French River Provincial Park

[Raf]

when I say they don't exist, i really mean they don't exist. paper OR electronic. i'd love for you to prove me wrong but it's not going to happen. the park map will show you topographical information and there is also a topographical map available but nothing with depth contours. the river below the dams can vary by many many feet depending on how much water they're letting out of nippissing, perhaps that is the reason.

[addy79]

ahhhh i see!....

 

that makes sense though, i guess they wouldnt want to be held liable for anything that could happen based on those fluctuations.

 

So i guess i will be visiting my boy Bryan up at CasaBlance Lodge again this year, close enough to the area i have the maps for and an AWESOME host.

 

thanks for the info Raf

[Big Cliff]

Actually Cliff I'm gonna have to disagree with you big time on this.

You've got 150% more control going upstream in the rapids. Going downstream you're almost hurtling out of control waaaay more at the whim of the currents.

The key going downstream is do it under power. Give your motor some gas... If you drift down at the currents speed you won't be able to turn effectively (and there is at least one sharp turn )

 

The very first time I went down there over 20 years ago we stopped at the head of the rapids trying to decide when/how/if we should do it..

While waiting a guide boat zoomed by from Hartley Bay so we just hopped in and followed.

It's pretty easy IMO, but having someone show you the route does make things easier.

The water should still be quite high the time frame you're considering which is a very good thing.

Most hazzards will be burried underwater..

 

You can disagree LOL, as I said, everyone makes it down IN ONE PIECE OR ANOTHER and once you get started, you can't turn around. Coming back up is easier "IF YOU KNOW WHICH CHANEL TO USE"! to just go ahead and try it by yourself for the first time without someone showing you how is risky. I would never recomend it but I'm getting old and perhaps a bit over protective.

[solopaddler]

You can disagree LOL, as I said, everyone makes it down IN ONE PIECE OR ANOTHER and once you get started, you can't turn around. Coming back up is easier "IF YOU KNOW WHICH CHANEL TO USE"! to just go ahead and try it by yourself for the first time without someone showing you how is risky. I would never recomend it but I'm getting old and perhaps a bit over protective.

 

Going upstream in a powerboat is safer in any rapids not just the Bad river.

[Abraxus]

Another tip for sure when fishing/boating/camping the French: Watch for rocks! That river is littered with un marked rocks and shoals. You can lose the the bottom end of your motor on that water easy! In other words, you don't want to be running full throttle at anytime unless you really know the water. Second tip: GPS my friend! I have been up on the French now on three different ocassions and you would be amazed how easy it is to get turned around on that river! Everything looks exactly the same and there are many islands, bays and river fingers that look identical but are not! I know it sounds like comon sense, but I can tell you that I have had at least one occassion where I should have zigged instead of zagged and ended up miles down this finger of the river running extremely low on gas before I realized my mistake and had to back track! We were doing the "Oh lord get me back before the tank runs dry" on that run!

 

Ab

[Dozer]

Hartley! Hartley! Woof woof woof * like in the gangster rap songs*

 

Bring a spare prop, navigate carefully, bring your swim trunks, underwater goggles... uhhhhh... and let the good times roll!

 

Be a picture checkout girl, you wont forget this trip

[ozaibak1]

lol.. oh ya.. jarvis and dundas. Not real wimmens up at Church and Gerrard....

 

Classic! It's true though I moved to the adelaide/jarvis area last year, so I'm familiar with some of the seedier areas around here. Just yesterday driving back down to my place, I see what is possibly potential from behind, but my 6th sense kicked in telling me it's really 'a man, man' (the tipoff was the wig, and the area I was driving through). And when I checked it out from the front, it was! That's my favorite line from the Austin Powers movies by the way, its exactly my kind of humor.