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.)
