River trips

2.45 metres ........ 21 January 2007

A foot down on the day before, and a lot more fun.

Linn

The first and second channel are still one, but only just. The rocks between them are covered with water, but only just. I couldn`t see any obvious route down.

The third channel is definitely paddleable, with two routes down, one on each side.

The fourth channel is also paddleable. Although there is a stopper, it isn`t too bad to punch through.

Linn bypass

The Linn bypass is a good run, but requires a fair bit of route picking to avoid trees. The second exit is negotiable, but probably not worth the bother of picking your way through the trees.

Probably better to blast down the first exit, which is quite straightforward, but a bit rough at the bottom end and needs some route picking through the bigger lumps of water.

Wall

The wall is just showing at this level, but no use for taillies.

Wave right hand side of wall

River left was washed out, in the middle there was a bit of a hole, and there was little else of note.

Weir

The weir requires a bit of care - there is a green shoot below the main chute - there is a bit of a left to right diagonal flow, but provided you come down left of centre, it doesn`t give much of a problem.

The chicken run hard river left is not really much use at this level, although you could scrape down it. There is only a few inches of water over the concrete ramp, and below the ramp it is getting rocky. If the main chute is not for you, then it would probably be better just to portage the weir.

Rapid down to Hell Hole corner

Coming down the centre presented few problems. There are some odd bits and pieces river left which may be playable.

Hell Hole corner

The chicken run hard river right is getting less attractive at this level. The green shoot down the drop at the start of the run is getting rocky. The rest of the route on the river right is not really much less rough than the rest of the river, so there isn`t a lot of advantage in coming down hard river right.

The run down the centre is still rough with big waves, cross currents, and haystacks.

Viewed from the river right bank, there was still a green wave in amongst the rather confused water over on the river left side of Hell Hole corner.

Hell Hole corner to Thistlebrig

As usual, nothing much in this section. However there are a couple of waves river right - round about the Mill area, which are worth looking at.

Thistlebrig

Thistlebrig is beginning to get its characteristic left to right diagonal current, and the rocks on the river left side of the narrows are beginning to show. As before, the easiest run down is to stay right of centre down the darker water past the white water on each side of you, then just past the whitewater on your right, cut out right into the giant eddy on your right.

I went across river left to look at the wave on the left, there are various disjointed bits of stopper which provide play potential.

Wave below Thistlebrig

Superb !

The right half is a smooth green wave, which was superb for surfing in my boat. The left half is a playboater`s dream come true, with a constant foam pile almost down the trough. The second wave is shorter, also with a good foam pile. Subsequent waves are small and of no significance.

website design by ron-t

website hosting by freevirtualservers.com

+ +