Topic: Blakeney rapids

[JohnCyr]

lets get on it!!

[jonyak]

Well I scouted it tonight.

As far as I can tell it looks like there is more than enough water to run it.

The far river left channel is deep and free of wood.

I could not get a good look at the right side, but above the horizon just below the bridge looks ok.

[Mark.D.]

blakeney is great , I like the long main  easier rapid  , lots of micro eddies to hit, little drops and a little boof at the end , you get a decent run for the easy path walk back up on this run. definetly good practice for creekeing,watch out for slightly submerged trees,  It can be shallow and rocky lower levels, I rolled a few years back at top of rapid , got a rock in the face , lost paddle, rolled up looking down scary rapid paddleless, luckily paddle my popped up in front of me , now I wear a facecage creeking!

[JohnCyr]

Thanks for the in depth beta!!!

I might have to go scout it this week.

Let me know

If my pics were at 75 and its still running at 70 cms.. im hella down!!

[jonyak]

Thanks for the in depth beta!!!

I might have to go scout it this week.

[ChristianG]

Some views of the Mississipi Blakeney river-right channel (I believe) on March 26 2011. In some of the photos, you may see a hint of orange plastic...

[DaveH]

The Mississippi has been flowing at unseasonably high levels for about the last month. Not just unseasonal, but its trend has been unlike most other basins in the region. Currently the gauge at Appleton (~10 km upstream) is claiming that the river is flowing at ~55 cms. That is a record high for this date after 96 years of record keeping.
http://www.wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/graph/graph_e.html?stn=02KF006&prm1=6&prm2=-1&mode=graph&smo=7&sday=12&syr=2013&emo=7&eday=20&eyr=2013&y1min=&y1max=&y2min=&y2max=
,
I've never paddled Blakeney before and I don't know what a good range of levels are, but I would suspect that it may still be in. I tried to solicit interest a few weeks ago when it was running ~70cms thinking that it would make for a great after work destination but found no interest.


Actually looking at a May 29th 2011 report of John's from here:
http://whitewaterpdlr.blogspot.ca/2011/05/back-at-blakeney-and-friends-intro-to.html
it looks good to go at 75 cms anyhow:
http://www.wsc.ec.gc.ca/applications/H2O/report-eng.cfm?yearb=&yeare=&station=02KF006&report=daily&data=flow&year=2011

On March 23 that year the flow was 120cms, and John said "We got there to find the levels really high, with alot of sticky mean looking holes everywhere and it was -15 celsius..We decided to not get too wet and play in some little side chan fnels."
http://whitewaterpdlr.blogspot.ca/2011_03_01_archive.html

Here is Phitty talking about it and supplying pics when it was flowing at 108:
http://trailheadpaddleshack.blogspot.ca/2011_03_01_archive.html,
,
I'm also seeing that the ORR were planning for a trip there in Late April when the level was around 80cms. So my best guess is it should be good to go but probably on the low side, and paddling it in summer would just be way too unconventional and not nearly far enough drive away.

[JohnCyr]

Jon... Its a spring/fall run if theres water...

Too low right now...

Its not all class 5...

Most likely all around class 4-4+ and alot of the channels are 3+ or have class 3-3+ lines in them... Definitely to the best spot to see if you can roll but its a good workout and playground to work on your creeking skills..

[jonyak]

Anyone here know about this rapid?

Its like 10 minutes from my house.

Is it flowing now? Is it only winter/Spring run?

I heard its class 5...  I might want to check it out some time.

Yes I know there are undercuts (I have seen JN's pics.)