The Urban Oarsman Rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette River past Neaves Road Bridge.

July 28, 2014.  The Alouette past Neaves Road Bridge.The Urban Oarsman Explores the Alouette River

GPS Track of the Row pas the Neaves Road Bridge.

GPS Track of the Row pas the Neaves Road Bridge.

 The last time I rowed the Alouette I ran out of time at the Neaves Road Bridge.  Today, starting an hour earlier,  I will row past the bridge and as far up the Alouette as I can get.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeGwragedd Annwn leaving the Pitt Meadows marina float.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe electric Davidson Chugger, “Watts Up”.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeOne of the snags I avoided.  The ripples trailing from the log show the current going downstream.  The tide is falling and will drop throughout the Row.  The green whipping on my oar is to hold the oar at the correct place in the sculling notch in Gwragedd Annwn’s transom.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe GPS reading of the speed of the current I am rowing against.  0.8 km/hr.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgePassing under the Harris Road bridge.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe path to the river from the parking lot at Harris Road and the Alouette.  You can launch your hand-carried or cartop boat from here and avoid the $17.00 fee at the Marina.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThere is not much current near the shore.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeIndian Pond Water Lilies.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThere is an indent on the North bank.  Just past it the Alouette turns almost 90° to the North East.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeI know that it is hare to see, but, there is a Blue Heron in the grass at the centre of this picture.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThis canoe is from the Pitt Meadows Paddling Club.  

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe South shore is covered with Indian Pond Water lilies. 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeI did not run into the snag with the ducks.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeProbably Pink Fleabane.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeLooks as if they are still working at Cranberry Slough.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe water is a little higher than the July 22nd Row.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThankfully there was no foot in this shoe.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe Neaves Road Bridge.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeDownstream view at the bridge.  Looking WNW.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe GPS shows the end of the chart, #3062, Pitt River and/et Pitt Lake.

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeReflection pattern on the underside of the Neaves Road Bridge. I row under the bridge.  The shadow is Gwragedd Annwn’s bow.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeGwragedd Annwn’s stern  and bow wave shadows.  

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgePast the bridge there are several islands in the river.  I choose the starboard channel.  

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThis tree looks a lot healthier than the one downstream on “Dead Tree Island”.  If you go to Google Earth, you can see this tree and a log blocking the channel.  The log is gone.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe grasses on the banks were covered with these beetles.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThere were lots of small fish along the shore in the shallows.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeAnother beetle picture.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeI think that I have made it to Jerry Sulina Park.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThis is as far as I can go…The Alouette is too shallow and fast for me to go further upstream.  The river water is very clear here.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeGwragedd Annwn grounded out on a gravel shoal.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe rocks along the river bank show that the water was deeper earlier in the day.  I will need a high tide to be able to row further upriver.  I wonder how much further along  another foot of water would get Gwragedd Annwn.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeI try exploring a side channel.  It is so narrow, I pole Gwragedd Annwn along.  The Trans-Canada trail is on the bank to starboard.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeLooking back to The Alouette.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThere is a beach with benches at the bend in the Trans-Canada trail.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeExploring some of the side channels. 

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeOutfall from a pump.  There are many inter-connected waterways in the area, but one would have to portage over the dike to get to them.  I believe that this one could lead you to the North Alouette River.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe pump in action.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeA little bay full of stumps.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThis Blue Heron landed as I was passing and began to fish.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeHeron in action.  I got quite close.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeAfter I got this picture, I thought that I should leave the bird alone.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThis is as far as the mower got.  This is actually a fence across the dike.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road Bridge

Tall trees downstream of Neaves Road Bridge.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe Neaves Road Bridge in the background.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe mower working the other side of the gate.

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeSome of the bigger minnows.  These were in a side channel I explored.  There were thousands that swam past me as I rowed in and then passed me going back in as I rowed out.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe minnow-full channel.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThere is a horse trail on the North bank.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe ripples are caused by even bigger minnows.  I estimated these to be between 4″ to 6″ long.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeDead Tree Branch snapped off.  I was trying to get an “Artsy” picture of the wood grain.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe pump station at the confluence of the Alouette and the North Alouette.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe No Power Driven Vessels sign at the confluence.  I believe that the white gate-like looking thing in the background is the actual gauge.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeLooking up the North Alouette.  A Row for another day.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeLooking down the Alouette.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeLooking up The Alouette.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeLeaving the confluence behind, I row down river.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeA pair of kayakers paddle up the North Alouette.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeMount Baker in the background to the East.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeA row of nice-looking pilings on the North Bank, opposite of the Pitt Meadows Paddling Club, downstream of the Harris Road Bridge. 

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeSunken boat on the South shore.  

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road Bridge

  Harris Road Bridge in the background.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeAt least this boat is on the side of the dike.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeI do not think that arrows wrecked her.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeVise-Grips are the next best thing to Duct Tape and bailing wire.  

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgePassing by Old Red, almost at the Marina.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe drainage structure on the North bank near where The Alouette enters the Pitt River.  

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThat is water coming out from between the doors.  Do they open more when the tide drops?

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road BridgeThe Stained Glass floathouse.

 

The Urban Oarsman rows Gwragedd Annwn off the chart Exploring the Alouette, past the Neaves Road Bridge

The record of the trip.  18.6 kilometers, 7.1km/hr maximum speed,  5 hours 52 minutes rowing time, 15.25 minutes stopped time.  Moving average speed, 3.2km/hr, Overall average speed 3.0km/hr. Six hours at the thwart!

River Level chart for the Row:

Alouette River Levels at the gauge.

Alouette River Levels at the gauge.

The next Row, I will Explore North Alouette River.  

Good Rowing.

Mike

The Urban Oarsman

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