Bow River paddling pleasure spoiled

Reader Joel Duncan writes to say a canoe trip last Sunday on the Bow River was spoiled by “morons in speed boats.” Duncan is urging the province to ban all powerboats from our rivers. Photo, courtesy Jenelle Schneider/Calgary Herald/Files

Bow River paddling pleasure spoiled

Calgary Herald, Aug 29, 2015

Last Sunday, a friend and I made a canoe trip on the beautiful Bow River from Fish Creek Park to McKinnon Flats. The sun was bright as pelicans, cormorants, eagles, ospreys and gulls soared over and around us as we passed through. Warblers and catbirds sang from the willows and poplars along the way. Fish were jumping. Magical!

What was no fun at all was the utterly rude and inconsiderate behaviour of morons in speed boats (none wearing life-jackets, natch) who blasted past us only 20 feet away, throwing up a huge wake and nearly throwing us over twice! They did not give a damn. One boater looked back and smiled as we struggled to stay upright.

We passed many small fishing boats and they were terrific, but why does our province even tolerate big, honking powerboats on our rivers? If I’d caught up to the idiots at the takeout, there would have been consequences.

It’s gone too far. Ban all powerboats from our precious rivers.

Joel Duncan, Calgary

http://calgaryherald.com/…/lett…/letters-for-saturday-aug-29