THANKS TO:

NRS and Freebird Paddles.
Ray Goodwin’s website:
www.RayGoodwin.com
YouTube Channel:
www.youtube.com/c/
RayGoodwinCanoe

Frontier Bushcraft
https://frontierbushcraft.com

Although this is my last working trip in Canada, Paul Kirtley and Frontier Bushcraft are still running canoe trips out there. I will still work on Frontier’s Expedition Skills courses on Windermere and their fantastic Spey descents. I am not finished yet. 

The Part 1 video is on Ray’s YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/a6zFYH5taSk

Ray Goodwin’s Porcupine River (part two)

The day started windy, and we were on the shores of one of the larger lakes, Grove Lake. It was 5km from our campsite to the shelter of the inlet leading out of the lake. We loaded up, and I watched the gusts and judged their frequency. It looked doable, but Paul and I ensured everyone’s kit was well-lashed into the canoes. We would have been glad of the extra buoyancy if things had gone wrong.

I chatted with David about our launch method. He would be in first and then hold the bow into the wind as I got in. When I was aboard, he paddled forward to get us off the beach and prevent a broach. I glanced around, and the whole group had done well and was underway. We immediately had to cross a large bay to ensure we would be at least a kilometre from shore. Everyone was doing well, but I kept glancing to see when the gusts were coming, foretold by a change in texture and colour as they approached.

The waves’ crests were beginning to break, and white caps appeared, but the wind held steady, and even in the strongest gusts, it felt okay. I didn’t want it to worsen. Soon, we crept into the inlet. Paul was sensitive to the energy expended and broke out the snacks. Folks disappeared into the bushes for a comfort break. The crossing wasn’t bad, but it was enough.

The complexities and difficulties of this next section were becoming apparent. The first rapid was long, bending away to the right and out of sight. Paul and Henry went off to scout it but were forced into the shallow water by the dense bank side growth. The news on their return wasn’t great. The current pushed to the left, and right was still strong but shallow, with many rocks obstructing any sensible route. The river’s left flow ended in a large stopper and wave. We were lining but on a slippery, nasty surface. It was an easy place to get hurt, so we did it slowly, eventually reembarking at the level of the big wave. It all took time.

Big Spruce Rapid
Next up was Big Spruce Rapid. ‘Class 2+/3 Steep with many boulders.’ From the water, it didn’t look appealing. Big waves everywhere, and a mass of white at the bottom left. It was agreed that Paul and Henry would scout the left bank. Shortly after they left, I felt the urge to see for myself. We were not taking the group with us as the terrain was so bad – a steep forest with deep moss covering a mess of dead trees and boulders. I was slow. Eventually, I got up to Paul and Henry. Paul turned to me, “There is a line… but you will not like it.”

The river left ended in a mass of waves and stoppers, so there was no going there. The far right has a long and big wave train, but just to its left is a much clearer tongue of water. That, too, ended in a wave train, but it was doable. It all washed out into easier water, so there was no real risk.

Capsize
We explained back down at the boats to the group. The entrance to the rapid was clear as there were large waves to the right. I was feeling nervous and was keen to get on with it. It was easy to get on line, and then everything speeded up. It was going well, but then the bow started creeping right, and David was doing nothing to stop it: he had become too dependent on my commands (partially my fault) and didn’t operate independently. I couldn’t get us straightened, and we crashed into the final wave train side on. Oh, it was quick. At the same time, the bow hit the eddy to the right, and we were over.

In the water, David was brilliant. He was closest to shore, grabbed the painter, got a footing, and pulled the canoe and me into the bank. Meanwhile, Paul and Julie paddled past us, swamping but keeping it upright. Bert and Keith swam into our eddy while Paul collected their canoe. Henry and John swamped but stayed upright. Tim and Anouk got the best line and avoided the second wave train, getting to the end effectively dry. It was all deep water running out into easy stuff, so there was minimal risk. A portage in this terrain was unthinkable, as well.

At Eat Your Heart Out Rapid (class 3/4), we lifted and lined the boats to the bottom without unloading them, which was physically demanding and time-consuming.

A spectacular bridge
From then on, we had a straightforward paddle along thin lakes with occasional fast flow at narrows. A lot more rock was appearing on the sides of the river. At one notable point, the cliffs reared above us with fissures leading up to a view of the sky. A large rock had fallen into the crack to make a spectacular bridge near the top. Shortly after, we made camp. It has been a long and very physical day. Paul was preparing to cook, but I was content with a brew and a snack. The tent was quickly up, and I snuggled down in my sleeping bag. Warm, tired, and soon asleep. Tomorrow was to be a lie-in and rest day.

It was a day of resting, swimming, and fishing. We had a lot of spare time and could afford to take a day off. We knew what was coming next. But before I forget, I have the time to sit and listen to the loons calling and watching a butterfly that has a fixation on my camp.

We were now set up for a big day. In one guide version, they say the Dene called this next section, ‘Dead Man’s River.’ They did not paddle or portage. It usually took a route from further upstream that cut across into a small stream come tributary. The river was finally cutting itself into a gorge and rapid followed rapid in quick succession with at least four portages. You didn’t want to have a swim in one area and get swept into the next. This is what had been playing on my mind for a long while.

We ran some, got creative on one and lined or portaged others. On one portage, the canoes had to be handled along rock ledges and down drops, terrain more familiar to a mountain leader than a canoeist.

Not a place for a mistake
Another portage was supposedly down a dry side channel, but there was enough water to drag/float the canoes through, except at a choke point. We laid and jammed logs across the narrows and dragged the canoes up and across those ‘bridges’. Anything that avoided yet another carry. Because so few parties travel, these river portages are anything but obvious. On one, we had got out and unloaded 100 metres back from the falls, but on walking down, I realised we could get the canoe right to the lip of the falls, but it was not a place for a mistake. So, Henry and I paddle each empty canoe in turn, with Henry lining the canoe one by one into the very last eddy. A thunderstorm broke as we finished that portage, changing the smooth rocks into a lethal skating rink. At least one person took a nasty bump as their feet slid from under them.

Paul and I decided to line one last rapid, doable as the rain lashed down, but we didn’t want a swim at this stage. Because it was awkward, Paul fed each laden canoe to Paul, and he lined it down in the first section. We could have jumped in immediately, but the water was pushing onto one last big rock, and I decided we would line to that and embark below it. I gave my partner David clear instructions to keep the upstream end tight on the bank as he worked it down. I had a bow rope ready to guide or take over if necessary.

He let the upstream end turn out, and then the current immediately grabbed it and swung it out. I yelled for him to let go as I could easily let it swing in on the bow rope, something I had done hundreds of times. But David was fixated on holding the rope; his hearing had shut down. I shouted repeatedly to let go, but he kept hold, capsizing the canoe and being dragged downstream. I could do nothing with the bow rope and had to let it go. But again, David, having caused the problem, came into his own. He grabbed the bow rope, was quickly ashore, and got the boat in. He had not heard one of my shouts to let go.

It was all sorted quickly, and we paddled on. The sun returned, and we were into yet another epic portage.

Fast water
We were into the final rapids and fast water. Henry and John got a little bold and got ahead of the rest of us. They misread the very last rapid and took a swim. It wasn’t an easy read. From the eddy on the river left above it, we had to move well out into the current to miss the first ledge, but then, in the middle, was a huge rock/ledge that the water was pouring over. So, having gotten out there, you had to move left at speed to miss it. It is not a straightforward line and is easy to miss. For me, it was a fitting end to the rapids. For the first time in days, I could feel the nervous energy flowing from my body.

A short paddle took us to a beach campsite. It was great, and everyone was chilled. We paddled just 8km to our pickup point on the confluence with the Fond du Lac River the next day. A broad sandy ridge with plenty of room to spread out. It was time to rest, for some to fish (very successfully), and we even spotted a black bear in the distance.

Late the next afternoon, we could hear the drone of the floatplane. Our adventure was over, and we were soon returning to Points North.

Huge thanks
Thank you to Paul Kirtley for encouraging me to make ‘one last big trip.’ With a heart problem and bad knees, we knew that the portages were going to be hard for me.

Generally, I did them once with Paul and the team multiple times to shuttle the gear over them. So, a very big thank you to the rest of the team: Henry, John, Tim, Anouk, Julie, Bert, Keith and especially David, who had to tolerate my instructions on the water and worked so hard to make it easier for me on that transition from water to land and the reverse. You are all deeply appreciated.

I still have plenty of canoeing to do, with some real targets in the UK and maybe a river or two in North America that lack portages. I have no intention of going gently…