Whitewater

An informal gathering at Palmer Rapids for WCA members.  Folks can camp at Jessups or Paddler's Co-op.  My kids and I will be at Paddlers and I booked 4 spots for WCA members if you want to mention this when booking.
I am thinking about paddle and play at Palmer Rapids Saturday, the Lower Madawaska run Sunday (Canada Day!) and some play and departure Monday.  We will show up Friday evening.
As we are just finished school and in the midst of a busy work schedule no further planning is being made.  If people want to organize a group meal or activities please forward thoughts on the spreadsheet that you will receive if you sign up.

Hi. 

Each year my family and I paddle from Walkerton to the first takeout.  It is an enjoyable afternoon paddle of 15km and an energetic 10 year old can solo it in a kayak.  We take time to swim and play about on few surf waves or catch crayfish and usually return to Walkerton for an icecream before heading home.

This is a sunny day paddle and will be canceled if rain or high winds threaten!  

After a couple of years of not being available due to massive log jams, my favorite river, the MAD River (near Creemore Ont) , cleaned itself up in the rains of early April 2023, and a group of WCA members ran the fourteen kilometers of fast moving whitewater fun from Creemore to Glencairn (the river at that time of year rarely slows down)
I would like to do it again a bunch of times in the spring of 2024. This year I am put up two trips for April 13 and April 14 and they sold out but had to be cancelled due to high water, so I am offering it again the following weekend and two single one day trips. You choose the day, or do both. I may add more later in the spring at the last minute if river levels are ok.
Every person who registers for this trip is subject to review and acceptance by the trip organizer, which includes having each paddler submit a canoeing / river resume of training and experience on whitewater rivers. The trip organizer reserves the right to cancel the reservation of any paddler who does not comply with this request or refuses to answer follow up questions about their prior paddling experience. You will in turn be send a summary of my paddling background. The Mad River is MAD when it gets MAD (levels change quickly in spring / summer rain storms like April 9, 2024
Read this gauge:

https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/real_time_e.html?stn=02ED015&mode=Gr...

The water rose 2.5 times it’s volume in just 4 hours on April 9. Simply MAD ???? Come play with me. Can supply a tandem canoe if a team needs one.

Tandem Canoes get Priority for signup. For safety, the group requires at least two tandems for forward scout and rear sweep. I can bump up the canoe count from six if I get signups who did the river April 13 or April 14

After a couple of years of not being available due to massive log jams, my favorite river, the MAD River (near Creemore Ont) , cleaned itself up in the rains of early April 2023, and a group of WCA members ran the fourteen kilometers of fast moving whitewater fun from Creemore to Glencairn (the river at that time of year rarely slows down)

I would like to do it again a bunch of times in the spring of 2024. This year I am put up two trips for April 13 and April 14 and they sold out but had to be cancelled due to high water, so I am offering it again the following weekend and two single one day trips. You choose the day, or do both. I may add more later in the spring at the last minute if river levels are ok.

Every person who registers for this trip is subject to review and acceptance by the trip organizer, which includes having each paddler submit a canoeing / river resume of training and experience on whitewater rivers. The trip organizer reserves the right to cancel the reservation of any paddler who does not comply with this request or refuses to answer follow up questions about their prior paddling experience. You will in turn be send a summary of my paddling background. The Mad River is MAD when it gets MAD (levels change quickly in spring / summer rain storms like April 9, 2024
Read this gauge:

https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/real_time_e.html?stn=02ED015&mode=Gr...

The water rose 2.5 times it’s volume in just 4 hours on April 9. Simply MAD ???? Come play with me. Can supply a tandem canoe if a team needs one.

Tandem Canoes get Priority for signup. For safety, the group requires at least two tandems for forward scout and rear sweep. I can bump up the canoe count if I get signups who did the river April 13 or April 14

This is part two of the Southern Ontario spring river runs.  Due to low levels we have been paddling the main sections of the Maitland and Saugeen.  These are friendly beginner/novice runs with the consideration of colder weather and water twmperatures.
We had comfortable accommodations at Camp Kintail for the Friday and Saturday evenings along with two breakfasts and Saturday supper for $115/person.  Please note, we are in dorm-like cabins or yurts; if you want privacy, bring a tent.
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TESTING PURPOSE #13
 

This is part two of the Southern Ontario spring river runs.  Due to low levels we have been paddling the main sections of the Maitland and Saugeen.  These are friendly beginner/novice runs with the consideration of colder weather and water twmperatures.

We had comfortable accommodations at Camp Kintail for the Friday and Saturday evenings along with two breakfasts and Saturday supper for $115/person.  Please note, we are in dorm-like cabins or yurts; if you want privacy, bring a tent.

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TESTING#1

Join me on this classic early spring favourite of Toronto area paddlers. We’ll catch the Credit in Streetsville and run down to the mouth at Port Credit.

The river is a delightful continuous Class 1 to 2 with lots big bouncy wave trains and play spots.There are loads of opportunities to practice easy ferries and eddy turns as we work our way down the river. However, downed trees over the winter can create sweepers, and participants need to be able to manoeuvre a canoe in moving water to avoid them.

As well, the water will be cold. You need solid basic moving water skills. A full wetsuit or a drysuit is required to participate (no exceptions). Boats should have air bags in them.

We'll have lunch on the river at a park near Dundas Street, so bring something to eat. We usually finish the trip around 3 PM.

Water levels; March 27, 24 the water level is 4.7m.  Predicting by March 29 the water level will be ~4.60m. .  I did the river in 2021 at 4.55m level and it was ok.

If you are looking for a canoe partner or canoe to sit in, let me know, and I will try and coordinate connected people with canoes with people looking for a canoe.  Send me an email or call me.

This is especially for those people paddling the Moira River, April 27, with Bill Ness. When finishing the Moira some of us will camp locally as we may as well make the most of being local to both rivers. Others are welcome to come just for the day.
Considering the lack of snow in the bush this winter we shall make a call on whether we can, in fact, paddle this river this year as the date approaches.
Normally this is a class II and III river so we are looking for people who have some experience. You must have a whitewater boat (plus a bailer) and you must have either a full dry suit or wet suit. The organizers of this trip will reserve the right to exclude you if you turn up unprepared. Please bring throw ropes if you have them.
Come prepared to have a good time, socialize, and be supportive of other people's experience.

The main intention for this trip is 'tandem practice' for those of us intending to undertake back country trips up north this summer. Solo paddlers will be welcomed too, should there be space in the group.

The Spanish River is a Canadian Heritage River, that is supposed to have a little bit of everything for everyone. The East Branch will start out with some flat water and some swifts between lakes. And then it will turn into more of a river with some class 1-2 whitewater sections. There are portages if any of the rapids want to be skipped.
The geography of the area is classic Canadian Shield and boreal forest. The campsites are located on a mix of rock and sand. The river flows in the usual drop-and-pool style of Ontario rivers.

I have room in my canoe for one more, plus other boats are welcome. A group of 3 canoes and 6 people would be ideal.

On a spring day, the Moira River north of Belleville provides a fun paddling trip from Lost Channel to Latta.

The river provides a great opportunity for good novice moving water paddlers to move up to an intermediate level river. I've moved the trip forward a couple of weeks from my usual time expressly to make the the run more novice-friendly with more places to practice without consequences and warmer weather if you do swim.

We'll meet at Chisholm's Mill at 9:30, do a car shuttle, and then warm up the easier lower section down to Latta. The rapids are not difficult; just a fun rollercoaster ride, with some surfing waves and eddies to catch along the way. We'll go back to Chisholm's for lunch at the cars, and then do a shuttle to run the more technical and challenging Lost Channel section. We should finish up around 4:00, and then we traditionally hit the nearby Maple Dale Cheese store along the highway for ice cream and cheese. (Real Canucks can buy cheese curds here for homemade poutine.)
 

Please note that as at the time of posting the river levels and weather cannot be predicted, the date could be changed if levels are not suitable or the weather is inclement. I like to play, and float along chatting with people. My idea of a fun outing isn't paddling in cold rain muttering to each other "don't worry, we'll soon be finished if we hurry." So if you sign up, you needn't worry that you are committing to a survival exercise-just a fun day.