Eels Creek
Sunday, November 2, 2003
route:
length: 16.0km, 1 day
difficulty: novice
organizer: Outing Club of East York
participants: Karonne Lansel, Jim Marks, Mei Tan, VVCC also invited but no one came
report:
Another wet, cold day but nothing compared to my recent trip down the Little Mississippi (see trip report)! We set out from Toronto in the dark and rain at 6 am., paddled all day, and returned home the same way. At least it wasn't windy, though, and so once we were out on the water, we pretty much forgot about the weather and had a great time. Eel's Creek is such fun to paddle. We've been doing different sections as day-trips for several years.
On this section, just after the put-in at the picnic area, there's a long, exhilarating stretch of rapids that puts any lingering thoughts about getting up early and driving all that way completely out of your head. After that, lots of twists and turns and smaller rapids through the rest of the trip, and a bony Class III set of ledges that we lined through.
At one point, there was a large fallen tree just high enough out of the water that the canoe could be pushed through underneath, but not with us inside. I thought we'd have to portage around, but my partner Joe had other ideas. We lined up straight and he climbed over the tree (which was chest-high from a standing position on the canoe seat!) while the canoe passed under, and then I did the same in the stern. That was a new one for me! |
