WELCOME!

Welcome to the Ottawa Valley River Guide.  This guide is in the early stage, but hopefully it will help visitors to the Ottawa Valley find and enjoy some of the best rivers and playspots.  This guide does not describe full river runs, nor does it classify rapids.  It is purely for reference to individual playspots and rapids that can be found along the rivers.

DISCLAIMER:  Not all spots in this guide are recommended for beginner paddlers.  This guide is provided as a helpful resources only, and should not substitute personal decisions made based on individual skill levels.

Ottawa River (Rocher Fendu)

Upper Petawawa River

Petawawa River (Town Run)

Bonnechere River

Upper Madawaksa River

Madawaska River (Palmer's Rapids)

Lower Madawaska River

Riviere Schyan

OTTAWA RIVER - Main Channel - Rightside Blacks

RIGHTSIDE BLACK'S

Good at: 

This hole is a looper's paradise at the right levels, or a spot to be avoided at all costs at others.

OTTAWA RIVER - Main Channel - Puppy Chow

PUPPY CHOW

Good at: 

Puppy Chow is a great looping hole, a great righty cartwheel hole, and as the level drops, a great place to get worked.

After you have survived Coliseum and are gasping for air in the river right eddy, you can see what awaits.  River left past centre is a ledge that is best avoided at most levels.  Centre right is where you see water hitting a rock and being redirected left through a slot, hence "Centre Slot".

On the river right, you see Dog's Leg, and this is where you can find Dog's Leg Hole, or as local legend Ken Whiting has termed "Puppy Chow"

OTTAWA RIVER - Main Channel - Big Kahuna

BIG KAHUNA

Good at: 8 feet and up

Big Kahuna.

It can be an unpredictable beast.  One kayaker can have a great ride, and the next can drop in to a surging, crashing, unmerciful wave.  Depending on levels, you can expect beatdowns, air launches, flushes, misses, or the best ride of your life!

Big Kahuna is located in the biggest rapid on the Main Channel; Coliseum.  You can't miss it.  It is the 8-foot tall monster that waits about 15 feet out from the rocks on river left.

If you want to skip Big Kahuna altogether, it is best avoided by paddling past it on the right, or punching into the scary eddy on the left.  Personally, the eddy is a far worse fate as it is boily, smashy and swirly.

If you want to drop in for a surf, roll the dice and get ready for a ride!  The waves below are swirly and powerful, but you can catch the river left eddy and climb back up through the woods for more!

OTTAWA RIVER - Main Channel - Triple Nipple

TRIPLE NIPPLE

Good at: 

Many people don't get a chance to experience Triple Nipple, or Third Nipple.  This is because this feature forms at higher water levels, which are more often seen after the summer rush.

At higher water (above 8 feet) paddle over to the river-right shore above Normans and hike over to the edge to check out this feature that grows every foot and eventually extends practically across the right half of the rapid.

At 8 feet, you surf the big glassy bowl wave on the river left side of the feature.  As the wave grows and spreads towards the right you can share your surf with your friends!

Norman's is an odd canyon in the middle of a big, wide river, therefore has off V-shaped waves and boils.  If you flush off Triple Nipple, rush to the first eddy on the river-right side, and hike back up for more!

OTTAWA RIVER - Main Channel - Lunch Stop Waves

LUNCH STOP WAVES

Good at: 14 feet and above

Those of you who are familiar with the Main Channel know where BFR is located, below Butcher's Knife rapid, but above Normans.  This is where the rafters enjoy climbing to the top of a rock that juts out over the river, and take turns jumping into the current below before swimming back to the riverbank with the help of a guide and rope.

Slightly downstream, centre-left is the best wave train on the Ottawa River at higher levels.  This wave train is continuous rollercoaster fun, where, when you're in the valley between the waves, you can't see the person paddling ahead of you!

These waves at higher water (14 and up) can be surfed as well!

OTTAWA RIVER - Main Channel - Brain Douche

BRAIN DOUCHE

Good at: 1 to 11 feet

Brain Douche isn't a surfing spot, but if you want to have the time of your life playing in whirlpools and perfecting your combat roll, then this is the place!

Brain Douche can be found at almost any level between 1 and 11 on the river left side at the bottom of Butcher's Knife rapid.  It can be fun to see how many upside-down spins you can get, how deep you can get you and your boat in the whirlpools, or how long you can stay vertical while riding the pools!

Don't pass this by, it's not all about blunts and airscrews!