North Alouette River – June 14 – Leigh B
June 14th was damp. Two solo and two tandem boats met to paddle the North Alouette river. This river is not often paddled as it seldom has enough water to make it navigable. We were lucky(?), however, as this day it was just right.
We met at Horseman’s Park but drove down 224th and around the corner 129th to unload our vehicles, then walked across the street and down a path leading to the river’s edge
Once we reassembled at the put-in, we sorted out who would paddle with whom and off we went! It was delightful. The rain had quit, the river was perfect with lots of small rapids and lovely shore lines. New club member, Luke, agreed to paddle lead and Leigh paddled sweep. In between, David paddled with Vesna and Mike with Vesna’s husband, Alec. All was well in our little paradise.
Then we paddled around a corner and right before our very eyes, was a log jam. So we walked. Around another corner, a second log jam. And so we scrambled over it. And so it went. Natural log jams, man made log jams, large log jams, small log jams, and more log jams.
At some point, we pulled out between log jams to have lunch. When we scrambled up the bank, we found ourselves in a meadow set up with horse jumps. Trails and paths, people walking dogs and babies abounded. Who knew!
After lunch, we scrambled back down the bank and continued to climb over and around more log jams until the river opened up and flattened out.
We continued to paddle to the confluence of the North and South Alouette, then turned upstream on the South and paddled up to Jerry Sulina Park. We had almost paddled a circle.
Thanks to David W for organizing this trip and Mike D, both of whom shared their boats and skills with newcomers Vesna and Alec. Luke is a gem. His river skills and quick thinking and problem solving made this venture much easier than it could have been.
It was fun.
Leigh B