Summary
When: Saturday, May 4th, 2023. Postponed to May 5th in case of bad weather.
Reception: COBAVER-VS building, located at 13 rue Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Polycarpe, QC, J0P 1X0.
Starting point: Cul-de-sac located on Round Church Drive, South Glengarry (Dalhousie Mills), ON, K0C 1Z0.
End point: Bridge on Sainte-Catherine Street, at the heart of Saint-Polycarpe, QC, J0P 1X0.
Length: 17 km on the Delisle River and 16 km by bike.
Who: Participants aged 16 and over, with experience canoeing or kayaking.
Cost: $15.00 per participant.
Accepted boats: Canoes and kayaks. There will be no boats available for rent.
Registration: Register online before May 1st. Cash payments will not be accepted on-site.
For more information, write to us at projetcom@cobaver-vs.org
Description
The 17 km course begins at the Round Church Drive cul-de-sac in Dalhousie Mills, Ontario, and ends in the village of Saint-Polycarpe. With its gentle slope, beautiful scenery, and rapids, the Delisle River offers a great time for canoe and kayak enthusiasts. The presence of class RII rapids or less (depending on the flow) requires some maneuvering mid-course and a minimum of experience. Because of these rapids, this activity is intended for people 16 years and older with experience in canoeing or kayaking. To get back to their cars, participants will have the option of biking 16 km or taking a shuttle bus.
Participants must bring their own boat and bike for the activity. There will be no boat or bike rental for this event. The registration fee is $15 and includes access to a shuttle bus. The registration fee is the same for all participants, whether you choose to bike back or take the shuttle bus.
If you wish to participate, register online before May 1st. We will not accept registrations paid in cash on the day of the event. Registration is mandatory to participate. If you do not receive an email confirmation within 24 hours of registering, please check your junk mail. To register, head over to the French version of our website.
How it works
There are two options to choose from for this event. You will have to specify your choice of option when you register online.
| Option 1: Canoe or kayak down the river | Drop off your boat at the time you chose when making your reservation (8:00 am, 9:00 am, or 10:00 am) at the end of Round Church Street in Ontario. You will be given a coupon to identify your boat. Keep it carefully, as you will have to give it to the site supervisor to take your boat back. A supervisor will watch over your boat while you return to the COBAVER-VS building (13 rue Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Polycarpe) by car.
In Saint-Polycarpe, the organizers will be waiting for you to confirm your presence, give you a map of the river, perform a few safety checks and have you sign a risk acknowledgment and acceptance form. You will then be transported to the starting point in Ontario by shuttle bus according to your chosen departure time (9:00 am, 10:00 am, and 11:00 am) The finish point on the river will be marked by a beach flag with the COBAVER-VS logo. Participants who took the shuttle bus are expected to arrive at the endpoint between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. You will be able to drive your car directly home as it will be waiting for you at the finish point. If you plan to leave the river before or continue past the end of the course, you must notify the organizers. |
| Option 2: Canoe or kayak down the river and bike back to the starting point | Drop off your bike at the COBAVER-VS building in Saint-Polycarpe (13, Ste-Catherine Street) by 8:00 am. You will be given a coupon to identify your bike. Keep it carefully, because you will have to give it to the site supervisor to take your bike back. Afterward, the organizers will confirm your presence, give you a map of the river, perform safety checks and have you sign a risk acknowledgment and acceptance form. You will then drive to Round Church, Ontario with your boat to begin your excursion to the Delisle River at 9:00.
The finish point on the river will be marked by a beach flag with the COBAVER-VS logo. Participants who will bike back are expected to arrive at the endpoint between 12:30 and 13:30. There, you can enjoy your lunch before getting on your bike. Once you have exchanged your canoe or kayak for your bike, you can set off. Someone will watch over your boat in your absence. Cycling back to your car is expected to take between 1 to 1,5 hours. You will have until 5:00 p.m. to pick up your kayak in Saint-Polycarpe with your initial coupon and return home with all your equipment. |
Important safety information
| Mandatory equipment |
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| Highly recommended equipment (in a waterproof bag) |
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The water and temperature will be cold and there is a real risk of hypothermia if you stay wet. We strongly recommend that you bring a change of clothes in a waterproof bag in case you capsize. If possible, we recommend that you wear a semi-dry suit.
Departures on the river will be in teams of two or more. If you are alone, you will be paired with another participant or group.
Conditions on the Delisle River may vary depending on its flow and the presence of unexpected obstacles along the route. Here are the conditions to expect according to the river’s flow:
- From 2 to 5 m3/sec: rapids are easily navigable, rocks easily avoidable, but other rocks below the surface may scratch your boat;
- 8 to 12 m3/sec: rapids in the upstream sector of the course are easily navigable, but some are curved and require basic maneuvering to pass. At these flows, an area mid-course with 1km of rapids is classified as RII and is navigable only by people with experience. The rocks are difficult to see through the waves and are visible at the last moment. More complex maneuvers are necessary to avoid capsizing;
- 13 to 16 m3/sec: all rapids are easily navigable, but you should consider your ability to navigate in higher flows.
To monitor the flow of the Delisle River, you can visit Environment Canada’s website: https://eau.ec.gc.ca/report/real_time_f.html?stn=02MC036
For more details on the classification of rapids: https://canot-kayak.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/classification-des-rapides.pdf
Raising Awareness
The COBAVER-VS is hard at work to make this event an annual tradition for the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region, just like the excursion on the Beaudette River. This event is perfectly in line with our mission, which is to implement integrated water management within the watershed. One of the main objectives of the Plan Directeur de l’Eau (PDE) is to improve public access to rivers and lakes. This activity provides participants with a wonderful outdoor experience while helping spread awareness of our rivers’ potential.
This event is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the environmental problems impacting waterways in agricultural areas. Because of their location and appearance, rivers in these areas are often underestimated and misunderstood. This canoe and kayak trip will give participants the chance to appreciate the beauty and landscapes of the Delisle River, but also to see its fragility. This event is also an opportunity for the public to connect and reclaim their river at a time when the lack of accessibility to inland waterways is growing.
Acknowledgments
The COBAVER-VS would like to sincerely thank the Caisse Desjardins de Vaudreuil-Soulanges for its financial help. We would also like to thank our other partners, including the municipality of Saint-Polycarpe and Eau Vive Québec.
| With the financial help of | Thank you to our partners |
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