The Last Row of 2014. The Urban Oarsman Rows up the Coquitlam River to the Red Bridge.

Last Row of 2014 Up the Coquitlam River to the Red Bridge

 

The last Row of 2014.  It has been a good year for Rowing.  Today I am going to Row up the Coquitlam River as far as I can.  The tide at New Westminster will be high at 1:49 at 2.9 meters.  The Coquitlam River is about 8.5 kilometers up the Fraser River from the New Westminster tide station.  I expect the high tide will be a little later arriving at the Coquitlam.

 

Coquitlam River RowGwragedd Annwn on the beach at the Maquabeak Park boat launch.  This launch is just down river from the New Port Mann Bridge.  The boat launch is a bit of a mess.  There is another project centred here…The Port Mann Water Supply Tunnel Fraser River Crossing.

The Urban Oarsman Rows out of the Port Mann Boat Launch

Metro Vancouver is constructing a new water supply main under the Fraser River, downstream (west) of the new Port Mann Bridge.  

The Urban Oarsman Rows out of the Port Mann Boat Launch

It will cross between Maquabeak Park in Coquitlam on the north side of the river, and Surrey on the south side of the river.

The Urban Oarsman Rows out of the Port Mann Boat Launch

The tunnel hole is centred where the boat launch parking used to be.  Luckly I am the only truck & trailer here today.

 

Coquitlam River RowTwo buoys mark the pump outfall from the project?

 

Coquitlam River RowThe boat launch float.  The water is very still.  It is about 800 meters to the mouth of the Coquitlam.

 

Coquitlam River RowThe bridge suppoerts for the new Port Mann.  In the background is the temporary jetty for removing the old Port Mann.

 

Coquitlam River RowUnderside of the new Port Mann Bridge, looking South.

 

Coquitlam River RowUnderside of the new bridge, looking North.

 

Coquitlam River RowThe GPS shows a almost 1 km/hr upstream current.

 

Coquitlam River RowAbout half-way to the mouth of the Coquitlam.

 

Coquitlam River RowLooking up river.  The Pitt River is to the Port, the Fraser to Starboard.

 

Coquitlam River RowEntering the mouth of the Coquitlam.  The Mary Hill By-Pass Bridge.

 

Coquitlam River RowRowing up the Coquitlam, I leave the Fraser behind.

 

Coquitlam River RowThere is a canoe on the Eastern shore.  Warants further exploration.

 

Coquitlam River RowApproaching the canoe.

 

Coquitlam River RowGwragedd Annwn on the shore.

 

Coquitlam River RowThe canoe looks abandoned.  The Starboard gunnel is broken.  It is full of leaves.  Otherwise, she looks to be in reasonable shape.  Just a little work would be needed.

 

Coquitlam River RowShe was built by THORA – IND. PLAS, TORONTO.  I will have another look on my way back.

 

Coquitlam River RowI go to row under the Mary Hill By-Pass Bridge with its mandatory “No Power Driven Craft” sign.

 

Coquitlam River RowJust before the bridge, on the East shore, a side channel beckons.  I check it out…narrow, shallow and blocked.

 

Coquitlam River RowUnderside of the Mary Hill By-Pass Bridge.

 

Coquitlam River RowA side channel on the upstream side of the bridge.  It is on the north side of the Mary Hill By-Pass.  Not as narrow as the first channel, but, still impassable for Gwragedd Annwn.

 

Coquitlam River RowThe Eastern shore is still in shadow.  The ice remains.

 

Coquitlam River RowThe sign reads:  

CAUTION

NAVIGATIONAL HAZARD

SUBMERGED DEBRIS

NO POWER BOATS ALLOWED

BEYOND THIS POINT

I do not see any debris as I row Gwragedd Annwn past the four signed pilings.

The upstream piling on the East side has bird houses on it as well as the warning sign. 

 

Coquitlam River RowThe Millennium Foot Bridge.

 

Coquitlam River RowFancy Iron work on the Western side.

 

Coquitlam River RowJust over half an hour into the Row.  Time for a coffee.

 

Coquitlam River RowI begin to see the river bed.  Still more than 24″ of water.

 

Coquitlam River RowIn the still sides of the river there is some ice.

 

Coquitlam River RowPump house on the Eastern shore.  

 

Coquitlam River RowThe pump house has a small bay next to it.  The water is frozen on the West side of the inlet, in the shadows.  I Row in to explore.

 

Coquitlam River RowGwragedd Annwn’s Depth-Sounder Oar resting on the ice.

 

Coquitlam River RowRowing out through the now broken ice.  Gwragedd Annwn’s Strip/epoxy hull is ice proof.  The hardest part about rowing through the ice is trying to get the oars to break through the ice.

 

Coquitlam River RowHeading upstream again.

 

Coquitlam River RowA drainage canal on the West bank.  It leads to an inaccessible oxbow between the river and Lougheed Highway.  From now on, I could hear the roar-whoosh of the highway on the West.

Coquitlam River RowLooking up river again.  

 

Coquitlam River RowSome sort of crane.  It is on the North-West bank.  

 

Coquitlam River RowClose-up of the crane.  I have no idea what it was used for.

 

Coquitlam River RowPitt River Road crosses the Coquitlam River on the Red Bridge.  This is a far as I got.  The current here was too strong for me to Row against.  End of the Row.

 

Coquitlam River RowJust downriver from the bridge, there was a fellow fly fishing.  Despite the puzzled look on his face, as I rowed past, we had a nice conversation about the river, rowing and fishing.  I think that I am the first rowboat that he has ever seen here.

 

Coquitlam River RowSpeed of the River current as I pass the fisherman.  The 7.2 reading was the current speed at the Red Bridge.

 

Coquitlam River RowIt is always easier downstream.  I usually go backwards so I can see the snags in the river.

 

Coquitlam River RowThis log had interesting icicles and the bones of a fish on it.

 

Coquitlam River RowThe tide begins to effect the Coquitlam’s flow.

 

Coquitlam River RowBald Eagles in the trees.

 

Coquitlam River RowLunch time for the Urban Oarsman.

 

Coquitlam River RowThis spot where the tide has reached is shown by a red star on the chart at the beginning of this Row.

 

Coquitlam River RowA pump station on the East shore.  There are four interconnected drainage canals on the East.

 

Coquitlam River RowThis canal leads to one of the three drainage canals on the West shore.

 

Coquitlam River RowPoling up the canal.

 

Coquitlam River RowEnd of the drainage canal.  Did this used to be a dock?

 

Coquitlam River RowSculling back out to the Coquitlam.

 

Coquitlam River RowA better view of the fancy Iron work on the Millennium Foot Bridge.

 

Coquitlam River RowThis is the bow of a submerged boat.  The boat is upside-down, bow facing to the left in this photograph.

 

Coquitlam River RowThe West bank is crowded with wild rose hips.

 

Coquitlam River RowLeaving the mouth of the Coquitlam, following the Western shore.  The green canoe that was on the East shore is gone.

 

Coquitlam River RowWhile rowing downriver back to the Maquabeak boat launch I see a snag in the water.

 

Coquitlam River RowIt is about 2:10pm.  The ripples around the snag show that the tide is still going upstream.  Not high tide yet.

 

Coquitlam River RowAt the boat launch, ready to load Gwragedd Annwn onto her trailer.

 

The Urban Oarsman Rows out of the Port Mann Boat LaunchClose up of the dock notice.

 

The Urban Oarsman Rows out of the Port Mann Boat LaunchClose up of the NO POWER DRIVEN VESSELS ON COQUITLAM RIVER sign.

 

 

Coquitlam River RowGwragedd Annwn on her trailer.  Time to secure her for the trip home.

River level heights for the Row:

Last Row of 2014 Up the Coquitlam River to the Red BridgeLast Row of 2014 Up the Coquitlam River to the Red BridgeThe New Westminster Tide chart for the Row.

 

 

Last Row of 2014 Up the Coquitlam River to the Red BridgeThe GPS track on Google Earth of the Row.

 

Coquitlam River Row stats:

Length of Row: 10.3km.

Time at the thwart: 3½ hours

Average speed: 3km/hr.

 

Rowing the Coquitlam River.  A fine Row.

Happy rowing,

Mike.

 

Mike, the Urban Oarsman.

Mike, the Urban Oarsman.

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