Hello everyone, we just received a message from a paddler who was on the Kananaskis on Sunday June 6, 2010, who was had to deal with a jet boat going up the Kananaskis River section which is used for kayaking and rafting.

This is totally unacceptable and as a kayaking club which will be using the Kan from time to time, we should be concerned about this development.

Here is his initial report to the AWA:
>>>>> Quote >>>>>

Hello Everyone,

Today I went out with a group from Canmore on the Kananaskis River. A little after 1 pm we were surfing at the wave above Santa Claus when I heard a motor. I looked downstream, heard the engine rev up and saw a 20 foot motor boat came flying through the air, almost vertical. It landed and putted around in the pool above Santa Claus before driving upstream past us.

We were a little shocked. Not sure if what we saw was real, and wondering how it had gotten this far up river. Worried that it would be coming back, we kept looking upstream as we got back to our river run. Above green tongue we stopped to surf, and ran into some more paddlers who had seen the boat drive past. I was told that when the boat had come past it sped up the eddy before careening into the current to get up the green tongue. This was a little too close for comfort for most of the surfers and paddlers.

The motor boat, piloted by two men, came back downstream. A few whistle blows from the kayakers and everyone cleared middle of the river. The boat came towards to the green tongue and as they accelerated down the narrow gap a man onshore tossed a backpack sized boulder at the men. The boulder bounced off the top of the boat and looked like it hit one of the men in the head. There was an altercation between the man onshore and the motor boaters. The man then went up the bank and left. The boaters parked and roped their boat on river left and one pulled out his cellphone. Luckily the man did not look like he was bleeding or severely injured.

Our group left the scene and talked with some of the paddlers at the takeout. There was the impression that driving a motor boat up the river was legal. Conservation Officers arrived on scene and found the motor boaters but not the man who threw the rock.

Is driving a motor boat up the kananaskis legal?
Nobody wants to see anymore motorboats speeding past them on the river.

Thanks for your time,

Brace Lee
<<<< End Quote >>>>>>