Hi Kevin and Michael,
Thank-you for expressing interest.
Covid-19 safety is an issue. Liam supports his Mom aged in the middle 80's, and I am also a high risk senior.
Please do not join this trip, if you:
- are feeling off consistent with any Covid symptom, not fully consistent with an existing medical condition such as allergies or asthma, or
- in the last 21 days, have not been practicing Covid risk reduction measures - FULLY compliant with Ontario, Ottawa and Canada health directives and recommendations, or
- might on this trip not practice Covid risk reduction measures FULLY compliant with Ontario, Ottawa and Canada health directives and recommendations.
The rapids of the Gatineau River are like those of the Ottawa Main Channel at Beachburg, but with more severe consequences of error.
Versus the Ottawa River, the rapids of the Gatineau River collectively present a much greater risk of:
- being caught by a hole and/or a strainer, and
- impact and road rash with the river bottom.
Additionally, the average rapid length is longer on the Gatineau River. This makes it much more important that kayakers:
- quickly choose to portage when there is doubt,
- have the ability to and quickly reliably read the rapids from both shore and their boat, and dynamically plan recovery and alternate routes,
- have a reliable roll, and
- have the presence of mind that if one does swim, where one can without additional danger, swim with one's paddle and boat to facilitate rescue, ideally self rescue.
Like the Ottawa, portaging is possible and recommended when one is unsure of one's ability to do things safely. If Liam and I are rescuing one person and their gear, we may get washed down well below the appropriate place to initiate a second rescue. Additionally, the rescue may force us to bypass play spots, a major reason for Liam and I doing the river.
Because doing portages will generally take longer than a run of the rapid, Liam and I will expect you to quickly initiate your portage if you have doubts about your ability to safely run a rapid. There is no shame in doing portages, and then playing at the bottom of the rapid where one can still play and face safer challenges. This is how Liam and I first mastered the Ottawa and years later the Gatineau River. Expecting and/or causing other paddlers to wait and provide you safety, when they are ready to move on is inappropriate.
Before risking consequences of the Gatineau, I recommend paddlers becoming comfortable running and playing the Ottawa Main Channel.
That said, if either or both of you are now ready for the Gatineau River, please arrange to join us.
Please communicate with each other to determine how we'll manage shuttle arrangements.
It appears that you are not part of the same bubble of 10 or less, so will mask up when sharing a car. It also appears you are driving up on your own to meet at Bonnet Rouge.
No matter what, you will need to mask up and transfer boats and gear at Bonnet Rouge. You will have to supply your own mask and hand sanitizer, and minimize your direct and indirect touch of surfaces of others possessions. You will also need to pay a take out and possibly a put in fee to Bonnet Rouge. Each pair of paddlers, joining Liam and I, can either:
1) fully do their own shuttles, driving up from Bonnet Rouge (take-out) together to the put-in in one of your cars, and at the end of the day repeating the process with the other car that you left at Bonnet Rouge - the take-out.
2) do as Liam and I have done. Telephone Bonnet Rouge 819 449-3360, and ask the woman that answers to arrange for another shuttle driver to meet you at and also leave at 12 noon following Liam's car. Out of respect, please use as much French as you can. The shuttle driver will return your car to the Bonnet Rouge take-out, eliminating the extra driving you'd otherwise face at the end of the day when you are physically and likely mentally tired.
If there is an odd number of paddlers, Liam and I can add that odd person into a back seat that has not been occupied in the last week, and the person's boat onto the roof rack, with payment of 1/3 of our shuttle driver’s fee. To minimize Covid risk, we will mask, sanitize, minimize touching, have our gear contained - ideally in one’s boat, and keep the car windows open during the shuttle.
If you wish, you may in your car, follow Liam and I from Ottawa to Bonnet Rouge. Liam and I will be leaving about 9:40 am, from 297 Lanark Ave, NW of corner of Island Park at Scott. If such, I will supply Liam's cell phone number for last minute synchronization.
If all parties use a shuttle driver, and do not need use an outhouse, my preference is to put in across public land, just upstream of the paid put-in, so that we get to run the warm up rapid, rather than just paddle up to the bottom of the same.
Here is looking forward to by 9 pm Saturday evening, to having you confirm your arrangements by posting here or telephoning me at 613 366-4359. Obviously if desired, arrangements with Bonnet Rouge for a shuttle driver will likely have to be made much earlier Saturday, ie TODAY.
