By Stephanie Edwards

One-of-a-kind would be the most accurate way to describe the Tennessee Aquarium’s newest attraction — the River Gorge Explorer.

The boat crew navigated the boat from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. to Chattanooga, a 1,500-mile trip, just in time for its maiden journey through the Tennessee River Gorge on June 19.

Representatives from the media, the Tennessee Aquarium and the River Gorge Trust were aboard for this journey, in order to find out what makes the Explorer so special.

“It’s a jet boat, and it’s sinfully fast. The engines are test engines from Caterpillar,” said Mike Hosemann, one of the boat’s captains.

Hosemann continued to explain that the boat’s current engines, two Caterpillar C-18 engines, would be sent back to Caterpillar for testing. Then, the boat would be given its permanent engines.

The Explorer is a catamaran, meaning it has twin hulls or main vessel bodies. It also has two jet drives. The boat’s design allows it to go fast, 50 mph, without creating large wakes. This helps prevent damage to the shoreline and is less  likely to disturb other boaters on the water.

Plus, if the captains encounter a serious emergency when they need to stop on a dime, they can.

“We had to go to Seattle for special training for high speed operation, and we have four backups for the main system. No expense was spared to make it best,” Hosemann said.

“It has 3,500 horse power, which is enough to tow 17 large barges.”

Those who are not easily impressed by technology may enjoy a trip through the River Gorge, simply for the potential wildlife sightings.

Some of the most common sightings include wild turkeys, osprey, deer and river otters.

The gorge is home to 184 species of birds, 63 species of mammals and 193 species of butterflies. A naturalist from the Tennessee Aquarium will be on board during all voyages through the gorge to point out the area’s diverse wildlife population.

This natural wonder winds along 26 miles of the Tennessee River and features more than 27,000 acres of land.

Along the winding gorge, Explorer passengers will see natural historic landmarks such as William’s Island. Archaeologists have found evidence that suggests human life on the island as much as 15,000 years ago.

The Explorer can accommodate up to 70 passengers per trip, and the crew is planning to offer five trips a day during the busy summer season.

Current admission is $25 for adults and $17.50 for children. However, prices are subject to change due to rising fuel costs.

The River Gorge Explorer launches from the Chattanooga Pier, which is directly behind the Tennessee Aquarium.

To get to the Tennessee Aquarium and the River Gorge Explorer from Knoxville take the following directions:

•Take I-75 South toward Chattanooga
•Take the I-24 West Birmingham/Chattanooga split
•Take the U.S. 27 North Exit
•Take exit 1C, turn right on 4th Street
•Turn left onto Broad Street
•Go two blocks, and you will see the aquarium.
Parking is available in numerous paid lots.
For more information, visit www.tnaqua.org.