Kayaking the Harrison River is one of our favourite fall trips, and although we usually strive to seek out new routes and explore new areas, this is one paddle that always brings us back!
We last visited Harrison River in October 2013. This fall we found ourselves back on the river in search of spawning salmon and feasting Eagles. In the past, we have launched and returned to the beach at Harrison Hot Springs. This year, we decided to organize a car shuttle and run the river from Harrison Hot Springs to Kilby Provincial Park. We were hopeful this would give us more opportunity to observe the eagles and salmon and also help us avoid paddling upstream!
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| Young and Old alike get ready to paddle the river |
It was a really busy day on the river! The salmon run and return of the Eagles attracts tourists, paddlers, and fishers alike. As we crossed the lake we caught up to a big group of families in tandem canoes. I was super excited to see so many kids on the water. They were members of local canoe clubs and were also planning to paddle down to Kilby.
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| Marina at Harrison Hot Springs |
We bid farewell to the canoes and set off downstream. Conditions were great - slight breeze and sunshine. The river seemed to be running faster than usual for this time of year and the water was quite high due to the recent heavy rainfall.
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| Even sailboats were on the river |
As we approached Chehalis Flats activity definitely increased. The salmon were jumping all around us. It was mesmerizing to watch, so much so that I had neglected to take my eyes off the water. Finally, when I took a moment to look up I was approaching two trees and there were at least twelve eagles perched in the branches. I was careful to keep my distance as to not disturb them. They seemed very content to just watch me drift by.
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| Eagles observe from their perch |
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| Underwater shot |
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| Hand-fishing on the Harrison |
The human activity on the river is definitely a concern, as the Chehalis Flats are an important area for both the spawning salmon and the Eagles. A group of dedicated and passionate citizens are working hard on establishing the Chehalis Flats Bald Eagle and Salmon Preserve and sharing information regarding etiquette for kayakers, boaters and sightseeing in this area. As they so well state, "between the increased number of fisherman working the river, the phenomenal subdivision expansion by people who also love this river and its offerings, and the annually increasing numbers of kayakers, birders and now photographers, the collective impact demands that we need to develop some etiquette, some understanding how we can all live together most harmoniously by incorporating some seasonal rules, to reduce human impact, so we do not “love this wonderful place to death!”
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| Notice the splash from the salmon jumping - fishers line the river |
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| Boat traffic is heavy....and some aren't too concerned about their wake |
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| Daily tours add to the traffic on the river |
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| Voyageur canoe heading to Kilby |
Giggle of the Day:
Recently we stumbled upon a blog written by Dave Cornthwaite, an adventurer who in 2005 decided to quit his life as a "couch potato" and embark on an adventure. Since making this life changing decision, Dave has tackled some amazing trips. However, what we find most inspiring about Dave is not his adventures (although they are incredible) but his is personal philosophy. It is simple. Dave encourages people to make life memorable - SAY YES MORE!
Most of the people we meet when cycling, hiking or paddling seem to embrace the Say Yes More philosophy. I am not sure if Say Yes people are attracted to outdoor activity or if outdoor activity breeds the Say Yes spirit, but none the less, today "Say Yes" gave us our giggle.
We were really struggling to find a way to shuttle our vehicle in order to allow us to run the river. We didn't want to drive two cars all the way to Harrison, so we decided to visit a few online forums and pose a couple of questions about running shuttle. In true forum form (that's a tongue twister), a complete stranger connected us with a fellow at Kilby Bed & Breakfast who offered a shuttle service. We arranged to meet Darcy, who owns the B and B and off we went. We asked Darcy if he would mind driving in our car with us to the start point and then driving our car back to the take out point. Darcy was incredibly flexible and accommodating. This was a perfect plan for us as it saved us from having to take two vehicles to Harrison Hot Springs.
As we were preparing to launch, long after our new found friend, Darcy had departed with our vehicle, we met two couples who were staying at the Harrison Hot Springs hotel for the weekend. They asked about our trip and were puzzled about the logistics of the shuttle. We told them about Darcy and then we were taken back by their questions - in fact questions we honestly didn't even think of asking:
- did he have a license?
- did he even know how to drive?
- was Darcy who he said he was or had we actually given our van keys to a "stranger" who now knew we would be out of our house for a full day?
....their questions went on and on, and their parting words were, "looks like you have lots to worry about as you paddle down the river." As we set off across the lake it hit me. They really didn't understand the Say Yes More philosophy.
Now, for the record, Darcy, the owner of Kilby Bed and Breakfast is a fantastic guy and is a licensed and insured driver. We would highly recommend anyone visiting the area looking for kayak rentals, shuttle service and a great place to stay to check him out. The giggle really came from the contrast in the two points of view. It demonstrated to me that by saying YES, we met a fantastic guy, learned a lot about a great local Bed and Breakfast, learned more about the surrounding area, enjoyed a fabulous day on the river and giggled. Would that have happened if we had said NO? I guess we would be paddling upstream against the wind.......
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| Busy day at the take out point - Kilby Provincial Park |
Map and Route tips:
Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival
Kilby Bed and Breakfast
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