Topic: Come Hell or High Water Race - Pettawawa-May 9 2009. Help us establish a record!

[ChristianG]

Hi Sandra K. (and others)... Here's a video from our run on June 20th last year, just before the Kipawa rally.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8289363153452661305&pr=goog-sl

Grahame is wearing black in a red Bliss-Stick and I am wearing red in a two-tone blue boat, looking like someone who doesn't know what he's doing... The last kayaker of the video made us laugh: he was doing a wet exit but since the wave flipped him back up, it became a dry exit: he jumped into the foam pile...

--Christian

[windowshade]

Carpooling is fine. We could leave at 8am  to be there by 10am and go scout. I have room for one more!!! I<ll be at Champlain tonight, but probably no paddling as I<m saving my recuperating shoulder for Saturday's no miss event.

Paul

[Sandra K]

Okay, I must admit I am intrigued. I would definitely want to get there early enough to run it a few times to see if I can do it without my usual 'see what the boat ahead of me is doing' approach.

What time are people practicing? Paul, may be I could car pool with you? Are you staying late? If it's not raining tonight I may go to Champlain.

Sandra

[windowshade]

Mike and I will be there. We might head up the night before as I would like to get a scout/ run in before the race. Paul, my cell is 816-0530. If you want to meet up in the morning to check out the river, let me know.
Phil said they will have a shuttle set up, and may have someone on the bridge at railroad in the morning, just to answer questions on the line.

It is no harder than the Ottawa, but for us ordinary mortals, it's not a boat scout river! For those who haven't done it many times, it doesn't hurt to get there early to have a look, do a first quick run. The race section is very short, so you can easily fit a scout/ run or two before starting time.
Joanne

Mike was asking if people are sticking around for an Upper Pet run? It was apparently higher than last year's epic CdB run a few weeks ago when we ran it, but might be down to only epic levels now!!! Lawrence? Raymond?

Thanks Joanne and Mike!!!, I may just take you up on your offer. I should be leaving at around 8am and getting there by 10am. Don't know yet who's gonna ride up with me, but should find out tomorrow at Champlain night paddle.

Cheers,

Paul

[Larry W]

Hey there ..

Save some energy for the race.
After reading some posts, I was going to dust off the Dancer ... but I am much more comfortable in the Ultrafuge.

An Upper Pet run on Sunday would conflict with Mother Day's events ... unfortunately the two events cannot be combined so I will have to pass on paddle on Sunday.

Larry

[Joanne]

Mike and I will be there. We might head up the night before as I would like to get a scout/ run in before the race. Paul, my cell is 816-0530. If you want to meet up in the morning to check out the river, let me know.
Phil said they will have a shuttle set up, and may have someone on the bridge at railroad in the morning, just to answer questions on the line.

It is no harder than the Ottawa, but for us ordinary mortals, it's not a boat scout river! For those who haven't done it many times, it doesn't hurt to get there early to have a look, do a first quick run. The race section is very short, so you can easily fit a scout/ run or two before starting time.
Joanne

Mike was asking if people are sticking around for an Upper Pet run? It was apparently higher than last year's epic CdB run a few weeks ago when we ran it, but might be down to only epic levels now!!! Lawrence? Raymond?

[windowshade]

I will be there, not following any of Larry's lines!

Paul

[Larry W]

hi

Yep ... I will be racing. Highly unlikely that I will place anywhere in the top half but you never know what might happen on race day.
Hope the weather will be better than in the forecast just to bring out the fair weather folks. Hey, it will be the day before Mother's Day ... so bring her along as well.

I will try to be at the registration by 11 am .... just to take a peek at Lovers.
For those that have not paddled the section from Railroad to Catwalk, it is really not too tricky, but that's coming from someone who has paddle it many times. It might be more entertaining for others.

Hope to see a good representation from the CdB .... hey it's only 2 hrs from Ottawa.

Larry W

[Late Ray]

Just a reminder that the "Hell or High Water" race is this Saturday.  I hear rumors that a few of CdBers are signed up, or are thinking about it, but surely we can rally up a few more competitors!  A certain 2nd place finisher in the Level 6 Cup open women's category had better decide to represent after having displayed her prowess in competition!

So the level's on a downward trend, meaning the level will be a nice cushy medium flow by Saturday.  Several beginner-intermediate paddlers from a few clubs from Cornwall to Petawawa are showing up to compete.

Think you might want to portage some of the rapids?  Great, the organizers would rather you participate and portage than not participate at all.  It's meant to be a for fun event.

Not the competitive type, or the water's still too cold for you?  Head on up and spectate.  Show the town that there's interest (and economic benefit) in the river from the paddling community.  Jeer or cheer your friends.

Is the water warm enough for you, but you're too out of shape to want to race?  Park and play is awesome right now at Catwalk and Golf Course so come on up, hang out and play.

Larry W is planning on racing, so if that's not incentive enough to sign up, I don't know what is.

Hope to see a lot of you there!  Race info below:

http://www.liquidlore.com/petrace/petrace.html

-R

[windowshade]

Come Hell or High Water Race - Pettawawa-May 9 2009. Help us establish a high water record!

Racers and Spectators Wanted: Come Hell or High Water Whitewater Race on the Petawawa River

Full details on www.liquidlore.com/petrace/petrace.html

With rivers still flush with springtime flows, over 30 whitewater kayakers, canoeists and even a few local raft companies are expected to tackle the whitewater rapids of the Petawawa River in the inaugural Come Hell or High Water Race on May 9, 2009.

Known in the paddling community as "The Town Run" of the Petawawa, paddlers will race the clock, and each other, competing for the top spot. The racers will launch into river just above the first - and largest - rapid known as Railroad (found off of Portage Rd. on Wilson Ave) and will cross the finish at Catwalk Rapid (Centennial Park, below City Hall) covering roughly one-kilometre of Class III and IV rapids in approximately five minutes.

There is great playboating, spots for spectating, free camping right at the river's edge, and easy to combine with an Ottawa or Upper Petawawa Run.
Check the www.liquidlore.com site for details on all of this.


Why it is important:
The Petawawa River is currently being considered and assessed as a site for a hydro project. A weir / penstock and and diversion dam which will effectively dewater the best rapids on the river, sucking river water via a large tube and putting it back it further downstream. This would certainly have a dire impact on the quality whitewater on the Town Run section leaving only one significant rapid at most flows.

The Petawawa River is a gem. It is one of the few remaining whitewater rivers in ?southern? Ontario that remains largely untouched; free of major dams, and any major industries as it flows from the heart of Algonquin Park. Let?s ensure that the recreational value of the river is more visible, and recognized by the general public.

More so, it is important to demonstrate that the river has recreational value to the general public at all water levels, conditions and temperatures.

I'm not asking for letters, angry e-mails or online petitions. Im asking you to come and paddle a beautiful river, with fellow whitewater enthusiasts.

For more details on the damn construction projects google:

I Speak For Canadian Rivers
Black Bay Ratepayers Association

Phillip Compas (AKA PHITTY on Bboatwerks.net)

Can be reached at p_kompass@hotmail.com