Day 6
Friday 08/23
Sharon:
Early
this morning Dawnna was ready to go fishing.
Rick gave her his fishing rod with a few hints in how to catch the
Walleye. It wasn’t long before
she had the hand of it and was bringing in the fish.
Click here for a larger map
Peter: There is a 12 metre drop from Hayman Lake to Devil Lake. The Churchill flows from Hayman to Devil along three channels. The westerly one is Sluice, which can be bypassed by a 900 m. portage. It consists of rapids gradually increasing in intensity until it ends in an impassible class 6 fall. (Warren once ran part way down with Sandy, but then landed and had to struggle up the steep slope through the bush with the canoe to rejoin the portage trail.)
The middle route flows down Donaldson Channel, which has a series of rapids leading to a small lake where it joins the flow coming down Sluice.
The third channel, farther to the east, flows down Great Devil, which also has an impassable waterfall and which is bypassed by a 1 km. portage (P15), followed by Little Devil (P16) down which canoes can be walked.
After packing our group separated; Dawnna and Brent canoed back to Hayman Lake and portaged for over a kilometre along Sluice Falls. As for the rest of us we portaged and/or ran the rapids along Donaldson Channel.
We walked along shore
finding the canoe line through the rapids.
The very last rapids were the very worst – or so it seems.
Mike and Peter lined the canoe around this one and met Dawnna and Brent
who at this point, were sitting on a rock ledge to watch.
Climbing huge boulders to have a look at the rapid below, we still had a
problem with seeing. Warren went further ahead to have a good look and shouted
back the details, Rick decided we’d go first.
I was a bit worried but put a lot of trust in Rick’s judgment of what I
can handle. At first I thought,
”this isn’t bad,” the waves were on the rolling side, not knowing this is
just the beginning of what’s to come. As
we were closer to the drop, the canoe just dropped down and way up, my eyes just
popped open at this point. Looking
further, the full force of the rapid expanded a long ways down, sent chills
through my body. The next call was
to eddy left immediately for the river just boiled further down. We were in but I did too many over draws and the canoe bumped
a huge rock getting us stuck on top. Rick
did stop the commands, but for me in a panic just kept over drawing making sure
we were in the eddy. A few comments
from the group on rock shore, but I didn’t care, we were in.
Sandy and Warren were next ran the rapids with better control and ease.
Our group together again for a short time and had a good chat about the
rapids, of course.
Sandy, Warren, Dawnna and Brent are going to the next rapid to start
lunch, went on ahead. Walking
through the bush to our canoes Peter just missing by stepping on a ground
wasp’s nest light orange in color. Knowing
before hand of ones allergies of the group Peter’s allergy was bees.
Since he missed, not wanting to bring him back thought well what he
doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Always
looking at the ground, I found it odd to have a nest camouflaged into the dense
under-bush. Took a second look at
the nest for I couldn’t believe it.
Being so close to Sluice Falls Mike, Peter, Rick and I canoed
around Donaldson Island to have a look. Along
the channel, the river and the falls had so much power in swiftness and a
powerful sound. We had to canoe across some rocky waves to the other side of
the river to the portage trail. We
walked along the trail looking above the falls and below it taking in the beauty
of it all.
After Donaldson there is a short paddle across the lake to Corner Rapids. This rapid heads straight into a granite cliff, where it splits. The correct choice was river right, which leads on down the rapid, but if you are too far left the water swirls around in a fierce whirlpool back into the haystacks at the foot of the rapid. Because of its magnificent swirling action this is colloquially called the 'toilet bowl'. Two canoes, Peter & Mike and Rick & Sharon became ignominiously stuck in the toilet bowl for several rotations, all the crews efforts to eddy out were in vain as each time the canoe was swept around again. They had to be rescued.
During this time Dawnna and Brent portaged around an island to avoid a
right angle turn, the guys call “The Toilet Bowl.”
Brent brought Dawnna across the river to the rock shore and high rocky
terrain. Brent then backtracked,
also canoed the river channel right avoiding The Toilet Bowl with no problem.
Sandy and Warren also canoeing through to the right onto the rock shore
left.
As we later approached at the top we canoed to the left into The
Toilet Bowl and sat along shore hanging onto a branch.
Mike and Peter thought that this was a good move, so they followed us.
Our next move was to paddle up the rapids, then ferry across the rapids
to the other side. With fast and
hard strokes of the oar getting just so far, the current swept us to the left.
Sweeping the canoe close to the rock cliffs with the current immediately
going to the left again bringing us back to where we started.
Thinking we didn’t put enough of our energy in we tried this over and
over again, only going around and around, thus The Toilet Bowl effect.
We finally had to rest for my arms were very tired by then, grabbing
branches to keep from being swept around again. Mike and Peter did their hand at it, but to no avail went
around and around too. They
eventually hung onto the branches for a rest.
We tried again and again also failing.
Warren high above us on a rock cliff asked us if we were having fun.
At this point I wasn’t, but Rick was still enjoying the round about.
Paddling close to the rock cliffs, I jumped out as Warren jumped in.
Together they managed to find a way over hugging the rock cliffs and away
they went over to the left of the river channel.
Mike and Peter tried their hand at it again and again.
Peter also tired now, so Warren took over using the same technique of
hugging the rock cliffs over to the left of the river channel onto shore left.
Our group was together again and ate lunch high on a rocky ledge.
Warren and Sandy watched by Brent sitting on Corner
Two canoes got caught in toilet bowl whirlpool and had to be rescued
Rick and Sharon after being rescued from the 'toilet bowl' whirlpool
Then we ran out of film!
After Corner, we stopped for soup and rain gear at 3.15 pm Friday
We then ran the series of three rapids on Murray Channel. These are no problem to experienced canoeists, although Peter has swum (choking and spluttering) them involuntarily.
After this we canoed to a drop that got us wet and we were in
Barker Lake. As we canoed south
east of the lake, Dawnna and Brent parted going to the lower right of Muchaye
Island and portaged around Murray Falls. The
rest of us went to the left where the rapids are very long.
Again I put a lot of trust in Rick’s decision, for what I can do, for I
really wanted to go the lower right of Muchaye Island.
Hearing about this channel on their earlier trips of the rocks and low or
high water levels, my imagination went wild as the channel worried me a lot.
However, the water level was very high and I enjoyed canoeing this
channel the most. With the
quickness of the river my worries were left behind while I enjoyed the ride.
At the end of Murray Rapids a Blue Heron comes around the corner and flies right by us. Our meeting place in sight our group looks for Dawnna and Brent at the end of the portage trail. They had not reached that point yet, so we paddled in and walked up the trail. It wasn’t long before our group reached them and helped carry their gear. We stopped to have a look at Murray Falls and then packed their canoe before continuing on.
After Murray there is a paddle across Devil Lake, near the end of which we could see civilization in the form of the bridge on Highway 102 over the Churchill at Otter Rapids.
As we paddled around Manitou Island on to Devil Lake, we had the most
wonderful sight of nature. A Bald
Eagle, with his keenness of vision, swooped down into the lake, but
unfortunately dropped its catch. A
Pelican on the north end of the lake saw what happened, took flight across the
lake to retrieve the fish. The
Eagle flew around gracefully, returned to get his catch and swooped down picking
up his fish. The Pelican was in
pursuit, just feet away from the Eagle. Although
it seemed like slow motion, the birds were flying across the lake, the Eagle
trying hard to get away from the Pelican. The
Eagle made it to shore and landed onto a tree branch. The Pelican flew to the immediate right landing onto the
lakeshore. The Eagle had more
company around him, crows cawing all around him in the tree, waiting for what is
left of the Eagle’s meal.
The last rapid on the trip, P17, was the famous Otter Rapids, a 565 metre Class 3 rapid. This rapid was well known to everyone and 'no problem'. So we planned to run Otter. However, Dawnna was apprehensive about running it with Brent and so before crossing Devil Lake she switched with Sandy and went with Warren. But when they got close to Otter, Dawnna decided that discretion was called for so she disembarked and walked the portage. Warren then ran the rapid solo. The water was high and the waves impressive, particularly close up.
Mike and Peter ran OK and dry.
Canoed our way down with Rick yelling to draw lots in order to miss a standing wave on our left. As we maneuvered around the standing wave we continued on along the middle of the river. At first the waves were rolling nicely with a little slap of the canoe. It wasn’t bad at first; the waves became so huge, bigger than the canoe. The canoe seemed like a matchstick, moving up one wave and crashing down the other side. The worst rapids for the last, my adrenaline was in full force, I really didn’t think we’d make it. The worst possibility was a good swim to shore. We had to move to the left at one point, for there was a ledge on the right to avoid. Listening to Rick’s commands for what strokes to use, calling out to brace. The canoe swept through these huge waves, the biggest I’ve ever been into. At this point my body relaxed and just enjoyed the ride. Paddling some more, than eddying left waiting for our fellow canoeists to come down. Standing on the rock shore we watched as Mike and Peter came down closer to the left shore maneuvering around three standing waves. Eddying left arrived with a lot of excitement.
Brent came down, with Sandy in the bow, but half way down they hit a curling wave and turned over and they swam and bounced the rest of the way down, much to the awe of the fishermen below the rapids. They were rescued by Warren and Rick, while Mike and Peter struggled back upstream by pulling on the bushes to pick up Dawnna at the foot of the portage
With the guys talking about missing the standing waves I
still couldn’t see what the problem was with these waves. Until Brent and Sandy’s turn to come down the rapid hit the
standing wave that we missed. Someone
yelled that they were turned over as Sandy, Brent and the canoe came rolling
down the rapids. We worried that
they’d go over the ledge below, but they managed to miss it on the left going
right on past. Rick and I jumped
into our canoe to help them out and to gather their equipment. Warren had gone down solo through the rapids and headed
straight to them to offer his help. Sandy
hit her leg on a rock and had some pain. Brent
was not a swimmer, but had a good lifejacket on and made it to the rocky shore.
With all the rainfall this year the water levels are high.
At the beginning of the story Rick swam Otter Rapids with the group
watching him from above, not knowing two of them will be actually swimming Otter
Rapids at the end of their trip. The
water level is at its highest, the waves are enormous.
Sandy and Brent are swimming the rapids liking it or not. Unplanned, but conquering Otter Rapids and taking in the
unexpected swim was exciting enough for both.
Both being ok after a rest and back with their partners we paddled into Grandmother’s Bay. Canoeing across Grandmother’s Bay to Missinippe didn’t seem that far by sight. Taking us an hour of paddling Mike and Peter arriving first, as we slowly came in one by one, our trip has come to an end.
We retrieved the cars, changed into clean, dry clothes, loaded canoes, and returned the rented canoe to Churchill River Outfitters.
Driving to Lac La Ronge for a hot coffee and A & W meal. Here we had a group picture taken for our albums.
As we are leaving….
Like Father Like Son
Warren does a dance on the floor at A & W to Tracy Chapman’s song
Then came the long, late drive back to Waskesiu and Saskatoon.
Awakening to the cool morning air, perked coffee over an open fire and
every campsite with awesome surroundings. And
of course, meals to talk about, for we each dehydrated our special recipes.
Thunder, lightening, rain, mist, wind and hail were all part of the
adventure. A tolerable trip with
exciting moments and no complaints from any of us.
A canoe trip in the Canadian Shield, Paull River and down the Churchill
River was most memorable.
For other Canoe Trip webs, click here
Please send comments to peter
