Info on Mispec Paddle Route

[fletch]

Hey guys,

Whats the deal with Mispec River? Is it all rapids?

I plan on running it this week.

Thanks

[liquidmonkey]

I suspect you've seen the "Paddle Route" in the brown NB atlas?
From the old Black River Road down to Mispec Bay would generally be considered a whaitewater kayaking trip with the exception of very good whitewater canoer in a whitewater canoe. The first half hour is swift water through a twisty-turny alder flats before the whitewater action starts. This first half hour would keep you busy enough keeping out of the alders and sweepers as it is very twisty and swift. After that the rivers narrows and there are numerous drops that just wouldn't be doable in a tandem boat and any swamped boat would probably suffer some damage as the rocks are sharp and sticky. I could see a boat wrapped or pinned very easily.
To answer your question, there are plenty of rapids, some of class 3 quality, some of class 4 quality and at higher water, a few at class 5 quality.
As for running it this week, my kayaking buddies in SJ have siad that it is to low. This might be different if you are planning on paddling the lakes and deadwaters above the old Black River road.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[fletch]

L-Monkey,
I am glad I didnt read this until after we went, because I wouldnt have done it if I had known what it was like.

My Synopsis of the Mispec Paddle Route from Black River Road down.

1) Yes I did see it on the NB atlas.
2) The route from the Black River Road down to the top of the rapids was very nice. We had no idea it what was going to be ahead of us though.
3)I did see the rapids, and we ran the do-able ones, but spent the majority of the run carrying our boats. We did hit some of the smaller white water and a ton of 5+ water falls, but most of it was way out of our league. We had no skirts and no helmets, and we dumped the boats a couple times in the deep pools following the falls, but we didnt do anything that would have hurt us...too bad anyways.

We had a 10 ft OT Jolt, and 12 ft OT Dirago, and the stuff we did go through, they handled well.

I broke the end of my paddle off half way down, so that made it even more interesting paddling it like a canoe. Two ends are going to seem soooo easy now. haha

The water was very low in between the falls, and there were a crap load of rocks and boulders. We put in at 230, and took out at 7. We thought it was going to be a 1-2 hour run; how wrong we were.

All and all, it was the craziest paddling adventure I have been on, and let me tell you, I am craving the white-water now.

Recommenations to other beginners like myself: go ahead and do it, but be ready to walk with your boats. As long as you get out and scout what is around the next corner, you will be fine ( in these water conditions at least)
Higher water would have cut the walking down by a lot.

Would I do it again? Quite possible, but I think it's out of my boats and my own league. I want to hit up some white water on a wide river next.