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CdB Whitewater Paddling Club Discussions => Paddling => Topic started by: AdamN on April 07, 2019, 09:56:32 PM

Title: Champlain?
Post by: AdamN on April 07, 2019, 09:56:32 PM
How's the wave at Bate Island? Anyone been looking?
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: jonyak on April 08, 2019, 10:13:36 AM
Checked it out last week.

Still lots of ice in the eddy, and the wave was not fully in.

Sewer Wave was starting to come in, might be in this week if the rain doesn't blow it out.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: DominiqueP on April 08, 2019, 12:34:20 PM
From my notes from last year and looking at the current level, the green wave upstream of the main feature might be in. It's good for longer boats and soul surfing. Also, I can see Bates from my work place and the ice downstream of the island seems to be minimal.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: ChristianG on April 08, 2019, 01:13:25 PM
As can be seen from the level gauge at Britannia, there is only the small daily variation, flood conditions have not begun. No reason to go to Bate Island yet.

--C.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: AdamN on April 08, 2019, 05:00:32 PM
Thanks Christian,

I just took a look and it's definitely not in! I'll keep an eye on the graph.

Cheers,

Adam
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: DaveH on April 14, 2019, 08:36:36 AM
The level pumped up to 58.5 overnight and the eddy should be in.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: Larry W on April 14, 2019, 12:32:44 PM
Drove by on the way back from the Gatineau Parc.
Sunday at noon ... eddy not fully developed yet. Weak at the bottom of the wall would be hard paddle up

http://ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php
is starting their Spring flood postings
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: DaveH on April 14, 2019, 01:15:39 PM
Yup it would be a serious struggle, I also dropped in after visiting Gat Park. There were a group of sea kayakers who were easily making it up the eddy but that is a different story.

The level pumped up to 58.5 overnight and the eddy should be in.
I had meant to write 58.85 there; Whoops! I figured that this would be high enough based upon memory and this beta from https://cityofottawawhitewater.blogspot.com/
"58.5 - the eddy is in, but rope needed to reattain the top
58.7 - you can paddle up the eddy with effort
59.0 - the eddy is full with little effort needed to paddle up, the waves are steep and retentive"

I think I'll watch for 58.9 in the future and then bring my longish boat if it is around that number.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: Paul Potvin on April 15, 2019, 10:56:43 PM
It’s in!
59.086
Paul:-)
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: ChristianG on April 16, 2019, 12:56:49 PM
Anybody going today?
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: ChristianG on April 16, 2019, 04:03:35 PM
Since it's nice out there, I'll go to Bate Island after work tonight!

--C.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: ChristianG on April 16, 2019, 04:05:25 PM
Like now...
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: ChristianG on April 17, 2019, 01:13:52 PM
Waves are in, eddy is big, water is deep and cold. First wave is surfable in long boats. So-called 2nd wave (the main one) has a well-defined shoulder pocket where you can surf as long as you want, and a small friendly foam pile on the other side of the diagonal seam. If you flush, there is a 5th wave behind where I have surfed long enough to see everybody in the lineup go by me twice. That means being on the wave for more than 5 minutes at a time. 

However Bate Island surf season may be short this year, based on info from

http://www.ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php

Reservoirs are empty and will be used to store flood waters. Level is already showing signs of levelling off around 59.28 m.

Enjoy it while it's there. For those waiting for warmer water etc., you likely will miss the 2019 season altogether. I hope I am wrong of course...

--C.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: DaveH on April 17, 2019, 03:34:34 PM
However Bate Island surf season may be short this year, based on info from

http://www.ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php

Reservoirs are empty and will be used to store flood waters.
That is what they do every year unless it is looking like a drought year like in 2012. This year does not look like a drought with the current snowpack throughout the basin being well above average (especially for the Ontario section from Mattawa down). With that snowpack and the coming drenching things could get freakish for the Pet., Mad. etc in the coming days.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: ChristianG on April 17, 2019, 05:19:38 PM
Cool. Let's hope we have a long season.

Missing from my post was that I got the impression from the Regulation board blurbs that in order not to risk the kinds of floods of Spring 2017, the reservoirs were emptied more aggressively in the Fall than was done in the previous years. Thus not needing to release as much in the Spring. Thus a comparatively short surf season.

But I might be completely wrong. Last year, river rose above 59 m on April 29th and dipped back below that on May 24th--we are almost 2 weeks earlier this year. So who knows--maybe an extra long season in fact this year!

Enough typing, time to surf.

--C.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: JoFournier on April 18, 2019, 01:59:48 PM
Guys,
I work in hydro plants and dams in Outaouais. Confirm that Outaouais will reach same levels as 2017. With peak on Easter Monday. 80mm of rain in coming 3 days and 150mm-300mm of water-equivalent about to melt all over the watershed.
So very high levels for 2 weeks, probably longer.
You're right Chris, reservoirs are currently as low as possible on all basins.
Title: Re: Champlain?
Post by: ChristianG on April 18, 2019, 05:00:26 PM
Thanks for the heads-up!