The Jock River Race Returns!

 April 16th 2022

Note: click on any image to see larger.

Finally after a two year hiatus due to Covid-19 concerns, that "Rite of Spring" beloved to canoeists and kayakers of Eastern Ontario returns with a super attended event on a nice sunny day.   This year all submissions and waivers were done online so everyone could proceed directly to the put-in on Wood's Rd just south of Co Rd 10.   As per usual there was considerable congestion as vehicles park along the side of the road while everyone unloads and tries to navigate through the hole in the fence and bush to reach the riverside.

Wood's Rd. put-in

My boat heads to the water

Unloading

Easter bunnies?

The put-in I believe is on private land and the owner graciously removes a section of fence to allow for Jock Race access.  With 175 boats participating this year you can imagine it is no mean feat to funnel them all through that gap in the fence, but where there is a will there is a way!  I always  aim for the same spot where my yak sits half in the water and is reasonably level and then I wait till I see an open spot along the bank closer to the start line to await my opportunity to start.  I find this the trickiest part of the race trying to hold place in fast moving water.  There is usually a few casualties with some participants capsizing before they reach the start.

Getting to the water

 

My usual launch

The race got under way at noon with 5 boats pulling up to the start at a time so it takes a while for everyone to get going but this helps thin the field out which is good.   Below looking towards the start line from my launch spot gives an idea of how finding a place to park along the banks can be challenging.

Towards the start line

The race goes from Munster Hamlet to Jock River Park in Richmond a distance of 12.5 Km and passes through the Richmond Fen a somewhat eerie wetland where the channel can be somewhat indistinct as it wends through this flooded land but organizers usually tie ribbons to trees to aid in taking the correct channel.  Some paddlers have been known to deviate from this hoping to get a shortcut only to find themselves stuck and practising their gondola skills instead.

The Jock River Race

There are some class 1 rapids the longest ones being near the end of the race.  When I was about 20 min from the finish I turned on the video on my bow mounted camera and you can see that video on a new window at the link below.

Jock Race Last 20 minutes

Below I cruise in happy to have had my first paddle of the season without incident and looking forward to some snacks which are provided at the finish.  I forgot to bring my water bottle so looking forward to some hydration!

I pass the finish line!

So another race is over and a new paddling season begins and I think everyone had a great day (except maybe those who fell in at the start?).  The weather was perfect for this type of event and everyone hung around and had snacks while the results were tabulated and then the medals were handed out.  Perfect start to the season!

Happy paddling!

from

KayakJock

Paddling the Tay River

 Perth to Beveridge Locks

The Tay river/canal from Perth to Beveridge Locks is a very pretty paddle that I have done numerous times over the years but for some unknown reason have neglected to do a blog post which today I will remedy.    My habitual put-in is Last Duel Park off Craig St. (Hwy 43) in Perth where there is ample free parking and also toilets.

Last Duel boat ramp

Access from the ramp is to the canal or dug portion of the waterway which was completed 1887 with final work deepening the channel done by 1891.  If you paddle to your left, upstream you will reach the basin at rear of stores along Wilson Street and right downstream to the marshes and beyond to Beveridges Locks and entry to the Rideau Canal, the route I take today.  The image below looking downstream from just below the put-in.

Looking downstream

Earlier in the season this area is good for catching sight of song birds which can be found flitting around on the banks, unfortunately many of these species with breeding over will now be starting their southward trek to their wintering grounds.   Around 2.5 km downstream there is a split in the channel with the designated channel to the left, you can go either side but the right side has a lot of shallows and submerged rocks to scrape hulls.  Here I catch sight of a Green heron which flies off denying me a photo op.  As I am stopped I notice a baby turtle all alone and stays long enough for me to take a pic.  He was no more than about 2 1/2" tip to tip.

Baby Painted turtle

Where channel split

Continuing downstream until around the four kilometer mark where the dug channel gives way to open marshes you will pass a lovely example of post canal construction likely built by some of the canal builders.   This cottage lay as a ruin an  empty shell for many a year until someone bought and lovingly restored it.

Cottage

From here on for about the next four kilometers the channel sweeps through extensive marshland.   Early in the year before the marsh weeds are well established  the kayaker can take short cuts by bearing left and cutting the corners as the buoyed channel makes a long sweep to the right.  The marsh is the domain of several species of waterfowl, notably Pied-billed grebe and Common moorhen the former is very much in evidence today, most times I only hear it's strange call,

Pied-billed call

the latter I have only glimpsed occasionally.  There is also a loon with one of this year's offspring.

Pied-billed grebe

Loons

Extensive marshes

Reaching the end of the marsh one again turns into a dug channel that leads to Beveridge locks.  It is roughly 1.3 km to the first lock where I will take out and have lunch.

Last channel to locks

Just after I land a young woman in a kayak reaches the same dock so I lend a hand getting her kayak out of the water.  Turns out she is having lunch here too so we share a table and I have a pleasant lunch having someone there to chat with.   Lunch over I ask her if she wants to accompany me on the return leg as we are both going in the same direction.  She agrees so the return paddle is enhanced with having some good company.   Just another note on birds seen on today's trip, the following species were observed: Northern harrier, Kingfisher, Cedar waxwing, Red-eyed vireo, Eastern kingbird, Eastern phoebe, Great-blue heron, Osprey. A notable exception that I had expected to see was the Black tern which breeds in these marshes but has likely left already as they migrate to the northern coasts of South America.

Paddling companion

Happy paddling!

from

KayakJock