'Eagle' makes a splash at Silverwood
Andrew Pappas smiles and Darren Fruhwirth raises his fist in triumph after they were the first riders to finish Eagle Hunt, the new water roller coaster at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
Riders soar around a turn on Eagle Hunt, the new water ride at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
Riders are pushed upward on Eagle Hunt, the new water roller coaster at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
An eagle looks over the crowd as people wait in line to ride Eagle Hunt at the grand opening of the Emerald Forest at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
Christopher Perez and daughter Brooklyn react after riding Eagle Hunt at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
Riders on Eagle Hunt come down the final stretch on Saturday.
Jessica Pappas and son Adam Pappas enjoy Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Riders close in on the finish line on Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Riders react as they soar down Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Lifeguard Josiah Ungos steadies rafts for riders on Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Riders come around a turn and enter a tunnel on Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Andrew Pappas grinned and Darren Fruhwirth raised his fist in triumph. Victory belonged to the two friends after being not only among the first riders on Eagle Hunt, but the fastest.
“I loved it,” Pappas said after emerging from the water coaster that opened Saturday at Silverwood Theme Park. "I like how you go down, but you got pushed back up and just kept going.”
“I loved the racing part,” he added.
A soaked but smiling Fruhwirth agreed.
“It was super fun,” he said.
The grand opening of Emerald Forest, an addition to Boulder Beach, attracted hundreds of kids and adults on a spectacular, sunny day with temperatures topping 80 degrees.
The $15 million project covering four acres included Salmon Run splash pad area that features several slides for kids. The new food pavilion, Rapids Grill, will be able to serve 1,200 guests per hour, while Northern Flights will provide beverages. Pavilions and cabanas are available, too.
The main attraction was Eagle Hunt, billed as the first dueling water coaster on the West Coast and capable of handling 720 riders per hour.
Silverwood said it’s not only the longest water slide in Boulder Beach, but the longest in the nation.
“It was exhilarating,” Jessica Pappas said, after riding with son Adam, who said Eagle Hunt was “super cool.”
Two, two-person rafts are released at the same time from a tower standing 50 feet high. Each glides down its own set of tunnels and turns, racing against each other and the clock.
Each side of Eagle Hunt is 925 feet long and riders descend in a series of curves, rises and drops in about 45 seconds to the finish line.
Silverwood owner Gary Norton said Emerald Forest is their largest major expansion in years and likely won’t be the last.
“I’m pretty excited about getting it going,” he said after a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Norton said they were initially planning only on adding Rapids Grill to keep up with demand for meals.
“While we’re at it, why don’t we add some more attractions?” Norton suggested.
He said the park’s growth since it opened in 1988 was nothing he ever expected.
“I didn’t have any idea,” he said. “I was just having fun building a small little park. Do it right and it just took off.”
Norton chuckled when asked if he would be giving Eagle Hunt a try.
“No, there’s going to be a long line of kids. This is for them,” he said.
Splashes, screams and smiles marked Eagle Hunt as riders roared down, got drenched, then hustled to get back in line.
“It was amazing,” said Christopher Perez after riding Eagle Hunt with his daughter, Brooklyn. “It was very cold, but amazing.”
Kaityn Crider and her daughter, Nakenna, were equally thrilled.
“It takes you in turns where you don’t expect it and it launches you up, and all the water from the launch just drenches you as you go around the next corner,” Kaitlyn said.
“Worth the wait, for sure,” she said.
Paul Norton, Silverwood operations manager, was pleased to see so many people enjoying Eagle Hunt.
“This is a really well-done ride, and I’m super excited to see the enthusiasm today,” he said.
With school out and the summer tourism season beginning, Paul Norton said Silverwood is bracing for big crowds.
“We’re ready for them,” he said.
Riders soar around a turn on Eagle Hunt, the new water ride at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
Riders are pushed upward on Eagle Hunt, the new water roller coaster at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
An eagle looks over the crowd as people wait in line to ride Eagle Hunt at the grand opening of the Emerald Forest at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
Christopher Perez and daughter Brooklyn react after riding Eagle Hunt at Silverwood Theme Park on Saturday.
Riders on Eagle Hunt come down the final stretch on Saturday.
Jessica Pappas and son Adam Pappas enjoy Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Riders close in on the finish line on Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Riders react as they soar down Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Lifeguard Josiah Ungos steadies rafts for riders on Eagle Hunt on Saturday.
Riders come around a turn and enter a tunnel on Eagle Hunt on Saturday.