Posted: September 8, 2021
A Rafting Extravaganza!
Each day for a whole weekend, our Youth Water Leaders met on the river to learn from amazing guides about the adventure that lies right in our backyard.
This summer, Ottawa Riverkeeper’s Youth Water Leaders set out to put a new twist on an old classic. When most people think of a rafting weekend it’s on camping trips or in remote locations, but our youth set out to challenge this stereotype with the help of Boreal River Adventures. Each day for a whole weekend we met in the heart of the National Capital Region at Parc Moussette to learn from the amazing guides about the adventure that lies on the section of the Ottawa River right in our backyard.
Friday
The group showed up to Parc Moussette on friday night with little to no rafting experience between the 15 of them. The weather looked worrisome but after consulting the radar they decided to take their chances getting wet. Eager to get started, they were quickly fitted with equipment, given a safety crash course and taken down to the water to begin their adventure. We headed out in two different groups, each manning a large inflatable raft. It was slow going at first but soon the youth developed a rhythm as we headed out towards the center of the Ottawa River. A 30 minute paddle was all it took to arrive at a hidden island oasis right in the center of the city.
On the Island our youth were greeted with a welcoming fire and the smell of supper being set up. We gathered around to share a meal together and listen to some of the amazing stories from Awema Tendesi, an indigenous speaker from Kitigan Zibi. He regaled our group with amazing stories, speaking about his experiences hunting moose as well as the origin story behind the drum. Under a canopy of trees, staying dry despite the sounds of thunder and rain in the distance he was able to command the attention of everyone there. This conversation set the tone for our whole weekend and allowed us to focus on respecting the nibi (water) as we carried forward with our rafting adventure. As we were setting out to leave the island the sun started to set across the water leaving the sky beautiful shades of pink and orange. A very successful first day of paddling.
Saturday
It was an early morning on Saturday for the youth to try and beat the heat and get the most time on the water possible. The guides for Boreal River Adventures started off the day by giving everyone their own Kayaraft and teaching them how to use it. The youth practiced self-rescues and two person rescues along the shore before heading out to attempt the first set of rapids. A quick paddle upstream and it was time to play in some of the first white water of the trip. Everyone disembarked from their boats first, pulling them up on shore and practiced swimming in the current. After several rounds, using techniques on both their back and front, everyone was ready to try paddling.
If the wind didn’t blow everyone’s voice away you would have been able to hear screams of glee (and a little fear) as people paddled down their first rapid. Soon though, the activity became second nature to the group, with people rushing upstream just to be able to go down again. As people progressed we started making our way across the water, facing bigger and bigger rapids. Once everyone had the chance to run through the rapids multiple times our group made its way over to Bate Island for a delicious lunch and a quick break before heading back out onto the water.
This time our group paddled downstream, heading towards Dessert Wave, frequented by many surfers in the Ottawa/Gatineau area. Our group snaked down the river in a line before finally reaching the wave and going through the subsequent rapids.
Proud with the success but very tired from a full day of paddling, people happily started to paddle back towards Parc Moussette. However the day was far from over, once we got back to the park it was time to practice first aid as well as rope skills. The youth made tremendous progress in both, giving them a taste of some of the skills they might need if they were to work in the field one day. After that dinner and some wonderful violin music, performed by our own youth closed out the night.
Sunday
Sunday morning, it’s time for a paddling extravaganza!!! We headed out into the river to begin our epic adventure in the city. We started by going through the waves just downstream of Parc Moussette. Our youth were able to show off their newly created white water skills in this first part of the journey. Once they had successfully traversed this section it was smooth sailing down the river until arriving near Chaudiere falls where they needed to get out of the boats and portage.
We climbed up a hill, popping up by the War Museum and started heading towards our next location. It was a very funny sight, nearly 20 people decked out in wetsuits, life jackets and helmets, waiting to cross the street with business men in suits and other passers by.
A short, but entertaining walk away lay the Pump House. The sewer overflow passage that thankfully rarely needs to be used in recent years has been turned into a white water training course. As we arrived, kayakers and other paddlers were busy working on their technique.
After taking a moment to eat and watch the incredible talent our city is home too, we set out to try it ourselves. We started out by swimming the course, jumping from eddy to eddy and attempting to beat the current before letting us carry it down. Now it was time to paddle the course.
We launched off as a group determined to make it down the rapids. It was a rousing success. Everyone was able to navigate the obstacle course in their boats, making it over a big wave at the end before being swept into a pitch black culvert. The current carried our boat’s through the dark before we popped out back on the Ottawa River.
From there we paddled all the way to the Rideau Canal before turning around and heading back upstream. Luckily the wind wasn’t strong today so our paddle went fast and soon we were back to portaging around the dam before returning to our paddle. A very tired group of youth arrived back at Parc Moussette at the end of the day. Having successfully travelled around downtown by boat and foot.
It was such an unforgettable way to have people learn about the privileges we have living so close to such an amazing body of water and our inherent responsibility to protect it. Thanks to Boreal River Adventures for their thoughtful planning of the weekend.
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