The tides for the row are:  High high at 5:30am, 2.6m/8.5′; High low at 12:00. 1.3m/4.3′; Low high at 4:45pm, 2.0m/6.6′.  The tide will be outgoing until noon for the row down to the Brunette.  There will not be a large rise from noon to 4:45pm, .7m/2.6′ so I do not expect there to be an upstream tidal current for the row back to the Maquabeak Park boat launch.

 

 Gwragedd Annwn at the Maquabeak Park boat launch.

 Gwragedd Annwn with the bridge deconstruction dock in the background.

 The deconstruction crew has refurbished the dock, putting a water level gauge on one of the pilings.  The markings are in meters.  The new Port Mann Bridge is to the left (East).  The orange structure visible underneath the middle of the bridge is what is left of the old Port Mann Bridge.

 The current down river is almost 5km/hr.  Besides taking my GPS navigatin unit, I always take paper charts and topo maps.

 I have a vaavud wind meter.  It works with my phone.  It is reading 20.5km/hr.  The wind is coming up river.  If I row downstream, I get helped by the current.  If I row upriver, the wind pushes me up against the current.  If I take my oars out of the water, the wind and current almost ballence each other off.

I believe this creek is called Dawes Hill.  The mouth is blocked by this big booming log.  The creek goes under three bridges and seems to disappear at United Boulevard.

 At the higest tides, I could work my way around the log…I will have to come back in June when the Fraser is higher to go any further up this creek.

 Dog in a log.

 The log sorting ground is active.

 They are using an excavator on a barge to sort logs.

 Seaspan barges moored on the North Shore.  They were here on the Sapperton Channel Row of March 16th, 2015.

 The more in the middle of the Fraser I am, the more I feel the wind and waves.

 One entrance to the Brunette.  I row in.  This is as far down river as I got in the Sapperton Channel Row of March 16th, 2015.  Then the way was blocked by log booms.

 The closer I row towards the river bank the more the wind and waves fade.

 For maximun visibility, I row backwards into the channel.

 The channel goes right through the middle of the old Canadian Forest Products site.

 I am on the lookout for loose rock.

 Looking out (South) the way I came in.  Why the steel I-beam girders?

 Is it to hold the sides out?  There is a gauge to the left (East) side.  Once through this part, I turn Gwragedd Annwn around and row normally.  

 The channel banks are now rocky.  I see them.

I row on to the next bridge along the channel.

This is the Canfor Avenue Bridge.  There is a gauge on the South-West side.

 There is another gauge on the North-West side of the Bridge.  If you look at the top of the gauge, you will see that there are two sets of numbers.  The 9 to 0 numbers on the long gauge and the smaller squares with the numbers 1 to 4 spaced 1 meter apart on the right.  The gauge seems to read .7 meters.  Enough depth for Gwragedd Annwn.

 I look to the right (East)  up the Brunette, another Canfor Avenue Bridge in the distance.

 To the Left (West) the Brunette runs along Brunette and Columbia Avenue.

 For maximun visibility, I row backwards down the Brunette.

 Old tree fort.  The river is tree lined on both banks with industrial land beyond.  

 The Skytrain track is barely visible to the right (North).

 A Skytrain passes by.

A small creek enters from the North.  Through the bushes, I spot a beaver dam.  Pretty marginal habitat.

 Another stream enters from the North.  Skytrain drainage?

 A fishing lure stuck in a tree branch.  People fish here?!?

 I continue down the Brunette.

 There is not much current or wind here.

 Coming up to a railway bridge.

 There are a bunch of white plastic pipes stuck in the river bed.  I do not know what for.

 I maneuver around the pipes.  You can see the current washing against them.

 Sign in front of the Skytrain station. You cannot get there from here.

 West side of the railway bridge looking North at the Skytrain station.

 FedEx truck on the Spruce Street Bridge.

 Going under the Spruce Street Bridge.

 The next bridge is unnamed.

 I sis not see any traffic while I rowed here.

 Shadow patterns on the underside.

 More shadow patterns.

 Unnamed pipe crossing.

 I see an anchored boat past the Cumberland Street (?) Bridge.

 The Skytrain line runs parallel to the Brunette River.

 Coming up to the bridge.

 There is a pier where the Brunette enters the Fraser.

 The boat anchored here is the Tuesday Sunrise built and owned by Randy van Eyk.

 I had a nice chat with him, he built the boat in 1987.  He is now waiting for engine parts to arrive.  He has been anchored here for a while.  Google Earth picture of July 14th, 2014 shows his boat:Randy is a member of the BC Nautical Resident Association.  Their website is:  www.bcnr.org

The BCNR’s mission statement is to:

1. Preserve and support the tradition of living aboard one’s vessel;
2. Promote environmental awareness among liveaboards;
3. Establish effective communications and resolve issues of concern to liveaboards;
4. Serve as a voice for liveaboards regarding activities that affect BC waterways;

With a mandate to liaise with community and government groups regarding development and activities that affect BC waterways and the people who live upon them.

 

Randy seemed like a nice guy.  I wish him and the BCNR well.

 The pier where the Brunette enters the Fraser.

 I stick my nose out to check conditions.  Looking East in this photo.

 Looking South here.

 South-West towards the Pattullo Bridge.

 Pattullo Bridge, Sapperton Landing park.

 I decide that it is too windy to row up the Fraser, so I row back up the Brunette.  Let us see how far up I can get.

 I leave Randy van Eyk and  the Tuesday Sunrise behind.

 Another gauge.  It does not seem as if the gauges are cordinated together.  I can just make out the numbers 8, 9 & 0; maybe the number 1 at the top.

 No wind and little current.  Nice rowing here.

 Back at the Canfor Avenue Bridge junction.  I am looking East, up the Brunette.

 Looking down the “Through the middle of the old Canadian Forest Products site”, to the Fraser, fork.

 Looking West down the Brunette.

 I now row up the Brunette River.

 I think that this railway bridge is abandoned.

 The second Canfor Avenue Bridge.

 I row beyond the Bridge.

 This is the new Braid Street Bridge.

 Still shiny and new.

 I row under the Bridge.

 Up the Brunette I row!

 The current begins to quicken.  The river shallows.  I am nearing the end…

 The end of the row.  I cannot go any further, the current is too strong and there is an obstacle across the river with breaking standing waves.  I need higher water to go further on.  There is a fisherman by the rapids.  I am the first rowboat he has ever seen here.

 Another gauge at the new Braid Street Bridge.

 I let the current carry me downstream.

 Back at the fork to the Fraser through the old Canadian Forest Products site.

 A last look down the Brunette, and I row under the Canfor Avenue Bridge towards the Fraser.

 I leave the junction behind.

 Back under the I-beams.

 The tide should be rising, but there is a slight outflow current.  Wierd.  I guess the tide is not rising quickly enough to push water into the Brunette and cause it to  flow backwards here.

  Almost through.

 The river looks pretty calm.  Maybe I am in rowing luck.

 I leave this unstable area for more stable areas.

 West towards the Pattullo Bridge.

 East towards the New Port Mann bridge and the Maquabeak Park boat launch.  I row between the log booms and the shore, staying out of the wind and current.  I just hope that there is enought room for me to row between the shore and the booms.

 Well, I had to pop out from between the booms and the shore…the way was blocked.  I am in the current, but I find that the wind is pushing me up river strongly enough to nearly counteract the current.  Still, it is tough rowing.

 Geese on a barge.  Not as good a title as “Snakes on a plane”, but much more realistic.  Canadian Geese can be pretty nasty.  Ever try to walk on a grassy area where they have been?

 The log sort excavator working.  I am not taking as many pictures as I have to keep rowing to make progress.

 With the wind blowing upriver, this piece of foam was making better time than I was.

 A tugboat, the Harken No.7 comes up from astern.

 Nice guys, they give me a lot of searoom.  I am almost at the boat launch.  I row Gwragedd Annwn to the dock and pack her up for the trip home.

GPS track of the row.

 The Brunette River part.

Copy of the chart I took with me.

The Brunette River part was the calmest, with the Sapperton Channel being the most challenging part to row.  Being given a good run for the money by a foam block was pretty humbling.  The hardest part about rowing in the Fraser is the downstream current.  The upstream wind helped even if it did kick up a lot of chop.

 

The trick is to row upstream with the incoming tide, downstream with the outgoing tide and plan your row accordingly.

 

Mike

May 31st, 2014.  A perfect evening to watch the Sunset at Siwash Rock.  Of course being the Urban Oarsman, I will watch from Gwragedd Annwn.

The Low low tide was around 2:00pm, .9m/3′ and the High high will be around 9:30pm, 4.5m/14.8′.  Sunset will be around 8:20.  

 I row due South, away from the Ambleside launch ramp at 6:40pm.  

 The incomming tide pushes me towards First Narrows and Stanley Park.  

 

  About 20 minutes later, I arrive off Stanley Park.  At low tide, this is a boulder beach, with several large eyebolts in the rock.  

 

 I pass the ramp to the beach and row on to Siwash Rock.

 

 Except at the highest tides, it is always a good idea to stay 300 feet (100 meters) or more off the shore at Stanley Park.  There are many rocks along the shore.  Some quite far out.

 

 I row into the cove behind Siwash Rock and begin to take photos.

 

 A cyclist rides by.

 

  The signature trees. I understand that the original tree died in the exceptionly dry Summer of 1965 and these are replacement trees.

 

 I row around to get different photos of the sun behind Siwash.

 

 The sky is cloudless.

 

 The high tide channel between the rock and the shore.

 

 I circumnavigate the rock to take some photos from the outside.

 

 I have always wondered about the “eyespot”.

 

 Close-up of the “eyespot”.

 

 Very few people see Siwash Rock from this angle.  

 

 Looking South-East at Siwash.

 

 The Ocean Seagull heads out of Burrard Inlet, going to one of the English Bay anchorages. That is Sentinal Hill behind the freighter.

 

 Other freighters sit in the middle of English Bay.  The black streak is a cormorant flying by.

 

 Freighters on the North side anchorages, off Jericho beach.

 

  Ocean Seagull changes course and heads for an anchorage.

 

 A couple of Ocean Seagull Sunset shots:

 

 

 Her anchor is ready.

 

 

 She is a general cargo frieghter.

 

 

 I never do see her port of registry.

 

 Passing behind Siwash.

 

 Photo of her through the channel.

 

 I take some more photos of Siwash, trying to get a really good one.

 

 With the sun behind the rock, you can see some more of the East side.

 

 The three Douglas Fir trees, planted in 1968 still survive.

 

 Another Sunset photo.  The arm of  land in the background is Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver and the tall mountain to the right is Bowen Island.

 About an hour into the row and the view is wonderful.

 

 I am just drifting in Gwragedd Annwn and taking photos.

 

 I guess it would be helpful if I really knew what I was doing.

 

 There are a lot of people on the seawall.

 

 I am trying to get the trees more silhouetted.

 

 Horizon is a bit more level in this one.

 

 I float behind Siwash and take photos as the sun sets.

 

 Trying to get Siwash’s shadow in the picture.

 

 A good silhouette picture.

 

 

 The sun is starting to hit the mountains.

 

 I row out, through the channel to get a different view.

 

 View from the seaward side.

 

 Sinking below Bowen Island, Lighthouse Park.

 

 I zoom in.  The big problem with using the zoom lens is that Gwragedd Annwn is not a stable photography platform.  This is the best of many shots.

 

 Back behind Siwash.

 

 Kinda like that redish streak.

 

 Try again without Gwragedd Annwn’s rowing mirror in frame.

 

 

 It is a lovely evening.

 

 

 Close-up of the Douglas Firs with a crescent moon sliver to the left of the lowest branch.

 

 The sun is half way below the Bowen Island mountainline.

 

 Just dissappearing behind the ridge.

 

 A bit of haze glows in the sunset.

 

 The crescent moon.

 

 I row around to get the moon over the Douglas Firs.

 

 Close-up of the crescent moon.

 

 Moon to the south of the Douglas Firs.

 

 Moon to the North of the Douglas Firs.

 

Sunset.  A jet’s contrails glow.  A little after 8:00pm and time to row home.  The tidal flow through First Narrows has slowed and it will be an easy row across.  I will be packed up and on my way home by twilight’s end.

Siwash Rock Sunset.  A good row.

Mike

The rowing plan for the Nicomekl River is to ride the tide upriver, the low low was at 6:10am, 1.4m/4.6′. The low high is at 12:50pm, 3.2m/10.5′ and then ride the tide/current down, the high low tide is at 5:30pm at 2.6m/8.5′.  The tide will only drop 60cm or 2′ during the day.

I print out three Google Earth Views of the Row.  This is the first leg of the row:

I also have a topo map and the blueways map from the city of Surrey:(http://www.surrey.ca/files/blueways.pdf) It shows the Nicomekl River Surrey Floating Nature Trail.  The trail goes from Blackie point to 184th Street.  I am going to launch at the Crescent Beach Marina and row up river as far as I can get in five hours and row down (the faster way) in three.  I ballpark the trip as 16 km each way.

I launch Gwragedd Annwn at the Crescent Beach Marina and park the FJ & trailer in their lot.  I row away fromt the dock at 9:35am, just a little behind schedule.

The marina boat launch ramp.  realistically one boat at a time.

The turnstyle railroad bridge over the Nicomekl River.  The bridge is now open for vessel traffic.

The track goes North along Mud Bay to Surrey, between Surrey and Delta to New Westminster.

I leave Crescent Beach Marina behind.  There is a current up the river.

Heading South, the railroad goes along the White Rock waterfront to the Peace Arch Crossing.  I remember to turn on and reset the GPS.

Looking East up river.

I row up to a piling to check the current.

The current is heading upstream.

           The  GPS shows 1.1 knts flowing upriver.  I should make good time.

The marina fades to the West.

As you can see in Gwragedd Annwn’s wake, there is a slight breeze going upriver.

Channel marker.

Looking North.  It really does seem wildernessy here.

The marina at the Historic Stewart Farm.

There are a lot of pilings along the shore here.  I row in to investigate.

This is where Chantrell Creek enters the Nicomekl.

I row into the creek estuary.

There is a walking trail just on the other side of the bank.

I push on, trying to go as far up creek as I can.  I wish the tide was higher.

The channel ends in several pools.  I explore each one.

This side channel to the West is too shallow to go up.  The Google Earth photo shows that Chantrell Creek comes from this branch.

The side channel to the East is too shallow too.  It is navigatable at high tide.

A large meadow(?) seems to go along up the creek.

I row back out and pick another side channel to explore.  This one heads West, but the Google Earth picture shows it deadending.  I Look to the East.

It is hard to tell, but Google Earth shows this channel going to the river and it may connect well enough for Gwragedd Annwn to return to the Nicomekl.  I back down the channel in case I cannot turn around at the end.

Looking more or less south.

I do not know what made this hole.  Looks pretty slimy.  Might just be some sort of outflow.

The channel continues to the North.  Those are sailboat masts on the dock.

A birdhouse in the marsh.

There are thousands of snails in the water.

More Snails.

The channel turns to the East and runs along the pilings along the shore.

Working my way East.

The sailboats at the dock.

The channel is getting narrower all the time.  I am glad that the tide is still rising.  Thisis as far as I can go…The channel is too shallow and narrow to continue.  It does not look as if it reconnects to the Nicomekl.

Back out the way I came in.

Comming around the bend back tot he main channel of the creek.

I rowed out, along the pilings and the shore, between the boat dock and the river bank..The little side channel did not connect up with the Nicomekl.

I did speak to a woman on the dock as I rowed past, who told me that she and her friends could see my hat moving along the marsh, and the occasional oar as I poled myself along.

There is a boat launch here, shallow water.  I could have launched here.  It is shown in the blueways map.

This big house under construction is on Crescent Road next to Nico Wynd Drive.

This boat dock is off of the Nico-Wynd golf course.

There are a lot of boat anchored in this wide bend in the river.

I row past “Maple” one of the boats tied up to the golf course docks.

An orange cone marks the edge of the dyke.

First view of where Elgin Road crosses the Nicomekl.

Well this is dissappointing. It is not a bridge, it is an impassable dam.

Gwragedd Annwn pulled up on the beach by the dam.  Elgin Road runs along the top of the structure.

I walk down to the upstream side of the sea dam.

The river is controlled by sea dams located just south of  King George Boulevard under Elgin Road. The dam consists of gates which open when tides are low to allow fresh water to flow to Mud Bay.  When tides are high, the gates prevent brackish (salt water) from migrating up the river into farm land.

Looking East upriver from the dam.  The bridge carries King George Blvd.  I have no way to get Gwragedd Annwn down to here.

               I check the water level on this side of the sea dam.  It reads about -1.2 meters.

I walk over and back to Gwragedd Annwn.  I will check the level on this side.

There is a gauge on the seaward side of the dam.

Looks to be reading 0.8 meters.  That is about a two meter differance.  I guess the sea dam works…but not for rowing.  I recheck the blueways map.  It shows that there is a “walk in” launch here.  I guess one seaward and one landward.  There is no portage for Gwragedd Annwn as I do not have a portage cart for her and she is too heavy to carry up to and across Elgin road, and down to the river again.

I begin the return row home, leaving the barrier behind.

Another Gauge.  It readings do not correspond to the sea dam’s ones.

A boathouse on the East shore.  It is off of 40th Avenue.

Just past the boathouse, I see what I think is a small dolphin or porpose.  I get out my camera but it does not surface again.  You will just have to take my word for it.  

A blue heron on a small float, anchored in this wide bend in the river.

An anchored powerboat.

There are a lot of dinghies on the shore, beside 40th Avenue.

Close-up of the pretty clinker one.

A fellow rowing to his boat.   I actually have to row a little more off of the shore, as many dinghies are anchored with a line to shore to pull them into shore for loading and out to the mooring for waiting.

A heron on the shore.

These are some sort of daisy.  I could sure smell them.

The wind has picked up from the South-West.  10.4 km/hr.

Rowing back along the North shore, I row into an inlet and explore.

What is that structure in the back?

It is the remains of a shed roof.

Old pilings.

Looking back out towards Nicomekl river.

There are several of these islands/inlets on the North Shore.

I row here to explore and because the wind is lighter.

The end of another inlet.

Back in the river again, rowing downstream, into the wind.

As I near the train bridge a train appears.

The swing bridge is closed, much to the chagrin of the sailboat.

 The McGregor heads back up river.

It is a long train.  I row beside the trestle bridge while I wait for the train to end.

Empty coal cars?

The end of the train.

I wait around a bit for the bridge to open but it does not.  Another train expected?

I back in to the boat launch, beside “A” dock.  The row is over.  Now to pack up Gwragedd Annwn and drive home.

I will have to figure out a way to get past the sea dam or launch on the other side of it.  Time for some reconnoiter trips in the FJ.

Good rowing,

Mike

Yesterday I tried to row in Pitt Marsh.  The water level was too low.  I then went to Grant Narrows to check the water level in the Pitt River.  It was very high.  Today I will see how far up I can row in Widgeon Creek.

Water level chart for The Fenton gauge on the Pitt.  The gauge is located on the river near Sheridan Hill, South of Addington Point.

The water is very high on the ramp.  The tide will drop about 60cm to a low at 6:00pm.  Lots of deep water time for rowing.

At this point, there is not much current, but, there is a slight ebb.

 

I depart Grant Narrows boat launch around 11:00am.

 

There is no wind.  It is a quick  row across.

 

A nine minute crossing.  I have never seen the water this high up on the No Power-Driven Vessels sign.  Compare this photo to the one I took at the Widgeon Creek High Tide Row:I thought that the water was high on that trip!  It is 3′ or 4′ higher on this trip.  I should be able to row anywhere.

 

I row up the estuary, around the first bend.

 

Where the park bench now makes some sense.

 

 

This stump is usually much more visable.  Compare this photo to the one took on my third visit (The Widgeon Creek Ice Row, Both Forks. December 7th, 2013. In the Oarstrokes of Shackleton) to Widgeon Creek:

The Urban Oarsman Rows Widgeon Creek, Both Forks, in the Oarstrokes of Shackleton

 

The top ot the stump is awash.

 

The water seems to go to the base of the hills now.

 

I think this is the Gauge piling with a bit of weed stuck on it, completely covered.  I have never seen so much water here.

 

This is where the “No-Tresspassing” cabin used to be until three young men burnt it down July 7th, 2014.  They were charged with arson.  I do not know what final result was.

 

I spotted this young black bear on the shore.  He/She looked at me for a bit then ambled into the woods.

 

This is the channel that runs North-East towards the unnamed hill on IR Pitt Lake 4.

 

The posts have been here a very lone time.

 

The channel goes North-East for a bit, then splits into two main fingers, one going South-East, the other continuing North-East.  Are these posts the remains of a fence?  There is a rock wall across the channel between them.

 

I float over the barrier.  The water is still flowing into the marsh here.

 

Comming to the end of the line.  I push on as best I can.

 

Gwragedd Annwn in a sea of reeds.

 

Cannot go any further.

 

A damselfly hitches a ride.  I begin the return row to Widgeon Creek.

 

Passing over the barrier.  The water was not as deep as I expected.  Does the bog swell with the influx of water?  Here is a photo of what the barrier looked like during The High Water Row:

Widgeon Creek High Water Row

 

Going back into Widgeon Creek.  I turn to Starboard and head up river.

 

I take the Right Fork (Not the Left Fork that leads to the campground).  I go around the two bends, and take the channel to the Starboard.

 

The Starboard Channel.  I have never rowed here before.  I will see where it leads.

 

The channel is quite wide and deep.  Has it been dredged before?

 

I wonder why?  I go on to see.

 

There is a piling on both side of the channel.

 

The end of the channel.  It is a small creek.  Acording to the maps, it drains from a lake up the unnamed mountain between the Widgeon Creek drainage basin and Pitt River.

 

I leave the creek outflow and try to push East.  How close can I get to where I was stopped earlier?

 

What would Allan Quatermain name these mountains?   They are always in the background of photographs taken in Widgeon Creek looking North.

 

Acording to the GPS, I am maybe 300 meters away from where I was stopped before.

 

Back to the main fork.  Acording to Glen Stedham , author of the Vancouver Paddler, The right fork used to be the main fork of Widgeon Creek.

 

A fallen tree blocks the way.  It does look as if there is navagatable water upstream of the tree.  I try to work my way around the root base, but there is notenough room to do so.

 

Looking enviously upstream, I turn back and drift down.  Time to row back to Grant Narrows.

 

I row past the entrance to the North-East channel.  The wind has picked up and is comming from the South.

 

I spot this toad near the shore.  I would like to have a closer look, I have never seen a toad (or a bear) here before.

 

I scoop it up with my net.  It looks like a Western Toad, Bufo boreas.

 

The toad is not very active, it must be quite cold from the creek and the wind.  I put it back, out of the water and in in the sun.

 

The pilings near where the cabin burned are awash now.  I could not see them when I went up river.

 

Rounding the bend by where the cabin used to be.  I do not see a bear now.

 

The Gauge piling is just visible.  6½ feet of water?

 

I can clearly see the stump.  The water has dropped about 2′.

 

I leave the estuary behind.  It has been a good row.  I have gone upstream further than ever before.  The highest water levels are in June when the Fraser River floods.

 

The bench is a lot higher above water now.

 

You can see by the No Power-Driven Vessels sign how much the water level has dropped.

It is a quick ten minute row to Grant Narrows.  I pack up Gwragedd Annwn and drive home. Good Rowing to you.

Mike.

 

 

 In Febuary 2015, on the 4th, I rowed Gwragedd Annwn in the Pitt Marsh.  It was a good row and now I want to explore the marsh when everything is growing.  I know that the Fraser and Pitt Rivers are running high and expect the marsh to be full.

 

I am mistaken.  The marsh is low.  There is probably two feet or more less water here than on Febuary 4th.

 

The reeds are green but the water level is low.  This is the view North towards Grant Narrows.

 

 There are a lot of Bull Frogs in the marsh.

 

 Looking South down the ditch along Rannie Road.

 

 The trailer is covered with weed.  I will have to scrape it off before I leave.

 

 This photo shows my new extended lights so that the trailer is legal with Gwragedd Annwn on it.  The back of a boat is only allowed so far past the lights and I had to extend the lights so Gwragedd Annwn and Snowdrop will be legal.

It is strange… The only time the trailer got rear-ended was when there was no boat on it.  The driver did not notice the lights at the time.  

 

 Well here I am, at the end of the row.  A beaver dam has blocked my way.  It is too shallow for me to cross.  The dam is too wide for me to slide Gwragedd Annwn over.  This is Catbird Slough.  Rats.

I try a few other channels but the results are the same… too weedy and shallow to row in.  

 

 There are a lot of Bull Frogs.  Can you spot this one?

 

Here it is.  There were thousands of the invasive frogs.

 

I caught one to have a closer look

 

There is the big eardrum.  I am packing it in.  There is so much weed that it is not fun to row.  I return to the launch point and take Gwragedd Annwn out.  Not even an hour and a half at the thwart.

 

More weed on the trailer.  I remove all of it.

I cannot believe that the water level is so low, so I drive to Grant Narrows to have a look at the Pitt River.

 

The water level is high.  There is an ebb tide.

 

This is about as high as I have ever seen it here.

The water level in the Marsh does not seem to have any correlation to the water level in the River.

 

Yep, she is high.  I should go explore Widgeon Creek!

The River should be highest about 9am, at 2.1 meters, and lowest at 6pm, at 1.3 meters.

A GPS track of the row.  Not much rowing done, but lessons learned.

A nice try, but not a successful row.

Good Rowing, hopefully in deeper water…

Mike

I have a brother in-law who lives in Vernon.  We visit several times a year.  On this trip I decide to take Gwragedd Annwn and row in Goose Lake.  Goose Lake is a little North and West of Vernon.  Goose Lake is about 2 kilometers long and 400  meters wide at its widest.  Should be good for an afternoon row. (Click on picture for larger format one).

 

Gerry has kindly reserved a parking spot for Gwragedd Annwn.  Tomorrow we will take the FJ and have a look at Goose Lake.  Gerry has never been there.

 

We find Goose Lake and walk down to check it out.

 

There is a concrete barrier in the way.  Does not look good.

 

There is a dirt track where others have by-passed the barrier.

 

Another barrier of sorts.  It is looking worse for rowing.

 

Looking back up the road to where the FJ is parked.  It turns out that there is a concrete barrier, two barbed wire fences and a No Tresspassing sign.  No rowing here.

 

Swan Lake, on the other hand, has a boat launch ramp, just off the highway North of Vernon.  Swan Lake is about 5 kilometers long and a kilometer wide at its widest.  The ramp is more or less at the middle of the lake.

 

The water is a little high on the ramp, it does not drop off until the edge of the reeds.  I simply push Gwragedd Annwn off her trailer into 10″ deep water.

 

As you can see in this photo, the water does not come up over the trailer wheels.  Good thing I brought my sailing boots!

 

While I was launching Gwragedd Annwn, these two fifth-wheel trailer (insert bad words here) came and parked their fifth-wheel trailer right at the turn-around!  Right in the way of the boat launchers.  Now the next ones to launch must turn their towing vehicle and trailer around further up the ramp and back much further down the ramp.

 

Rowing away from the launch.  I feel sorry for those next guys backing their boat & trailer down the ramp.  My row plan is to go down to the South shore of the  lake and then back up to the top (North) end before the wind starts.  I will ride the wind back down lake to the launch ramp.

 

Looking South, down lake.  The weather prediction calls for calm to light Northerly winds in the late afternoon.

 

Looking North up lake.

 

A rustling and a noise attract my attention on the shore.  It takes me a few minutes to spot something.

 

There is a Canada Goose on a nest.

 

A bit closer look.  He/She blends in nicely with the reeds.

 

Looking North, the first few gusts ripple the water.  I hope the wind holds off.

 

Looking East.  There is a large flock of birds along the shore, mostly ducks.

 

Glassy calm again.  I hope it stays this way.

 

Willows on the Eastern Shore.

 

There is a campground on the South-East end of the lake called Silver Star RV Park.

 

I hear more activity in the reeds but do not see anything.

 

Looking to the Western shore.

 

Silver Star RV Park is behind the trees.  The wind is starting to pick up from the North!  I will have to row back against it.  Maybe it will cease.

 

The RV park.  The wind has stopped again.

 

The wind has picked up again.  Gusting 10 to 15 kts.  Going to be a bit of a slog rowing home.

 

 

Bird obseveration hut on the South Shore of Swan Lake.  The wind is blowing quite strongly and consistantly.

 

Not many chances to take photos on the way back, but, I snapped this one as two geese pass me flying upwind.  I am sad that I only got to see the South end of the lake.

Swan Lake is a good place to row. Especally if there is no wind.

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Equinox row tides:  High at 6:50pm, at 15.4′ with a 6:58 pm sunset.  No need to worry about the tidal current.

 

The kayakers are getting ready to launch.

This is Steve Britten getting into his Kayak.  He took the better-looking pictures.

There is a lot of fussing involved with Kayaking.

He took some photos of me giving him static for taking so long to launch.

 Still waiting for the Kayakers.  The new forward-view mirrors work well.

Time for some pictures of Kayak fussing on the ramp.

When they are finally ready to launch, they just slide down the ramp.

Almost ready to go.  ½ dozen Kayakers, a Mirror Dinghy, a SUP and Gwragedd Annwn.

The Kayakers are launching and we go West towards the sunset and Navvy Jack point.

Heather in her Mirror 11 #37202.  She built it herself.  Heather would later race in the R2AK as ½ of Team Coastal Express, sailing a Mirror 16.

Steve does take a brilliant picture.

Oarsman and paddlers heading into the sunset.  Perfect conditions.

Every row should be this perfect.

It is a little flat for sailing, but, Heather has her oars at the ready.

Watching the sun set off Navvy Jack Point.

Steve and Ingrid paddle by.

Ian and I have a chat.  He claims that his feet are cold.

After the sun sets, we head back to Hollyburn Sailing Club.  A very pleasant evening.

Good Rowing.

 

Mike

 

The rowing plan is simple…High tide is at Noon, but in the marsh, does it matter?  The tide then drops about a meter (3′) to a low at 8:00pm.

 

Gwragedd Annwn at the launch point.  There is a gravel ramp down to the water.  There is no charge to launch and not much parking area.

This is the ditch that runs along Rainne Road.  The side channel to the left goes into the marsh, connection to Catbird Slough.

Gwragedd Annwn in the ditch.  The FJ is locked up and I am ready to row.

Looking South down Rainne Road.  These are my new “front-view” mirrors.

The channel that goes to Catbird Slough. (West).

Rowing Gwragedd Annwn West up the channel.

A short distance from the road there is a beaver lodge.  It looks as if the beaver had a beer when he finished it.

The channel has a branch that goes north and connects to the Rannie Road ditch a little past the FJ.

There is an outflow to the Pitt River here.

Looking North up the Rannie Road ditch.  Acording to the maps it connects with the Marsh at Grant Narrows.

Rowing in I see a unique bird’s nest.  It is a round tube of straw in a holder.

All of the reeds are brown.  They line the channels.  I turn down Catbird Slough.

A more normal looking bird house.

A lone Douglas Fir overlooks the marsh.

Catbird Slough widens.  It is the straight channel behind the mirror.

The water is over 5′ deep here.  I cannot see the bottom.  I keep the shore to my Starboard and explore.

A side channel leads off to the North.

It does not go far.  I can see other channels close by, but, they do not connect.

A short portage to another pond?  I pass it by.

I have no idea what this is.  it is floating a short way up a side channel.

Maybe it is a bird-hunting blind?

I leave the mystery craft and row on.

Looking South, down Catbird Slough.

The lonley Douglas Fir is a landmark.

A beaver lodge on the bank.

I pass the beaver lodge by.

Looking North up Catbird Slough.  The Douglas Fir is still visible.

I do not know what these mud mounds are for.  Beavers getting mud for their lodges?

Another normal bird house.

The slough begins to open up.

There is open water and I row South-East in the widest part.

With no wind, it warms up and begins to get a little buggy

Another hunting blind?

These were not biting mosquitos, but some sort of mayfly.  They only caught up to me when I stopped rowing to take a picture.

Another hunting blind.

A view to the North-East.  There seems to be more open water on the east side of the marsh.

This is a landscape shot looking North.

Close-up photo of the blind.

The scum line shows how high the water gets.

The depth-sounder oar indicates that the water gets about 10″ higher.

Here the channel widens and loops around to the East.

Another beaver lodge.  The highestone yet.

More mystery mud mounds.

Another hunting blind.  I began to notice spent shotgun shells in the water near the shore.

The Eastern shore of the marsh.  The entire marsh is dyked.

Getting closer to the Eastern shore.

The channel splits, one branch going North, the other South along the dyke.

I head South.  Another Beaver lodge.

The end of the line.  There is a dyke between Pitt Marsh and Homilk’um Marsh to the South-East and the Pitt-Addington to the South-West.

I am sure this sign reads “Oarsmen only”.

Gwragedd Annwn on the dyke between Pitt Marsh and Homilk’um Marsh.

This photo looks to the East.  To the right (North) is Pitt Marsh, to the left (South) Homilk’um Marsh with the Pitt-Addington Marsh in the background.

The dyke runs North between the marsh and the mountains.

A 180° picture of the Pitt Marsh.

As I row North along the dyke, I spot a frog

The wind is beginning to pick up.

Coming up to the North end of the marsh.

You can reach this obseveration tower by walking up the Pitt River dyke from the Grant Narrows boat launch.

Swamp willows?  It is always hard to tell in the early spring.

My wind meter shows 7.2 meters per second, a little over 25km/hr.  Pretty windy.

There is a big open patch in the middle of the marsh

Another beaver mound.  a little less high than most.

There is a small wind shadow beside the reeds.

I notice that the reeds are still.  The wind has let up.

Another one of those round straw birds nests.  I have seen them called Mallard Duck nesting tubes.

Another beaver lodge.

I am ghosting down the middle open area.  This photo looks to the South-West.

Looking to the North.  The trees are along the Pitt River Dyke, above Grant Narrows.  The obseveration tower is to the right, out of frame.

Looking North-East.

Snow geese take off.

Another blind.

Starting up Catbird Slough.

Still rowing up Catbird Slough.

The way ahead (North).

Side Trip!  This channel should take me to Rannie Road.  I work my way up the channel stern first.

Looking back towards Catbird Slough.

The row of trees is along Rannie Road, but just a little further along, the channel is blocked and I cannot get past the shallow spot.

The way back.

A sea of reeds.

The work of beavers has halted my progress.

I work my way back to Catbird Slough.

Another average nesting box beside a new side channel.  Let us have a look.

It quickly narrows and I do not think that I will even try this one.  OK, maybe a little further.

A little further, the end of a side channel again.

I pass the nesting box again on my way out.

I row to the outflow pipe again.  The water level has not changed much, if at all.

I try rowing along Rannie Road.

The channel/ditch could use a little digging out.

I row back to the FJ in the distance.

In a few more minutes I will be back at the launching point.

Last look North, along Rennie Road.

Where the ditch and side channel meet at the launch.

Gwragedd Annwn is back on her trailer.  Time to pack her up for the trip home.

GPS track of the Row.

About 4½ hours at the thwart.  A good row.

Good Rowing,

Mike

A mast & sail for Gwragedd Annwn.

 

Gwragedd Annwn and I were not in the inaugural R2AK.  In the lead up to the race, when Dan Campbell, Heather Drugge (Team Coastal Express, in a Mirror 16, from Hollyburn Sailing Club) and I were talking about entering, they said:  “She’s a fine rowboat, Mike, but what are you going to do if the wind blows?”

 

Well they called it.  In any breeze much over 10 kilometers per hour, Gwragedd Annwn is very hard to row with any speed.  The first leg of the race is from Port Townsend Washington to Victoria, British Columbia, a distance of 60 kilometers.  My goal would have been to average 5 km/hr. for a trip time of 12 hours.  You are allowed 36 hours.  Should be doable but only under favorable conditions.

 

Dan and Heather are right; I need to have a sailing rig on Gwragedd Annwn if I am to go in the race.  Not enough time to get it ready for 2015, I begin to plan for 2016.

I decide on a dipping lug rig on an unstayed mast.  Easy to put up and take down.  No standing rigging, one halyard, one sheet.  For a boat of Gwragedd Annwn’s size, a sail of 100 to 125 square feet is average, on an 18 foot or so mast.

 

I begin construction of my mast.

On Craig’s List, Dick’s Lumber in Burnaby has three 20’ by 11 ½” by 3½” fir planks, at $75ea.  I drive over and have a look to see if there is enough clear timber to make a mast.  It looks like there is.  I take both of my sons to help me lift the plank and put it on the FJ’s roof racks.

I put the plank on the saw horses at home and lay out my cutting line.  The blank will be 3½” square.  It takes three passes with the circular saw to cut off the mast blank.

I use the circular saw set at 45° to cut off the corners of the blank.

There is an unexpected check in the end of the plank.  It is a pitch split.  I hope that it will not go too deep.  There is also a knot that may give me grief.

I decide to shape the mast and see how it turns out anyway.  I can always cut around the knot.

With the corners knocked off.

I make a drill mast sander.

Idea from “How to Build a Wooden Boat” by Bud McIntosh.

I use some scrap wood, a piece of threaded rod, some nuts, washers and a sanding belt.

It consists of a handle, a mandrel, and a wooden drum with an old rubber belt glued to it.

  You take the sanding belt, turn it inside out, put it over the mast.  You take a drill, chuck the mandrel into it and power the mandrel to turn the belt around the mast, sanding it.

This sanding block uses a duct tape reinforced pad of sanding paper to finish sand the mast.  I make another jig to true up and taper the mast. First,  I locate the centre of the ends of the mast, and make a jig to hold the mast.

I have two 14’ angle iron pieces left over from Gwragedd Annwn’s construction and use them to make a router jig to round and taper the mast.

By angling the two angle iron pieces relative to the mast, I can cut a taper in both ends of the mast.  I make a wider base for the router out of scrap white plastic.

I cut the bottom taper, my son rotating the mast and I moving the router slowly up the jig.

 

 

For the taper to the top of the mast, I use a fiddle stick to determine the mast diameter at its thickest point.

I try a different technique, Rotating the mast a sixteenth of a turn with each pass of the router.

A much better idea, resulting in a mast that is almost perfectly round.  Time to sand.  I get the spar finishing sanding machine and get to work.

I have decided that the knot must go.  Either I will put a hinge at that spot so I can fold my mast down, or cut the knot out and splice in a piece.  I decide to splice in a piece just to see if I can do it.  I make a spar scarfing jig, using a 8’ 2”by8” and left over angle iron.

Also from “How to Build a Wooden Boat” by Bud McIntosh.

The scarfing jig, here is the splicing jig, also from “How to Build a Wooden Boat” by Bud McIntosh.

 

I will use a router instead of an axe.  The finished scarfing jig:

I make a new base plate for my router. Cutting the thread for the screws.

The little tabs on the bottom will keep the blade from hitting the sides of the jig.

Time to cut the pieces, I cut the two middle pieces from the 20’ 11½”by3½” blank.

Almost 5’ long, no knots.  Flip them back to back and cut the scarfs, taking off ⅛” or so on each pass of the router.  Jig works like a hot damn!  I cut the knot out of the mast.

To cut the mast scarfs, I mark the middle of the mast and cut the scarfs down to the line.

I record how deep the router bit is.

 

To insure that the scarfs on the mast are parallel to each other, I use a square piece of wood under the first scarf lip to insure that the scarf edge is level to the jig.

The resulting pieces look good to my eye.

Dry fit time.

I assemble the joint and make sure that every piece fits snugly.

I put two chalk lines on the mast pieces so I can line them up when they are assembled.  Looks good to go.

Gluing time.  I get the epoxy glue, measure, mix and start gluing.  I coat the base piece first, and then the mast ends.  I assemble the base piece and the mast ends.  I disassemble the parts, to ensure that the epoxy has coated all surfaces.  Put back together.  I then coat the cap piece with epoxy and place it on top of the other three.

 The idea is to have some glue squeeze out.  With some eyeballing, aligning, wedging and some light clamping we are done.

I leave the epoxy to cure overnight.

Clamps on.

Clamps off.

The mast looks quite straight.  Skilled gluing!

After the glue has set, I use my power planer to rough shape the mast, knocking off the corners of the spliced in piece, finishing with my hand plane.

The spar finishing machine brings everything back into round.  A final bit of epoxy to fill any minor blemishes.

Tomorrow I begin the final sanding and to varnish the mast.

I would rather be rowing……   Mike.