Water amusement ride

A method of transporting a water amusement ride participant from a first elevation to a second, higher elevation, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a transport device having a spiral transport element extending between said first and second elevations;
• receiving a water ride participant and a given quantity of water from a pool at a first end section of said spiral transport element while said first end section is at said first elevation;
• transporting said water ride participant and said given quantity of water via said spiral transport element from said first elevation to said second elevation;
• and
• releasing said participant and said given quantity of water from a second end section of said spiral transport element at said second elevation.

A water ride comprising:

• a downward sloping element having an upper surface over which water flows and upon which a participant is capable of moving under the influence of gravity from a first end of said sloping element to a second, lower end of said sloping element, said second, lower end being located generally at a first elevation and said first end being located generally at a second, higher elevation;
• a pool of water located generally at said first elevation;
• and,
• a spiral transport device for retrieving a given quantity of water from said pool and transporting said water to said second elevation where said water is released at said first end of said sloping element.