George River Solo 2018

Day 26
Start Time: 8/9/2018 12:46 PM
Duration: 6:11
Distance / Total (km): 21.1 / 335.1

First woke at 8:30am, snoozed until 10:30 or so, had a smoke and started getting into my river gear. I swigged some now cold leftover tea, a bit of water and a handful of nuts. I packed up my sleeping bag and pad taking care to avoid the small puddle in the corner of my tent that had accumulated from my river boots. It was buggy outside, the sky was not clear as forecasted but at least it was reasonably warm.

While packing and loading I felt some apprehension about the ferry I must make to river right. The current here is really moving along and I am only about 50m from the start of the R4 that I had no desire to run. I pointed the canoe upstream and pushed off into the current, the ferry went well, perhaps not perfect but plenty good enough. After reaching the far shore I inched my way towards the rapid where the shore transitioned from thick bushes to open rock. I tied up the boat and got out to have a good look at the rapid. In 2010 with slightly higher water, it had been a reasonably easy lining job down to and around the sharp bend. Of course, that had been with two of us handling each boat, this time it would be all on me so I was extra cautious and wanted a close look at any possible impediments. The approach to the turn look ok, the footing was slightly tricky but the water was not much of a concern. Just before the point, there was one small ledge but beyond it was an eddy pool where I would be able to set up for the quick move I would need to make. The footing for this part was very good, several shelves of flat rock that would allow me to rapidly move my position from beside and behind the boat to out in front where I would pull it around the bend and into the safety of a small side channel. If the water were higher and/or more turbulent there would be an option to pull over the rocks instead of lining past the tip of the point.

The rapid itself is a huge R4 with monster waves and numerous hydraulics, I had no intention to run but I still spent considerable time looking for and finding a narrow strip of black water that ran right down the middle. Tempting perhaps but being on my own means not taking unnecessary risks. I walked back upstream to the canoe, munched a fig bar and chugged some water before starting to line. I had no trouble with the first couple of small ledges, made it into the small eddy before the point. I set up my position to swing the boat around the point and into the “calm” water below; it went perfectly ending up at the start of the shallow side channel. I pulled the canoe through the shallows and positioned it for a controlled exit back into the main flow. This part of the rapid is an R3, with an easy route down the right shore, I hopped in and pushed out into the current and quickly made my way to the bottom of the rapid. Just downstream there was a small R2 followed by about 8km of strictly current, here I floated along through a beautiful area. A huge esker snakes west away from the river; in the distance, the hills surrounding Indian House Lake became visible in the north. One more rapid for the day, a long R3 – R2 combo, I ran the center for the most part through big waves, I took on considerable amounts of water in the first part, eddying out to bail before continuing on to the R2 part, now that was a fun ride!

A few hundred metres further to the “big bend”, the river does about a 120° turn to the southwest and widens as it flows 5km to the confluence with the Riviere DePas and the beginning of Indian House Lake. This change of direction put me under the influence of some headwinds but the current remained strong and I am helped by some swift water sections between small outcrops just rising above river level. Turning north where the two rivers meet I stopped to have a look at the Twin Rivers Lodge that is located high up on the eastern bank. When I passed by in 2008 there had been one motorboat pulled up on the beach, in 2010 there were no signs of activity, this time I found a single boot print at the landing. Climbing up the hill I found the lodge to be in very rough shape, the cabins were all open, piles of trash inside and out, while this is often the result of animal intrusions it was clear that most of this was due to “animals” of the two-footed variety. The beach was small, the hill was steep and the ground around the cabins littered with broken glass, spent shotgun shells and caribou bones, I did not hang around long!

Back on the water it was short paddle to a marked site, this was a small beach on the east shore. I set up the Pod and Marmot, moved in for an extended version of my usual evening ritual of snacking, smoking, tea, more leftover lunch snacks and general contemplation. I had a good seal in the Pod so the bugs covering the screen windows were staying outside for the most part. Eventually I made a bag of Beef Pho (Backpackers Pantry) I like this one, the initial taste is somewhat odd but after the third spoonful it begins to grow on you. It is soupy, calling for 750ml of water, which makes it good for my poor hydration habits. The stars are out and shining through the Pod windows, I am tired but very content that I have at last completed the Upper George. Ahead lies about 100km of flatwater and another 300km of the Lower George, if I was on a schedule I would be concerned, the original plan was 42 days, that would leave only 16 days, while that was still theoretically possible I had no intention of making any attempt at that deadline. At 1:00am I decide to move over to the Marmot, securing the Pod, gathering up what I needed and suiting up in full bug protection, I made the dash. Swarms of bugs followed me into the tent and it took a long time to eradicate them. I lay awake listening to the buzzing sounds, from time to time, I would turn on my headlamp, the light sent the bugs between the tent and the fly into a frenzy. It sounded like it was raining as they “pinged” off the fabric and the whine of thousands of mosquitos intensified. Inside I was almost 100% safe, the odd bug would rise up from some hidden location but I was quite adept at smooshing them. I requested a weather update, probably rain in the afternoon with high winds developing; I am unsure what to think about my plans for tomorrow.