The Pitt Marsh Short Row. June 4th, 2015.

The Urban Oarsman, The Pitt Marsh Row 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.

 

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

 

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

 

Pitt Marsh short Row. There are a lot of Bull Frogs in the marsh.

 

Pitt Marsh short Row. Looking South down the ditch along Rannie Road.

 

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

 

Pitt Marsh short Row. 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.  

 

Pitt Marsh short Row. 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.  

 

Pitt Marsh short Row. There are a lot of Bull Frogs.  Can you spot this one?

 

Pitt Marsh short Row.Here it is.  There were thousands of the invasive frogs.

 

Pitt Marsh short Row.I caught one to have a closer look

 

Pitt Marsh short Row.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.

 

Pitt Marsh short Row.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.

 

Pitt Marsh short Row.The water level is high.  There is an ebb tide.

 

Pitt Marsh short Row.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.

 

Pitt Marsh short Row.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.

Pitt Marsh, the Short RowA nice try, but not a successful row.

logo Lighthouse parkGood Rowing, hopefully in deeper water…

Mike