This is on the Ottawa River off Sussex Drive.

Ottawa, Rideau, Gatineau, Rideau Canal — all within view of Parliament Hill.

The Jock, the Clyde, Petite Nation, Lievre, Brewery Creek, Constance Creek, Carp, Mississippi and Madawaska — wll within one hour’s drive.

Here are put-ins and take-outs placemarked by me on GoogleEarth. Any errors are mine, but don’t sue me.  A continuing project.

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Ottawa River – downstream

Ottawa River – Jacques Cartier Park, Gatineau

I’ve never been in it before, and certainly don’t intend to race. But it’s such a village event, and when I was on the Jock route a few years ago, it was so handy having the markers that race organizers attached to logs and things in the Richmond Fen, which can be a maze of trees and water trails.

Apparently the whole event was the brainchild of a Richmond man who is now in his 80s. I’m looking forward to meeting him.

Majickcanoe has great write-up of the Jock, and the critters that call it home.

Or in this video…

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In summer you cannot even navigate Constance Creek, I’m told. For one idyllic season, Canadian spring, you can paddle over fields, and under arching branches, and glide past wildlife close up.

We came withing 3 feet of a baby beaver, so sleepy it didn’t even mind us taking a picture. There were osprey, geese, ducks and frogs doing their thing.

The sounds of springtime:

For a report of an epic journey down this creek, check out “The Odyssey”.

Keenan and Julie’s bushwaterwacking.

]]> http://urbankayak.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/constance-creek-paddling-thru-the-forest/feed/ 0 urbankayak At the put-in http://urbankayak.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/first-signs/ http://urbankayak.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/first-signs/#comments Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:42:44 +0000 urbankayak http://urbankayak.wordpress.com/?p=15 ]]> Spring(?) at the cottage

Signs of spring everywhere, despite SO much accumulated snow everywhere. This is what it looked like yesterday (Apr. 7) at the cottage.The roof didn’t cave in on good ole Cressy Cottage!

Next door, the door and windows are still buried.

The earliest we ever swam at the lake was Sunday, April 18, 1987. Janette Cressy went in for sure — age 65.

Now it’s April 20, and look what’s happened – the temp is in the 70s, we’re wearing shorts, and raking the snow!