Has anyone ever been on a jet boat with a driver who believes they’re an extreme sports athlete? Well, just imagine you’re on a rollercoaster that doesn’t actually have a set track. At Shotover Jet Queenstown, you get to enjoy the adrenaline rush of these jet boat rides while taking in the beautiful surroundings of Arthurs Point. So hold on tight!
Shotover Jet Boats operate along the Shotover River, within a canyon that has been gradually eroded by rushing water. They are the only company permitted to operate within this particular part of the river, with their expert drivers performing exhilarating stunts like 360° spins. The engines and boats themselves have gone through a lot of upgrades for safety, performance and sustainability measures since 1965 when the company first opened. Beginning with a single-engine jet boat, Shotover Jet now uses twin V8 engines for maximum performance, and is now trialling 100% electric power with one of their jet boats.
Now it’s not much fun without watching the others scream their heads off before it’s our turn right? We had to work up the adrenaline! When we arrived, we were given the usual safety information and led down to the beach to watch the other jet boats before us having fun (or not much fun?) zooming past along the river. And trust me, it was LOUD! We were given our life jackets while we waited for our boat, and depending on the person, shook with excitement or fear. I think I had a bit of both, but it made the actual ride all the more exhilarating!
We hopped into the jet boat with our group. My parents and I got the seats behind the driver! What a score! And there weren’t too many more people to fill up the seats so it’s a fairly personal experience. Our driver was really cool too! He was a young fella, and very funny. I’m not sure if this meant we should’ve been scared or reassured by him driving the boat, but I love to see young people involved in these kinds of experiences.
Once everyone was seated, and we had gone through all the hand signals and safety information once again, we were off! Of course, our driver had to show off to the people who were standing on the beach waiting for their turn. But the way the jet boat went from stationary to zooming across the water in a matter of seconds is something I will never forget. I want to experience that feeling again so badly! I could feel the adrenaline in my body accelerate with the engine, my heartbeat rise with the speedometer, and I couldn’t help but scream every time the boat flew past every turn and corner.
I’m sure you could imagine how loud it would be, between the engine, the waves and the screams. So to let us know we were about to do a 360, aka hold on, our driver would wave his finger in a circle. Now this was the best part! You could feel all the blood rushing to one side of your body while you’re being thrown about. It was like the extreme version of a teacup ride, only with a bunch of water being splashed up at you. So yes, I’m very glad I left my phone and camera in the car for this one.
Now the boat ride itself was absolutely amazing! Probably the most fun thrill-wise I’ve had in a very long time. But the area we were in was stunning, I can’t forget that. It was definitely a little scary to be going that fast and doing tricks in a jet boat so close to the canyon walls, but when you can appreciate the beauty of the Shotover River from a stationary viewpoint, you’ll understand what I mean. There were a few moments when we were just sitting there in the boat, waiting for the other jetboats to zoom past, while our driver was asking where were from and what we do for a living. This is when we could really look around at the rushing blue water, towering canyon rocks and greenery above.
Of course, we couldn’t go home tomorrow without a souvenir, and my parents were obviously thinking the same thing! I bought a… “playful” t-shirt that I just couldn’t abandon, and my parents bought the photos and videos that were taken during our boat ride. That way, we can rewatch our experience whenever we want and remember the feeling of flying across the water. I hope I can feel like that again soon!
The photos in this post were taken by Shotover Jet during our jet boat ride.
For more information, visit https://www.shotoverjet.com/
The Travel Journal 
Leave a comment