Awesome thanks guys. Well it sounds like for the wife and I to go out on our own is do-able, in which case I would probably drive to Kilby and launch there and avoid the extra stress of going from Island -22 to the Harrison. I've never gone upriver from I-22 and I think I'll wait until someone shows me the channels first before I take my boat up there.
A member on this site offered to take me out on his boat if he goes out on Saturday, so that will be nice if it works out. If not I still have the other friend who knows the rivers well, but our days off never seem to line up and I doubt we will be able to line a day up before the salmon fishing is over.
I will take a look at google maps/earth and try to get a mental map of the river and where you guys are saying to stick to before I venture out there. Still, I think I will wait for a friend to take me first on their boat before I go in mine. A bit lame I know esp since we have a jet boat...but being new to the game at this point we are ultra conservative!! Looking forward to learning the rivers and the channels and down the road driving the safest routes with confidence