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 Post subject: Nith at 20-25?
PostPosted: April 20th, 2018, 3:56 pm 
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Joined: February 22nd, 2017, 3:22 pm
Posts: 5
Hey folks! Nith question: What's the river like at 20-25cms? I'm looking at potentially doing the river on Sunday, if it gets down to that level.

Last year we did the river twice at about the 13cms range. My 10 year old (at the time 9) guided his own kayak down the river with no problems. Even made it through the Paris section.

Anybody done it at about 20? I'm a little nervous about my boy. He's a good swimmer and a good paddler (for his age) and if it was July, I wouldn't worry in the slightest. I also know that each run if different, and it only take a slight bounce or misdirection to swamp a boat, no matter the flow.

I was hoping to see the river drop to around 17, but it's being stubborn and remaining high.


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 Post subject: Re: Nith at 20-25?
PostPosted: April 21st, 2018, 9:32 am 
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Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:32 am
Posts: 165
I'd likely wait, after last weekends ice and wind the risk of sweepers & strainers will be increased.

Perhaps others have run it or will run it this weekend and can offer a first hand report. With 10 year old I'd opt for prudence.

Best of luck if you go though.

Cheers,
Ken


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 Post subject: Re: Nith at 20-25?
PostPosted: April 21st, 2018, 10:19 am 
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Joined: September 5th, 2002, 7:00 pm
Posts: 106
Location: Windsor, Ontario Canada
Which gauge are you looking at? Whenever I've run the Nith I believed the level that reflected the section thru Paris was the Canning gauge. If so, the level is above 50 today. I haven't run it that high, but would imagine it would be pretty wild; most of the features would be washed out, but it would be fast. Especial concern is the water temperature.

https://apps.grandriver.ca/waterdata/ki ... river.aspx

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 Post subject: Re: Nith at 20-25?
PostPosted: April 30th, 2018, 6:38 am 
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Joined: February 22nd, 2017, 3:22 pm
Posts: 5
I was looking at Canning and tried to extrapolate, it didn't drop, just like you said and actually rose.

Anyway, ending up doing it yesterday at 20cms.

Myself, daughter and father in a 16' canoe and my wife and son in their 10' rec kayaks.

90% was no problem, with very little difference from our paddle last year at 12cms.

However, we had huge problems at a pair of strainers that pinched the river on a tight chicane. This is at a little delta through some willows. Every other time it's been fine, but this little set up with the trees was a problem. Everybody successfully missed the first, but that placed each of us in direct contact with the second. The trees had been stripped of all their smaller branches, so only the bigger, more substantial ones were left.
I bounced off at a perpendicular angle, my wife navigated through, and my son capsized and was released. Scary moment.

To that point the river was fine, and after a rescue and a dry off (we all had spare clothes in dry bags just in case. We were back on the water and ready to tackle Paris.

Paris was a different beast at 20cms than it was at 12cms last year! I took the lead and tried to pick the line. It was intense! At 12 you can kind of bounce around and have some fun. Keep it straight and you'll be fine. At 20 we were regrouping at every set, back paddling to try to scout from the boat, and actively avoiding everything we could. Even then, we ended up with a boat full of water and nearly dumped.

All told, an exhilarating day, nice to see some other people on the water, and the Nith continues to be one of the best spring paddles in southwestern Ontario.


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 Post subject: Re: Nith at 20-25?
PostPosted: April 30th, 2018, 3:24 pm 
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Joined: September 5th, 2002, 7:00 pm
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Location: Windsor, Ontario Canada
Thanks for the report. Good you had a fun day without serious mishap. It's a run I do most years and haven't given up on doing soon.

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 Post subject: Re: Nith at 20-25?
PostPosted: May 10th, 2018, 10:03 pm 
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Joined: June 20th, 2001, 7:00 pm
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Location: Toronto, Ontario Canada
I was on the Nith Yesterday, the Canning to Paris section. The Canning gauge was at about 19.5cms.

Pleasant enough for my first paddle of the season, surprisingly free of trash for the most part. Saw many birds, eagles, hawks, geese, ducks, herons and many of the typical small birds.

Distance - 15.5km
Time - 2hrs 21m
Elevation Change - 26m
Canning Gauge - 19.5cms

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