Spanish River Whitewater Canoeing

Back in Canuckida, we went on a 6-day whitewater canoe trip of the Spanish River just north of Sudbury Ontario. Most said we were crazy for going in bug season but high water beckoned!

We started by getting in some wake-boarding at Jeff's house in Sudbury. Great fun exspecially with a sauna in the boat house! Day 1 we took the "Budd Car", a self propelled rail car, up the CPR line to Lake Biscotasing and paddled 23 km to the river start.

Day 2 and 3 we had amazing whitewater days with several dunkings in the icey river and great food to warm us up by Dave (Pad Thai, Japanese Curry and fresh cinammon rolls to name a few dishes!). The bugs were bad, as you can see in the phote, but bug suits kept us sane.

Day 4 was a turning point... Jeff and Dave ran the "dangerous" C3 rapid, a long run in an "s" shape. Well, after the run, Jeff was trapped on a mid-river boulder, Dave swam 250m of rapids and one canoe was wrapped around a rock like a wet noodle. Three engineers could only get the canoe more pinned on the river after snapping a 1200lb rope trying to haul the boat out.

Day 5 and 6 Anna and Scott finished the river on a long series of swifts and Dave and Jeff walked nealry 50km out of the bush on the CPR line and a highway.

The river was amazing and showed its power to us. We all had a great time and Jeff and Dave bought a used canoe FOB C3 rapids.