Ottawa River Weekend: 2025 - August 8-10 Friday / Saturday / Sunday
This annual summer event is always fun. Some people make it a weekend, arriving Friday. Most decide to drive up Saturday morning for the day trip on the Ottawa followed by dinner in the evening.
Why:
This is a big summer camping / paddling event where you get to paddle with new and existing paddling buddies.
Some people camp the whole weekend arriving Friday evening.
If you plan to camp, please book/pay ahead of time (see the details below).
When:
Saturday / Sunday, August 9-10
Some paddlers camp Friday night August 8
Where:
The Ottawa River where groups can go down the Middle Channel, the Main Channel, park and play, level dependent of course.
How:
For the new paddlers there will be a group going down the beginner friendly Middle channel
which has many safe lines or alternate lines and of course, all rapids can be scouted and walked!
More experienced CdB Paddlers will paddle along and be available with helpful hints and advice about the river.
Food:
After the paddling day, the group will head to the nearby OWL rafting site for a beer and dinner together. A great opportunity to get together and support a local business that helps provide access to the Ottawa River for our paddling community. The menu is listed in the attachment.
Meet time: 10:30 AM at the Takeout
Meet place: RR / WT takeout (takeout is free this season.) N 45.719602 W 76.729720 1298 Grants Settlement Rd, Foresters Falls
At the Public Paddlers Takeout a shuttle needs to be set up so all the paddlers, boats and paddling gear gets to the OWL put in.
We will leave a few cars at the Public Paddlers Takeout to shuttle drivers back to the Put-in.
Ride sharing:
Don't hesitate to use the forum to share your carpooling needs.
What to Bring:
Boat / Safety equipment:
Bring:
- your boat with flotation, helmet, spray skirt and paddle (spare breakdown paddle if you have it)
- life jacket (PFD), whistle and throw bag (bailing device -> sponge)
- clothing appropriate to the air and water temperature, river booties or other kind of shoes.
(condensed version paraphrased from the safety thread on our CdB-Ottawa.com Webb Forum)
Water / Food:
- Bring drinking water for the day and a snack or lunch, since we usually stop somewhere along the river.)
Remaining at the take out are dry clothes and a sufficient number of cars for the drivers at the end of the day to fetch the cars.
Usually somebody steps up to be the shuttle Tsar.
What will happen:
Usually at this event, we have a large flotilla of boats on the river. Once everybody is geared up and ready to go, we will gather in the bay before heading off down the river.
That will provide a chance for introductions and to give some safety guidelines. In the past, the last person was left behind ... don't be that person....
It's really difficult to keep track of everybody, so the best approach is to travel down the river in small groups as part of larger entourage.
Note:
The Ottawa Middle and Main channel are run many times during the paddling season.
We hope to see current, past and new members at this event!
AFTER PADDLE Food and Camping:
--------------------
After the river day we will eading up to Owl Rafting for dinner and camp
Details:
Owl camping rates for paddlers are 20$ a night.
you have access to all Owl amenities such as,composting toilets, outdoor showers, sauna, potable water and our beachfront.
Please note, Owl prefers it if paddlers book and pay prior to arrival.
https://owlrafting.com/paddlers/If you have any additional questions or would like to make a booking,
please feel free to call: 613-646-2263.
GPS: N 45.661809 W 76.724312
Google:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/45%C2%B039'42.5%22N+76%C2%B043'27.5%22W/@45.6528307,-76.7284655,14z/data=!4m23!1m16!4m15!1m6!1m2!1s0x4cce05b25f5113af:0x8a6a51e131dd15ed!2sOttawa,+ON!2m2!1d-75.6971931!2d45.4215296!1m6!1m2!1s0x4cce05bc199dc721:0xb9148a5b32461463!2sOWL+Rafting+on+the+Ottawa+River,+40+OWL+Lane,+Foresters+Falls,+ON+K0J+1V0!2m2!1d-76.724309!2d45.661806!3e0!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d45.6618092!4d-76.7243117Regards,
The CdB Executive
