Paddling the Floodlands
In most years the Thompson River floods during freshet filling Tranquille Bay for easy launching and access to the floodlands. In 2019, however, the river has not flooded these lands extensively so launching is more difficult and some of the channels we can normally paddle have low water. On a day in mid-June I launched out of Cooney Bay. There were a number of new logs washed up to create a minor barrier to the muddy beach. I launched off the beach, eager to get going with many mosquitoes swarming the floodpools.
From the launch at Cooney Bay, the route chosen was to paddle across the river to the entrance into a flood channel on the south side, a 2 km crossing.
There was a good wind out of the east so the crossing and the channel was choppy. There was lots of water in the channels on the west end of the floodlands.
At the east end, the water was low so some of the channels were not open to paddling. I did a loop in the wide lagoon and returned back the way I came. I usually do a loop through the floodlands farther east then across the river and back through more floodlands on the north side.
The paddle back across the river was an easy one, completing the 9.4 km route. In most years I paddle the floodlands area about 5 times, but this year it will just be once. I will avoid the log jam and the mosquito hordes, finding other lakes and river sections to paddle.
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