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[Dave]

I also was near-swamped this past Sept fishing/wading below the highway bridge.....when probably the very same jet roared up the west channel, in skinny water, at full throttle not more than 30m from me, causing huge waves/wake to crash into me and the bank. It was all I could do to keep my balance....I was pissed especially after they did the same coming down with absolutely zero regard for theirs or anyone else's safety. I actually wished they would have run aground or something. 

That lady was lucky....I've seen/talked to her often over the years during her daily wades around Hopedale below Browne Rd run.....could have been tragic for sure.

It's just a matter of when a serious accident or fatality happens with these boats. I summer at the Vedder River campground and spend considerable time at the river.  The amount of inconsiderate jet boat drivers is hard to believe; often 5 or 6 a day (or night).  Like you LL, I keep hoping for the explosion or sound of serious running aground.
Imo, the speed restriction is an easy fix for what is becoming a real problem.

[bigblockfox]

with a how popular the vedder/chilliwack has become for all recreational users i can see the need to close it for recreational boating. i think a hwy 1 closure would be appropriate as raplh stated earlier. i do not take boating closures lightly because its paves way for other waters to have similar restrictions. they have been lobbying to have similar restrictions on the upper pitt which i do not support.

i had a 20 foot custom weld which i sold a few months back and i never felt the need to go pass hwy 1. the shore access for the vedder is excellent. i also understand people enjoy jet boating but i think their are better waters with less population to avoid such outcomes.

also would like to add for people that dont know, the faster a boat travels in the water the less wake it will make because less of the boat is actually in the water. the wake my custom weld made was larger at 5mph than is was at 35mph. also when operating a jet boat, one can not slow down while travelling in shallow water. once you come off throttle the boat will come off step and be stranded so to me a speed restriction is not the right course of action.

[GENERAL-SHERMAN]

I don’t haven’t problem with it. But only when the waters up and they stay out of the shallows and backchannels. The Spawning salmon and the eggs that aren’t washed away by the morphology of the high winter waters Are my only concern.  They can’t really make it past Osborne road. The fact that there hasn’t been A ton of issues Other than winey anglers  shows that they are probably being pretty respectful, at least for the most part . I think the summer tubers and drunken idiots in the high waters are far more at risk of drowning or getting into Serious trouble in unfamiliar waters than most boaters. Not to mention the garbage left behind after they leave. Maybe a high water or seasonal regulation would be best 🤷‍♂️ . keep them off the river from aug- nov/dec above the hiway bridge. Maybe a  2.2 /2.4 crossing Graph minimum water Level for boating  .

[Dave]

also when operating a jet boat, one can not slow down while travelling in shallow water. once you come off throttle the boat will come off step and be stranded so to me a speed restriction is not the right course of action.

Exactly why a speed restriction would work.  Jet boats can't operate as they were meant to operate at low speed.

[bigblockfox]

recreational jet boaters dont care about water levels nor about run timing for spawning salmon. for them, the skinner the better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JffYimeb8y8

speed restriction is just a fancy way of saying no powerboats.

[RalphH]

speed restrictions are commonly ignored. I anyone thinks the RCMP will quickly respond to a speeding jet boat there are mistaken. The culprit will be up and down the river and gone before they have a boat on the river.

[Hike_and_fish]

I'm all for a boat ban above the hwy bridge. However, I'd like to see a Fishing From Shore ban bellow the hwy bridge as well. This year was the worst for bank fishermen Drifting roe  bellow the bridge. One day there were gues lined up from the bridge all the way down to the Sumas canal. Tangled lines everywhere. It was a total mess. There were 6 boats all launched at 5am just ti get a spot. We anchored in the middle casting towards the bank. One hour later and the bank people showed up and you had folks Drifting roe on one side and 30 feet across was boat guys casting lures. Total gong show. F bombs flying, one jet boat pulled anchor and swamped two guys in the bankwith his pump.

[iblly]

All that for a coho. Krazy.

[Rodney]

Sounds like a typical lovely morning in Chilliwack. 😆

[roeman]

I'm all for a boat ban above the hwy bridge. However, I'd like to see a Fishing From Shore ban bellow the hwy bridge as well.

Absolutely Brilliant...  Also ban purple and black jigs, hooks with a sharp point and fishing rods no longer then 6 feet

[kanuckle head]

Never in my lifetime I thought I would ever see this. Prayers to all those in Sumas prairie affected

 

[RalphH]

OMG! Tell me this is somehow faked and isn't true! I can't understand this sort of brazen behavior in the midst of tragedy.

Where were they even able to launch those boats? You'd think any sensible person would stay away from a disaster zone unless the search and rescue people had asked for assistance.

[dennisK]

OMG! Tell me this is somehow faked and isn't true! I can't understand this sort of brazen behavior in the midst of tragedy.

Where were they even able to launch those boats? You'd think any sensible person would stay away from a disaster zone unless the search and rescue people had asked for assistance.

Have you ever been to the "valley". Reason #1 I could never live there. Sense is in a deficit.

[Jamier]

I don't believe they are out for a joy ride, but, to help rescue those that are stranded in homes and vehicles.  I hope this is the case.

[RalphH]

I don't believe they are out for a joy ride, but, to help rescue those that are stranded in homes and vehicles.  I hope this is the case.

Certainly I hope so as well. However the photo looks to be taken by a drone and links back to what is apparently a personal account on Imgur.com.