The Urban Oarsman returns to Widgeon Creek again…The Highest water yet. June 5th, 2015.

Widgeon Creek Row, the Highest water yet.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.

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

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe 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.

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetAt this point, there is not much current, but, there is a slight ebb.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI depart Grant Narrows boat launch around 11:00am.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThere is no wind.  It is a quick  row across.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetA 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:Widgeon Creek High Tide RowI 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI row up the estuary, around the first bend.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetWhere the park bench now makes some sense.

 

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThis 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

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

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe top ot the stump is awash.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe water seems to go to the base of the hills now.

 

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

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThis 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI spotted this young black bear on the shore.  He/She looked at me for a bit then ambled into the woods.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThis is the channel that runs North-East towards the unnamed hill on IR Pitt Lake 4.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe posts have been here a very lone time.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI float over the barrier.  The water is still flowing into the marsh here.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetComming to the end of the line.  I push on as best I can.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetGwragedd Annwn in a sea of reeds.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetCannot go any further.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetA damselfly hitches a ride.  I begin the return row to Widgeon Creek.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetPassing 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
Widgeon Creek High Water Row

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetGoing back into Widgeon Creek.  I turn to Starboard and head up river.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe Starboard Channel.  I have never rowed here before.  I will see where it leads.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe channel is quite wide and deep.  Has it been dredged before?

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI wonder why?  I go on to see.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThere is a piling on both side of the channel.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe 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.

 

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

 

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

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetAcording to the GPS, I am maybe 300 meters away from where I was stopped before.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetBack 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetA 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetLooking enviously upstream, I turn back and drift down.  Time to row back to Grant Narrows.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI row past the entrance to the North-East channel.  The wind has picked up and is comming from the South.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI scoop it up with my net.  It looks like a Western Toad, Bufo boreas.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe pilings near where the cabin burned are awash now.  I could not see them when I went up river.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetRounding the bend by where the cabin used to be.  I do not see a bear now.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe Gauge piling is just visible.  6½ feet of water?

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI can clearly see the stump.  The water has dropped about 2′.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetI 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.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetThe bench is a lot higher above water now.

 

Widgeon Creek Highest Water yetYou 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. logo Lighthouse parkGood Rowing to you.

Mike.

4 Responses to The Urban Oarsman returns to Widgeon Creek again…The Highest water yet. June 5th, 2015.

  1. Scott Bell says:

    Hey there I’m trying to figure out if it is safe/possible to canoe up to Widgeon Creek campground this weekend – I know there is some flooding but don’t know how that would affect an overnight camp?
    Thanks, scott

    • Hello Scott,

      Sorry I did not get back to you earlier…I was on a rowing trip from Squamish to the Hollyburn Sailing club (West Vancouver).

      I do not know if the high water will affect the campgrounds…I am going to go for a row up there this week with the high Fraser Water.

      If you did go, can you please let me know how high the water was?

      Thanks,

      Mike

  2. Jeff says:

    Hello, do you know if coquitlam River is high enough to paddle board down to Portman bridge?

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