Canoeing Or Kayaking The Paull River In Saskatchewan

We had a camping holiday once on the banks of the Thamalakane River just outside Maun, in Botswana. A river in the midst of the Kalahari semi-desert, incongruous! The river was full of reeds and ran no more than 4' deep in the middle. This was below the road bridge. The water was directed into frothy, narrow, churning channels as it negotiated its way through the arches of the bridge, which were high enough for a man in his kayaks to get through. My husband decided he needed to make sure he was made of the stern stuff of early explorers, so he took our fibreglass 2 seater kayak and down the chute he went.

We were just outdoor enthusiasts, not whitewater experts! But he insisted! It was an experience inducing feelings, ultimately deeply pleasurable, that remained vivid in his memory, told and retold for many years afterwards.

The Paull River in Saskatchewan provides ample opportunity to test your skill for whitewater, and in fact, for fishing too. It's in a remote corner of Saskatchewan, only to be reached by air. The river rises in Paull Lake and then runs for a stretch of about 40 miles before joining the much larger Churchill River. Paddling it can take about 4 days.

Portages exist if you do not want to attempt all the rapids – that means carrying your canoe overland along the laid-out trail. Tuck Falls, for example is about 12' high in some places If you found yourself at the top of one of the drops, your canoe would perch precariously over the edge until half its length projected into space before it tipped downwards, and most likely you would fall out as it dropped into the water below. Wearing a life jacket is thus important.

The remoteness of the area means it would be very likely that you would see wild life, both in the water and at the waters' edge - an experience unlike anything to be found in city parks or other built-up areas.

There are plenty of quiet stretches where paddling is gentle and the river is at peace, only to be disturbed if the weather changes. Even then, if it's rain and not wind, the rain only wets the back of the river, it doesn't affect the flow.

There is a wide choice of very suitable kayaks and canoes for whitewater.

Some of the companies who make them are:

Necky – who say about themselves that their kayaks have sleek lines, elegant shapes and a wide variety of uses.

Airhead – whose kayaks are suitable for moderate whitewater

Pyranha – who say that they have always been at the cutting edge of whitewater paddling.

Dagger – their goal is to represent everything that is great about getting on the water even to the pure rush of whitewater.

To view any of these makers and see what they have to offer visit our Store at:

By: daisy8

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TheBoatingStore The author is a retired high school teacher of geography and maths. Try 'Quick Compare 35 Brand Name Kayaks' to help you make a choice. Also if you would like a free ebook - an unusual story set in the days of sailing by well-known and respected author Joseph Conrad, 'The Secret Sharer' or a book about travel in El Salvador 'Slow Bus To Ahuachapan' by John Drewman then use the email address on the website to request them.