Even more of the Sturgeon

As we waited for the lakes to melt out, we were back on the Sturgeon last weekend, spending two-and-half hours paddling up and collecting garbage. We put in at Red Willow Park again. 

Street parking, then through the gates and the trees beyond, over the marsh and into the river from the bank. It was a bit muckier this time as the ground had thawed.

The water was at summer levels (so 12-36" deep). We chased two heron up the river for awhile (one is seated on the broken beaver dam below).

There were also ducks, geese, and briefly a bunch of robins fleeing some kind of small hawk.

Jenn managed to get a reusable shopping bag full of bottles and plastics (the bag itself also came from the river) before giving up. 

Round trip was about 6km. About 2 hours going upstream (current, wind, garbage picking) and 30 minutes back down!

Overall, it was lovely. We turned around at the Mission boat launch (below). The launch is far out of the water and pretty grown in. I would think a bank launch would be easier than using it. 

We had a lovely return trip. I managed to run around by taking the left change when the river braided. We also got to watch some guys in a canoe somehow dip their gunwale below the water and get wet.

Getting out was tricky because the boat kept slipping back down the muck when I shifted my weight to stand up. I also managed to cut myself (somehow???) getting out of the boat and left behind a small trail of blood for you to follow back to the river.

 

It looks like Astotin is open so I hope to hit that this week.

More on the Sturgeon

While we wait for the lakes to open up, we were back on the Sturgeon last week. I dragged the kid along and we put in again in Oakmont and this time went upstream a ways.

About the most exciting part of the trip was coming through this washed out beaver dam. Otherwise, the current was negligible.

The evening light was beautiful the whole trip and made it seem much warmer than the 10C that it was.

This vine was way up several trees as we paddled by.

 

The spiky fruit pods seem to suggest it is wild cucumber.

After about an hour of pretty relaxing paddling, we turned around and floated back. There were a small number of ducks and geese and such.

I didn't get a picture but Jess spotted a beaver swimming ahead of us and we got several tail slaps as we pulled into the landing.

Absent some rain, I think we'll be in for a short season on the Sturgeon as the water was pretty low.

Early start on 2024: The Sturgeon

It has been a warm winter and early spring. That meant a portion of the Sturgeon River was open on March 17. I put in at the corner of Otter Crescent and Olivier Close and paddled downstream (north). Street parking about a 150-foot carry to the water. Just through the stone archway and head directly towards the river through the grass and shore weeds. 

I put in slightly upstream of the storm sewer outflow by an old beaver lodge. Pretty easy in and out. The bed of the river was frozen and the water was about 9 inches deep. I went upstream a ways (it was open to Canadian Tire) but kept dragging on the bottom so I turned and and went about 2.5 km downstream (started to lose the light so headed back).

Lovely quiet evening with only one other group of paddlers out.

There were a fair few birds: waxwings, the first robins, and a woodpecker hammering away.

This eagle's nest had two geese checking it out.

Overall, a lovely evening (+14C) on the water and about six weeks earlier than usual. I expect we'll be back to ice shortly but this was a welcomed treat.

2023 Wrap-up

Alright, well that wraps up the 2023 paddling season. Overall, it was a great year on the water.

I paddled almost 60 times (I lost track after 55). About half of those were on my own and half with the family. I also paddled 24 new lakes this year. Both of those are one-year records for me.

I spent some time over the winter putting together a more user-friendly list of lakes that I've paddled, linking to the posts for each lake. On the web version, this sits at the top right of the blog (above my picture). On the mobile version, your guess is as good as mine!

Hopefully, we'll have open water (and water period) this year to start off 2024! As retirement looms, I have a good list of lakes I'd like to try, including some down in the SE corner of the province and bunch up around Smoky Lake.