A Close Call!
Rivers are funny things. They change from season to season and from week to week. That’s part of what makes them so fascinating, but it also makes them dangerous.
My recent canoe trip down the Blackwater River proved this point. My husband and I have canoed this river countless times and always had a wonderful experience. The river wends its way through remote, rugged wilderness in north central British Columbia. The banks are lined with towering cottonwood trees, pristine wetlands, pine forests, high sandy banks, and rocky cliffs. Wildlife is abundant and eagles, black bears, moose, deer, geese, herons, and ducks are common sights.
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A young cow moose on the upper section of the Blackwater River.
We set out on our adventure on a sunny morning in July. The first fourteen kilometers was an easy float as we navigated around shallows, hidden rocks, sweepers, and logjams. It was a beautiful, relaxing day…until…it wasn’t.
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The calm waters of the upper Blackwater River.
Due to recent forest fires that transformed the terrain, we missed the outflow of the Euchiniko River and continued along the Blackwater. Almost immediately we realized our mistake, but there was no turning back. The full force of the river quickly funneled between towering cliffs and rocky canyons. Large boulders lurked beneath the rushing water, and spray soaked us as we hurtled through the grade 2+ to 3 rapids.
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The canyon.
Knowing a narrow, impassible canyon was downriver, we dug our paddles in deep and pulled hard for shore. We decided to line our canoe (tie ropes to the stern and bow) and float the canoe down the river to avoid the worst of the canyon. The plan fizzled almost immediately. The submerged rocks were covered with slippery weeds, and we risked twisting an ankle (or worse) if we continued wading along the shore.[image error]
With no other choice, we left our canoe on the bank of the river, and with our gear in tow, we struggled, some times on our hands and knees, up the steep river bank. We climbed over downed, fire-scorched trees, fought through tangled clumps of prickly wild rose bushes, and fended off hordes of hungry mosquitoes. Finally, we reached a logging road where we flagged down a passing vehicle and caught a ride back to our truck.
The next day, we returned and descended the steep bank to retrieve our canoe. After the canoe was loaded on the truck, we drove a kilometer down the road to a viewpoint overlooking the river. The thunderous roar of the churning water was deafening as the Blackwater River surged through narrow, boulder-filled channels that would have dumped us and destroyed our canoe. There’s no question—we wouldn’t have made it through without incurring injuries.
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The canyon as seen from above.
The trip was a frightening experience we’ll never forget. But we can’t wait for our next river adventure. We’ll just be better informed.
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Ready for the next adventure.
