Shipwreck

Apparently not everyone on the river ride comes through unscathed. Here we encounter a shipwreck of earlier explorers along with a deserted campsite. Dick Kraus fabricated this boat with scraps and leftovers from various parts of the park. He was called upon many times to create things from thin air with no budget. This scene represents one of those occasions. After the boat passes the shipwreck, the riverboat guide announces that Fort Bowie should be coming into view momentarily. Instead, the boat approaches what appears to be a wall of solid rock! A waterfall then comes into view, and the river boat slowly enters the cave portion of the ride. The waterfall didn't always stop as planned when a boat passed through, necessitating a vinyl covering on the roof of the boat. After the waterfall, the cave doors opens and the boat enters the pitch black interior of the tunnel. Soon the passengers see fireflies, an illuminated treasure chest, and then a skeleton playing a stone carved organ. The skull was cleverly designed to create the illusion of looking over its right shoulder as the boat approached, and then over its left shoulder as the boat moved away through the tunnel. Dick Kraus created the illusion by splitting the skull into a "V" shape and placing it with the rear of the skull facing the river. Thus the illusion of the skull watching passengers coming and going was achieved without any moving parts involved. The next sight in the tunnel is the appearance of three "ghosts" made with wire frames with plastic coverings that shot around on guide wires. The riverboat then exits the tunnel and enters the port at Ft. Bowie. Note that below the hull of the shipwreck to the left on the bank is a white rock. The rock is a fake made by Mr. Kraus. He took a boulder from his front yard and made a fiberglass mold of it, and then painted and placed it so as to hide the photocell "eye" that tripped the stopping of the waterfall. You may click on the derelict vessel for a close-up view.