Cataract Creek - Alberta

Peter and Mikkel

As you drive West, and away from the Albertan flat lands and into the foothills, the world around you changes and you no longer feel like you are miles away from any potential kayaking. As we ventured on towards Cameron creek, the day got progressively later and with a little more encouragement we put on to Cataract creek. 

Dave Crerar - thanks Steve Arns

The beginning of the run is deceptively mellow, however this does not represent the character of what is to follow. The rapids, named after old greek characters gives you the sense that this run does provide a challenging quest through the East Kootney's.

Mikkel

Cataract creek boasts an awesome two tier drop with the top part being of class VI quality, thus forcing one and all to seal launch into the canyon and continue down the 25 footer.

You launch from the seal launch into pool/ flow above the drop

With the double drop behind us it was on down the river, the most notable other rapid was one of the last, leviathan, a rapid with a tricky entry followed by a shallow, sharp two tier slide. with the take out in sight it was time to think about camp fires, beers and catching up with friends.

Last weekend brought about my first day at work with kayaking.ie, it was great to be back on the water and even more fun to be sharing it with a group of new paddling mates.




We started off on Saturday, the sun was shining the waters on the Inny were perfect and it was the glorious temperature of 2 degrees celcius, yes that’s two above freezing, welcome home Davey boy.




Surfing, tail-squirts and spins were the order of the day for the first of Alex Stanley’s Freestyle Fundamentals courses. Well run, Moe Kelleher and I had our lesson plans all set and took to the water.






The group were great fun, advancing at every bit of criticism and enjoying the water even though it was Baltic. Despite the cold weather our group excelled and by the end of the weekend everyone was surfing and tail-squirting their way down the river.





Check out Kayaking.ie for more freestyle courses in the near future

So fall has finally fallen on Ontario, with the leaves turning all shades of brown. My mother has come to visit and I decided to show her the real Canada, and not just Toronto. So with the help of our trusty sat nav system we set off East accross Ontario and up to Ottawa. I had never really stopped in Ottawa to take in how beautiful it is. Even though it was raining torentially we still braved the streets to see the sights, but quickly.





Once we had soaked in enough of Ottawa, literally, we drove on up to Beachburg, where we stopped by in Wilderness Tours and then into Sharkys for dinner and a few welcomed beers after our 8 hours of driving. Saturday brought an early start, needless to say I couldn't have cared less, its been nearly 2 months since I've lifted a paddle and so I was deligthed to see some familiar faces and get onto the water.




We started with a ramp sesh in Keenerville and then headed on down the river. Marg, my mother, hadn't been on the water in five years, she had broken her ankle pthonging a drop and never went back, so we expected this reintroduction to be sketchy. But no, down the ramp she went, and layed down the standard of the day when she whipped out a nice ariel poo turn, go on Marg you legend. We rafted down some rapids and went duckie style down the rest.



Paddling on the Ottawa is amazing during the summer, paddling during fall is breathtaking, although the river is low the fall colours are amazing and the silence when you paddle down the river is really special. I have to say a special thanks to Corey Volt, Joel and Katie Kowalski for helping me fet mom back on the water again. And of corse Sharky. However corney it may sound its pretty cool sharing the water with your mom. Well done Marg.



While racing accross Alagonquin park i got stoped for doing 130 in an 80 zone, the look on the police mans face when I handed him an Irish driving licence was priceless, needless to say he hadn't a clue what I was saying and so had to let myself and my mother go without any charges. Who said being Irish was worthless?



Ok I must head for dinner in our Huntsville hotel, while savouring this lovely sunset. Check in soon for more, DC

Ottawa River

So after nearly 2 months in Chicago I go the finger out and moved up to the Ottawa and I’ve been here nearly two weeks now.



The Ottawa River is a playboaters heaven.You have a choice of so many different features to play on every day. Thanks to Moe Kelleher I've been set up pretty good, I'm working with Wilderness Tours working with their kayak school and their Keener program.



This basically means I'm set up in a sweet little cabin on the side of the river facing the first big rapid of the river and two really nice features called baby face and corner wave.



Garb came in last week and so we’ve been down there whenever we get a chance and we got a few pictures the other day of myself and Moe on garb. I’ve three more weeks here before I go across to Toronto for uni. So stay tuned for more photos and maybe a little video.

Click here for more pics....