CdB Forum
CdB Whitewater Paddling Club Discussions => Paddling => Topic started by: JohnCyr on July 12, 2012, 08:49:12 AM
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Good Morning all.
I know quite a few paddlers on here have been wanting to run the Sisters "one day" since they started paddling..Well..I know I do... I also think some of us have done it previously.
In the past year, levels havent really been cooperative when it came to having a low friendly level for the falls. They are currently running at 19 cms and I think right now would be a good time to get a solid crew together and give it a good hard look and perhaps give it a go!
Reliable safety equipment and paddlers with SRT training or at least some experience with live bait and throw rope would be necessary or preferable although if some less experienced paddlers are keen on running the Gauntlet only and acting as spectators/photographers for the falls, feel free to tagg along.
Here are a video of the falls at similar levels which I would call a IV-IV+ at the most. Lines are large, safety is easily set up on most drops and pools are somewhat large enough as well!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLnzv7ycG48
If you are interested in running the falls, please post here and we can decide a date/time and set up a crew and possibly head ou there next weekend?
Cheers!
JN
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I'd be in.
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this weekend im going on the ottawa river but if you go there next week-end below 20 m3s im in.
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Yeah! I meant the weekend of the 21-22! Ill see you all on the Ottawa this weekend and we can discuss this! :)
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I might be free for a day on the weekend of 21 July. Not positive, but if I am, I'd be down for a lap or 2!
jer
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I'd likely be game when the day comes. The 21st would likely work for me, but I'm flexible.
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I'm interested. I've run sister 1 and 7 many times. I led the 2nd group ever to run all 7 falls in August 1989. (Guides from Nouveau Monde Rafting completed the 1st run 2 weeks prior).
On that my 1st run of Sister 2, I was proceeding slowly and accurately. I was on track 13 metres before the brink, a meter from brushing against rocky shoals on my left, aiming to boof the brink protruding left of centre. The target portion of the fall was out of sight just below the horizon line formed by an undercut incline just before the brink. The diagonal wave feeding the crevasse was now in view. Approximately 10 metres just before the brink, a tiny whirlpool with a center hole <15 mm diameter appeared 2? metres off, at 2 o'clock. Then, 3 seconds later the whirlpool suddenly opened up to 5 metres in diameter with 45? sides. It drained most of the river's flow, from up and downstream. It was as if a plug had been pulled out of the river bottom. In less than a second, my boat, slid right and then bow-first down through the whirlpool's centre hole. Instantly I was engulfed. I would not be making it to the brink! In the second it took for me to be sucked off the surface, I barely had time to position my paddle bow to stern on the deck of my boat and lean back to protect myself from possible severe impact. I went down down down, bow first through smooth gentle water with air bubbles. 2 seconds later, and to my great surprise my boat's bow gently tapped the bottom. It was pitch black. My boat remained vertical. The current was now more turbulent and seemed to flow down around me. I kept my paddle tight against the deck of my boat to make sure it would not get torn from me. The flow caused my boat to oscillate vertically and gently tap the bottom every two seconds or so. I rotated my torso and outstretched one arm and then the other but did not feel any rocks. After 8 to 10 seconds my boat began to float up hull first with my body acting as a keel. My lungs were beginning to argue with my brain. Air was short. My boat and I continued to rise. (Meanwhile my safety team had begun to worry at my total disappearance.) As the bottom of my boat finally broke the surface, it was immediately pounded by a heavy force of falling water. As my boat moved left, the pounding moved off to the right, and my left shoulder brushed against a rock face. I now knew exactly where I was. I was against the slab of rock immediately below the falls, just slightly river left of the point of alternate flows and to river right of the drops' major crevasse. While I was set up to roll, and my lungs screamed "give me air", I hung on, and used my body as an underwater sail to drag my boat and I away from the falls. As soon as the pounding of falling water sounded a few meters off, I rolled up, and inhaled deeply. I was well positioned in the upper center left of the pool between Sisters 2 and 3. For subsequent runs of Sister 2, a new plug seemed in place, as the whirlpool above was gone.
While my other 7 Sister runs have been personally less eventful, I've seen others endure major life altering carnage of misjudgements at Sister 7, including to a former CdB president, and a former ORR president. I've done a bow rescue of a very skilled former CdB, ORR member out of the ledge hole of Sister 1 drop. Appreciating possible consequences at certain water levels, rather than running each drop I've sometimes just done safety of some drops while running others, while other kayakers more fearless (or crazy!) than me, have done all 7 waterfall drops. Other times, I've been the only one running any of the drops, and then only Sisters 1 and 7. I've been part of an unsuccessful dead body search, 5 minutes after a victim disappeared. There are hidden crevasses, slabs and boulders on the river bottom, that form major strainers, that can trap and drown victims in and out of their boats. This includes a hole at the bottom of Sister 5, caused by a slab hidden in the downstream pillow. There at low water levels, more water goes under the slab than goes over. The 7 Sisters Rouge River section in not for those without solid paddling ability, water reading ability, excellent depth perception, and a safety crew. Before each run, all need to scout and confer about every drop to ensure all hazzards and fall back routes and options are identified, and appropriate rescues are planned with people prepositioned, and briefed and clear on what to do in each situation. The roar of the moving water makes communication difficult between safety positions. If you are not willing to surf Hero's wave just above Phil's hole on the Ottawa, you should not be running Sisters 2-6. Still those running would very much appreciate additional members on the safety crew. My runs of sisters 2-6 were all with less water than the video above.
If going, I'd like to car pool, and pay my share, leaving my gas guzzler in town. I'd be willing to share the driving. I carry a significant 1st aid kit, and large diameter floating rope in a throw bag. I also can supply 2 or 3 of those without throw ropes, large diameter floating throw ropes they can use. (Some such ropes may still be available at Princess Auto in the east end, though a formal floating throw rope in a bag is the preferred option.)
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Well that scares me.
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Don't let it. Shit happens on every river, at any level. Trust your ability, decide on that, not on what happened to someone else
Just the way I think about paddling
jer
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Yes, shit happens.
And over 30 years of paddlings, a lot of shit must have happened.
Doug's always make for interesting reading.
Just like rock climbing has evolved, paddling is evolving as well.
When I started to rock climb, 30 years ago, some of the more experienced climbers were still using metal spikes in the thread of their summer climbing boots as it was custumary by the Alpine guides for almost a century before. We arrived and we were in pink and baby blue spandex and upside down in bizarre positions...(Don't let your imagination runs too wildly), with tight light climbing shoes now used everywhere and our Friends were made by an MIT aerospace engineer out of aircraft grade aluminium.
UIAA Grade VI gave way to 5.10, 5.11, 5.12 and now up to 5.14 or maybe even 5.15.
My point is that generations are leap-frogging each other.
Equipment is better, techniques are improving and their use more spred.
(Compare a Dancer to a modern Creek boat when going over a waterfall... 8-)
Don't get me wrong, we need to learn and capitalize from our older peers or predecessors.
But techniques on leaping from the top of waterfalls is more widely practiced and to a much significant extreme.
(The record is 189feet, btw.) Knowledge is spreading.
I have run a few waterfalls (in Quebec, Chili and Costa Rica, up to 33 feet) and am still learning, but I read and listen... and then I try... within an acceptable set of conditions:
- Sufficient safety
- My good shape and knowledge
- Appropriate equipment - a playboat is not recommended unless you are Ben Marr or someone of the sort.
The 7 Sisters waterfall are not a playground to learn your first boof or the difference between a Pencil and a Boof.
But, at the current level, with good coaching and safety in place, the 7 Sisters are a fun playground for solid intermediate paddlers to expand their horizons. If your roll is spotty, just come to watch; good education anyhow.
LD
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More or less my thoughts exactly, Louis!
jer
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Where do we stand on this little waterfall outing for this coming weekend?
With the flux of new members I do not know everyone who would be good candidates, but a few names come to mind in no specific order:
- JohnCyr
- JeremyP
- Bastien et Daniel
- Rob Monti and Adrian
- Dr Christian - to calculate trajectories
- Todd
- Jack
You would need a creek boat or a long and voluminous river runner - Diesel, Blunt, GT, FunRunner - versus a playboat or even a Jackson Fun.
Have basic knowledge:
- solid roll
- how to do a boof
- difference between a pencil and boof entry
Basic experience from some easier drops
- Quyon
- seal launch before the last 7 sisters
- Rentier fall on Assumption
- fall on Great Chazy
- top falls on Mosiers section on the Beaver
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Again, agreed.
Sunday morning-mid day would be MUCh better for me then saturday.
Thoughts?
jer
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presently the level for the rouge its at 26 m3s
I never see all of the seven falls but the best for me its the lower water level
I think for a first time on this section -15 m3s its the best.
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my first time on it was around 30 I think, it was fine, Bast, you'll be good. There are good trails for walking anything you don't like the look of
jer
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good for me ! sunday afternoom its a good time,
and we need a good crew like more than 3 boaters.
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Sathurday I will be at Mtl and like to go on La Rouge sunday
I will not do the falls but I could take pics of you! :)
let me know the exact time or Bastien envoi moi un texto sur mon cell!
Daniel
819 635 5876
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Im going to have to say that im am out for Sunday. I have to work. :(
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I unfortunatly can't paddle this weekend either.
Sorry guys
jer
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Bon, on a perdu JN et Jeremy.
Le niveau redescend doucement et est maintenant en bas de 25; c'esr bon. 8)
On a Bastien, moi et possiblement Doug, et Coolfarmer aussi en ground crew.
La derniere fois que je les ai faites, on etait 2; mais 3 ou 4 c'est mieux.
Bastien, est-ce que ton Daniel viendrait aussi?
Je cheque de mon cote ici si on a d'autres partant...
LD
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louisD non daniel est pas pr?t du tous pour des chutes encore,
de toute facon en perdant Jeremy Poulin et JN j'avais comme mit l'affaire de cot?
et j'avais pens? aller voir ma famille au QC
le best sa serais d'organiser une autre fds pour les chutes ou que l'on pourrait rassembler le plus de kayakiste
parce que a 2 c'est sur que je fais pas sa.
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Yes.. Moi en bas de 25cms ca fait mon affaire! Jai off Vendredi Samedi et Dimanche le 27-28-29 alors cet une possibilit?! Tant quon a une gang de 4-6 pagayeurs/rescue solide et que tout lmonde sentends pour une journee..jsuis in!
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Le niveau descend doucement; il est en bas de 24 maintenant.
Avec seulement Bastien et moi et le d?sistement de JN et Jeremy, on va remettre ca.
Je vais plutot aller m'?crater sur Big Joe qui est ? son prime time en ce moment.
LD
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So, the interested group for this Sunday July 22nd, is now down to:
Paddlers: LouisD, Doug(me) and possibly Bastien
Support: Coolfarmer
Given our small number, I agree with Bastien that another date would be better.
For appropriate safety, for the pairs of falls run together, ie: Sisters 2 & 3, and Sisters 5 & 6, we need more people to form an adequately staffed, rescue crew set up in place. I expect there would be a very low probability of me getting in trouble on these runs, at the current low level. However, the high risks associated with any trouble, are much increased without an adequately staffed rescue crew. Given such, I judge the reward is not worth the risk, especially since we can always do the run another day, possibly as soon as 6 to 7 days later.
Since more appear to be available for a run on Saturday July 28, or Sunday July 29. I vote to postpone our run a week. LouisD and Coolfarmer ... will this work for you?
Other considerations:
1) I want to car pool. Since LouisD and Coolfarmer are coming from Montreal, this leaves just Bastien. I can get myself to Gatineau. Bastien has not said yet we could car-pool together.
2) I wish to paddle somewhere this weekend, but not both days. The alternative is Bill Schlarb's trip tomorrow, the Gatineau River, Maniwalki to Bonnet Rouge. At this late point, the 1st to get back to me with confirmed transportation for me gets me.
Doug 613 759-8348
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Not having heard further, count me out for this weekend, but interested for next weekend or whenever.
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Trying to keep that thread somewhat alive...
Level went up to 26 and likely to climb a bit more before going down again for the weekend.
And not much rain expected here until Saturday to change that.
LD
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Last ditch effort.
Rouge level at 21 now and tending to drop.
Let me know if anyone is seriouly interested...
Otherwise Big Joe on Friday/Sat and Seuil Elisabeth in DDuo Sunday for me.
L
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Yes I am interested, but only with crew size of 6+. Thanks for trying again.
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Given lack of expressed interest, I'm bailing out as far as tomorrow, Sunday, July 29. Please contact me at 613 759-8348 if and when it looks like we'll have a crew of 6+ capable of providing adequate safety / rescue.
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Had hell of a time surfing the Lachine... until 2h AM celebrating TJ's Bday. Hopefully Sandra survived the cultural shock.
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Surf party Friday night until 2h at BJoe in the dim city lights by the fire, then bed, then family lunch in the bucolic Eastern Township countryside, then Sunday, running down the Rouge Seuil Elisabeth section with Montreal and Cornwall friends in a Dynamic Duo with Chantal, followed by a few waterfalls for good measure.
LD
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A group forming to go again this Saturday.
PM me if you want to join in.
L