JOURNEY #2 - September 6, 2001

Rideau River (Mooney's Bay): "Into The Wind"

PICTURES

Into The Headwind

TRIP REPORT

After four days of very long hours at work, we managed to escape early on Friday, and follow through on our agreement to try kayaking again and make sure we wanted to seriously pursue it. We rented two rotomolded (plastic) boats from Trailhead and launched from the Hog's Back marina, which is now little more than a ramp and dock.

There is very little current this time of year, as the dam is closed and the water is low. Early in the season, the current flows north, down through the Hog's Back falls and eventually over the Rideau Falls and into the mighty Ottawa River.

As we headed out moving north, there was a strong breeze at our backs, and more sun than cloud. The beauty of the homes along this stretch of the river compete with the natural wonders, which included a gorgeous blue heron that was perched on a large branch as we rounded the second large curve after the bay. We coasted in to have a look at him, keeping a respectful distance. He kept an eye on us, but didn't appear overly concerned.

The wind began to pick up, and we hardly needed to paddle. We waved hello to a canoe racer who paddled by heading north. That was the only other boat we would see on the day. As we whistled under the railroad bridge, Julie quite correctly pointed out that getting back would be no picnic, so we turned around.

It was quite a challenge getting back, particularly in the more open areas, where the wind made it difficult to make any progress at all. By the time we hit the bay, it was full-blown storm conditions, with a huge chop on the water. It was also a lot of fun, and the fact that we thought so helped confirm that it was time to get serious about purchasing our own kayaks. For the next few weeks we researched the issue relentlessly, as we were hoping to buy before the end of the season so we would be ready to go for next spring.

At this point, we were still thinking plastic, due to the cost. We had never tried fiberglass, so we didn't know what we were missing. That would change.