be traversed in an Aardvark's jet boat extends from Buffalo Eddy, down river to the Tri-Cities. Boaters with enough experience in a jet boat may go even further.
Aardvark's is not an outfitter. A boater will be left to their own water savvies when navigating the Snake. Boating etiquette and safety is explained before leaving the harbor.
Anyone 18-years-old with a driver's license can operate a jet boat from Aardvark's.
During the fall, a convenient plan as Eggleston explains, "is to have four people head up the Snake, drop two people off to hunt birds, then have the other two drift for steelhead and pick up the people on land at the end of the drift."
The party can continue to do this for miles, increasing the area one can hunt and fish, especially on the Idaho side of the Snake.
The only road heading up the lower part of the river is Washington State Highway 129. Those in possession of an Idaho fishing and/or hunting license are hard pressed to find good access to the river. In a jet boat, the entire canyon can be easily accessed.
While heading to a recreation area, Buffalo Eddy provides Nez Perce pictographs on rocks near the riverbank.
The large boulders surrounding the eddy are spotted with designs; at least where highway construction hasn't disturbed them. Viewing pictographs on both sides of the river is simple from a boat.
The lower part of the Snake River has many miles of river that are rarely visited. By utilizing the speed and durability of a jet boat, more of the Snake River can be explored and enjoyed than by any other means.
Check out Aardvark's Web site at www.aardvarksadventureco.com for other rental options and more information or call (509) 758-0108.NEWS | OPINION | ARTS | SPORTS | OUTDOORS
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