August 25th of this year is going to see the 100th Anniversary of the National Parks Services, celebrated with the debut run of the first ever electric raft in the Colorado River region.
It’s a fitting way to mark the centennial anniversary of a service which has stood for nature from the very beginning. The electric raft, named Helios after the Greek god of the sun, has no emissions, no contamination, and greatly reduces noise pollution. Helios is designed to become the raft of the next generation: clean, green, eco-friendly and responsible towards the planet.
“We believe in sustaining the Colorado River for future generations that will visit long after we are gone,” says Korey Seyler of Colorado River Discovery, the privately owned family business that runs the rafts.
This isn’t the first time Korey Seyler has worked towards a greener rafting experience. Through extensive training programs for its employees, Colorado River Discovery has reduced fuel emissions in its conventional rafts by up to 20%. The company also uses a Smart Greens System program, which focuses on education and recycling.
Helios is powered by German-based Torqeedo’s Deep Blue propulsion system, a method that has taken nearly ten years to research and develop for the electric raft.
The Bureau of Reclamation, Page Utility Enterprise, Glen Canyon Dam, and the Western Area Power Administration all contributed with the installation of a station where the raft can dock and recharge its batteries. The power will be drawn from the Glen Canyon Dam power plant, a source of renewable and clean hydroelectric energy.
In January 2016, the US Coast Guard officially certified Helios as stable, reliable and ready for her maiden voyage. The electric raft has also been registered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Since Colorado River Discovery first began its rafting tours in 2006, $1.50 of each ticket sold has gone towards the creation of a zero-pollution raft. It’s been the vision and creation of a decade. As Seyler said: “It will be the first of its kind on the Colorado River, producing zero emissions, exponentially reducing waste products that could pollute the environment or disrupt the climate.” The stunning and scenic Colorado River is worth every penny of it.
The vision doesn’t end with a single electric raft. From now on, every $10.00 received from Helios’s tours with go towards Northern Arizona University’s School for Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, which has just established the Colorado River Discovery Fund Research Award. The award with provide up to $5,000 per year for research projects furthering the program. “Colorado River Discovery is focused on making environmentally friendly choices and respecting this national resource,” says Korey Seyler, stating a visualisation that is shared by the whole company.
Colorado River Discovery offers half-day and full-day trips along the Glen Canyon, one of the most spectacular areas in Northern America. Thanks to Helios, this impressive trip will be made available in such a way that the magnificent beauty of the river is preserved and the environment respected. Helios is an exciting beginning to a new era on the Colorado River.
