Sapperton Channel Row. March 16th, 2015.

 The Urban Oarsman rows from Maquabeak Park boat launch by the Port Mann Bridge to City Bank and back.

The tide was high, 2.5m (8.2′) at 5:02am, it will be low, 1.7m (5.6′) at 10:37am and high again, 2.2m (7.2′) at 3:05pm. The winds were calm and the river flat.  It is still early in the year and the spring flood has not yet begun.  Not a big snow pack this year.

Sapperton Channel Row

At the Maquabeak Park boat launch.  Because of the Port Mann Bridge deconstruction and the new water pipe crossing construction, the parking lot has been mostly taken over.  There is still parking for a half-dozen boat trailers.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Leaving the boat launch.  They have refurbished the dock for the use of the deconstruction workers going to and from the old Port Mann Bridge.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

The New and what is left of the Old Port Mann Bridges.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

The outflow from the new Port Mann Water Supply Fraser River crossing sump pump.

 

The Urban Oarsman Rows out of the Port Mann Boat Launch

They seem to be taking a little longer than they thought.

 

The Urban Oarsman Rows out of the Port Mann Boat Launch

An idea of where the tunnel is going:

 

They are using one of those “Mole” tunnel boring machines.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Not much left of the Bridge.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Looking up river at the bridge and the boat launch.  I am rowing between the log booms and the North shore.  There is a pathway along the road on the North.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Looking down river.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Dead and treed boat on the North shore.  Not much left now.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Just past the power line crossing a small creek enters the river.  It’s mouth is blocked by a log bloom.  I row in to investigate.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

At this tide, I cannot make it past the log boom.  Looks like it comes from a culvert.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

An excavator on floats with a log grapple boom.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

An excavator with a log grapple on a barge.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

An excavator with a crane on a dock.  The barge was being used to transport material from the Port Mann Bridge deconstruction site.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

A string of barges moored on the North shore.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Some of these barges seem to have been here for years.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Log booms block an inlet at the old Canadian Forest Products site.  Perhaps I can get around them.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

I have gone down river and am now rowing up between the log booms and the shore towards the inlet.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

The end of the inlet.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Rowing out, I push between the log booms and the dolphins by the shore.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

I row to the other side of  Sapperton Channel, hoping to avoid the Frasers Current.  Passing the barges, rowing beside City Bank and Sapperton Bar.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Sapperton Dyke, a small wooded island in the middle of the Fraser.  Sappereton Channel is to the North (left), Queens Reach to the South (right).

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Sapperton Dyke is made up of fill, some of which has a lot of metal in it.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Gwragedd Annwn on the sand at Sapperton Dyke.  It is more sand than mud here.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Looking West along Sapperton Dyke.  City Bank is in the far background to the left.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Looking North-East, Sapperton Dyke is the treed area to the right.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

The “Storm Fury” passes under the power line crossing going downstream.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

Back at the boat launch, the deconstruction crew is going home for the day.  They took this boat away with a trailer.  I wait for the crew to go home.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

I had to see this.  The deconstruction lads use a forklift to put the second boat away.   The lad in the boat ties the boat to the forklift.

 

Sapperton Channel Row

He steps out and the forklift lifts the boat out of the water and then puts it into the locked construction compound.  Pretty slick!

Topo map of City Bank, Sapperton Channel, Sapperton Bar and Sapperton Dyke.Sapperton Channel Row topoA good row with almost perfect conditions..  Good Rowing,

 

Mike

The Urban Oarsman first Row of 2015