Today we say hello to a few of the Jungle skippers with whom I shared the dock during my Disneyland tenure. Above is Jerry, one of the longest-serving skippers. Oddly enough, he started on the Jungle Cruise the year AFTER I first left my job as a skipper. Jerry has been a skipper since 1988 and is rarely actually seen in a Jungle boat these days, preferring to main the Jungle Central office (pictured below) as a lead.
Below is a "last day" photo showing this blog's chief contributor (i.e., me) along the walkway that leads from Back Stage to the Jungle dock.
And next is another photograph from my last day:
It looks like they let me into the Tiki Room to open and close the show a couple times while covering for one of the regular cast members who had to attend a meeting. It was tough to say good-bye to my friends Michael, Jose, Pierre, Fritz and, of course, the "Magic Fountain." I'm relatively certain that we'll meet again.
Paul at the helm. We did time on Parade and in the Jungle. I got an early release, but he's still serving the last I heard. Never went on his boat, but his spiel at the dock gives me the impression you would have a great time with Paul as your guide.
Ashley, a true "Disney" Cast Member if ever there was one!
Tim at the controls of the Yangtze, with his holstered .38 and ammo box at the ready, even though he is safely at the dock. You can never be too careful.
Siobahn and Gill, two of our illustrious Skippers, standing at the Jungle Central counter at the end of the shift. Note the ammo box from the boat (wooden) and the spent ammo box (metal) on the counter, along with the leather tethers or leashes that we clip to our guns when they are on the boat and when we carry the guns back to the office.
Jose and Tim, adventurous and daring, take a moment for a photograph at the entrance to Jungle Central near the end of our shift. I spent a lot of time with these characters (both in the Jungle and while working Parade shifts), but I am happy to report that the long-term damage to my psyche has been limited (from what the specialists are able to determine thus far).
As can be seen in the photo above, despite expert intervention from mental health professionals, I was still prone to brandishing firearms while on Disney property (as were seemingly ALL of my Jungle compatriots for that matter).
By the way, old skippers never die...
...they just get sent to boat storage.
Auf wiedersehen meine freunde!
And next is another photograph from my last day:
It looks like they let me into the Tiki Room to open and close the show a couple times while covering for one of the regular cast members who had to attend a meeting. It was tough to say good-bye to my friends Michael, Jose, Pierre, Fritz and, of course, the "Magic Fountain." I'm relatively certain that we'll meet again.
Paul at the helm. We did time on Parade and in the Jungle. I got an early release, but he's still serving the last I heard. Never went on his boat, but his spiel at the dock gives me the impression you would have a great time with Paul as your guide.
Ashley, a true "Disney" Cast Member if ever there was one! 
Tim at the controls of the Yangtze, with his holstered .38 and ammo box at the ready, even though he is safely at the dock. You can never be too careful.
Siobahn and Gill, two of our illustrious Skippers, standing at the Jungle Central counter at the end of the shift. Note the ammo box from the boat (wooden) and the spent ammo box (metal) on the counter, along with the leather tethers or leashes that we clip to our guns when they are on the boat and when we carry the guns back to the office.
Jose and Tim, adventurous and daring, take a moment for a photograph at the entrance to Jungle Central near the end of our shift. I spent a lot of time with these characters (both in the Jungle and while working Parade shifts), but I am happy to report that the long-term damage to my psyche has been limited (from what the specialists are able to determine thus far).
As can be seen in the photo above, despite expert intervention from mental health professionals, I was still prone to brandishing firearms while on Disney property (as were seemingly ALL of my Jungle compatriots for that matter).By the way, old skippers never die...
...they just get sent to boat storage.Auf wiedersehen meine freunde!
