CdB Forum
CdB Whitewater Paddling Club Discussions => Paddling => Topic started by: robert monti on September 29, 2010, 10:52:50 AM
-
So this rain is pushing Fish Creek up to low runnable on the AW gauge. Some NY boaters paddled it yesterday and posted it was a decent level. The forecast is for rain tomorrow and Friday but 17C. So it should be an awesome level for Friday. This is an epic 3+ play run (Cl 4 if the gauge is over 6), 9-10 miles, surf your face off on the fly, paddling mostly within a beautiful gorge with layered sedimentary walls and waterfalls pouring into the river as you paddle by.
Bill S is says he will book the day as he has some leave days to take. Adrian likely has the time and would come, but his passport is expired. Jim Forbes, I hope you are reading this because you said you wanted to get back there.
I'd love to get back there one more time this season. For me, it was like Costa Rica North.
Its about a 3.5 hour drive (1 hour south of Lowville) and 5-6 hours on the river depending how much you play, 1 portage around the dam and the rest is read and run.
The plan would be to leave Ottawa at 7 a.m., put on at 11sh, back home by 9sh, so you can still make your plans for Friday evening.
Although this is a Class III run, eddies are infrequent and I have read reports of very long swims and some have never recovered their boats after a swim. Personally I think if you have good river reading skills and good boat control you will have no issues.
Certainly, paddling on the weekend is great. But ditching your responsibilites for a day and going to play when you would otherwise be churning along in the daily grind is simply the best! These days its harder than ever to get away (and limping a little with a fracutured foot), but this river is outstanding and definitely worth it.
No doubt there are things you "should" do on Friday. But what do you WANT to do. Release your inner delinquent. Take a mental health day, whatever.
Trip will be confirmed on Thursday rain level dependent.
-
No promises but I am interested.
Which section?
-
East Branch - Point Rock to Taberg
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River_detail_id_1306
-
Hey Rob!
This is very interesting!! I am not working on Friday, so I don't even have to take a day off!! What to do? What to do?
Annie
-
Heuummmm....
Our drive from Montreal last Friday took us about 3.5hrs to reach the Taylorville park.
Likely a 4.5hrs drive then if no obstruction at the borders again...but not as likely.
Not sure if I can take Friday off as my boss just dumped one more project on my lap. Would be good retribution to take Friday off...
With all the levels going up, I'd like to do a new river this weekend.
Rob, last we spoke about this you said you regretted going in creek boats.
Still planning to go with a playboat?
LD
-
Drank the Koolaid and now have a Jackson Fun. After renting it three times I decided I liked it well enough to buy it.
-
Rob, if we have a team, I'm in!
So is Dirk, the C-1 guy.
Play boat or creek boat?
Jacques
613-601-3920
-
Wow. This sounds good. I think I may have to speak to my new boss to see if I can go...
-
I am in!! Let me know who's car pooling and whether I need to drive or not...
Sandra ;D
-
Trip is on. Its raining in Lowville with 50 mm expected and the Fish is at 3 and rising.
Meet at Bill Schlarb's house at 7:00 a.m. for carpooling. Remember your passports.
Confirmed paddlers so far:
Bill
Rob
Jacques
Dirk
Sandra
Annie?
Playboat run
-
Annie is in!!
-
P.S. What is Bill address again?
-
361 Viewmount Drive
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=361+Viewmount,+ottawa,+ontario&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=24.798937,55.458984&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=361+Viewmount+Dr,+Ottawa,+Ottawa+Division,+Ontario+K2E+7E6&ll=45.350879,-75.715005&spn=0.00659,0.01354&z=16&iwloc=A
Adrian's passport came in and is joining our motley crue. It's raining hard in NY and the water is rising. Game ON!
-
OK, the rain was crazy! Instead of low runnable, the Fish jumped overnight. At the time of our meeting it was over seven feet (hmmm a bit higher than I would like) but later that morning it was at 8.5 feet and still going up. It went up to an estimated 30 year high of more than 10 feet on Friday (about 4 feet higher than I would be comfortable running it). Pulaski NY declared a state of emergency. The take out ladder was partially washed out that day. Locals were saying stay away. All kinds of river gauges were coded "blue" on the AW site (above recommended). The Indy went up over 2000. The highest I have ever run the Indy is 1000 and usually its in the 600s when I run it.
But how would we know? We were in our cars headed to the river.
Fortunately, I got a helpful "heads up" call on the off the chart high water from Bill S. Bill had to cancel on the morning of our trip and he kept watch on the gauges at home. We ran through the options bearing in mind we were with play boats not river runners or creekers (the Moose was up over 7 ft) and so our group of seven paddlers (Annie, Sandra, Ken, Jacques, Adrian, Dirk and myself) made a course correction en route over to the St. Regis Silver Staircase (Larry W has talked about this run for sometime but never done it, he he he!).
Sweet 12 k continuous Class III run, surf waves to catch on the fly, one Class IV rapid that is easily portaged and with only 100 meters of flat water. It's located just west of Potsdam NY and about 2 hrs from Ottawa. We put in at a park and we took out at a roadside park, complete with picnic tables and fire pit.
Great fall run with a great group and finished off with pizza from the wood fired ovens at Mamma Lucia's in Potsdam.
Can't ask for better than that when playing hooky. But I just want to publicly say thanks in a big way to our thoughtful and vigilant Bill who made the call and so we had not just a fun day but a safe one.
Quite some time ago when I took up paddling my wife said no problem as long as I joined a club where people look out for each other. Friday was a great example of that. Thanks Bill!
-
I agree.
Get that foot fixed Bill, we miss you on the river!
-
Oooh... And we're thinking about going to Moosefest. Will it be a repeat of that famous high water year (2006?), see Ben Aylsworth's video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta0vZVmKeeE
We'll see I suppose... --C.
-
Yes! Thanks Bill. and Rob. The St. Regis was perfect for me. I would have never continued to paddle if it wasn't for my cdb family!
Any one missing a brown towel?
-
does anyone lke to do it again this weekend? sunday or monday?
Daniel
-
According to the AWA website, the St. Regis is running at 2.36 ft which is below their recommended minimum level of 2.5'.
From our previous runs, 3.0' is probably the minimum for an enjoyable trip. Last Friday it peaked at 4.61'
Bill
-
Thanks Bill
I have to find a plan B to enjoy the nice weather!
Daniel