The Adventures of Ernesto El Diablo RojoThe Adventures of Ernesto El Diablo Rojo
The Coulonge River, Quebec
Labour Day Weekend 2006
My name is Ernesto El Diablo Rojo and this is my story.
I'd like to begin by introducing my intrepid Crew for the Coulonge expedition Pat, Ian, Lori, Bruce and Louise. I am the handsome red boat in the background. For Bruce and Ian this trip represents the finale to the aquatic troika known as the "Quebec Triple Play" consisting of the Dumoine, the Noire, and the Coulonge rivers. All these rivers drain into the the Ottawa river to the west of Gatineau, Quebec.
More importantly this is my maiden voyage, an opportunity for Lori and Ian to christen their 16 foot 6 inch long, fire red wedding gift:
Ernesto El Diablo Rojo
This is is also an opportunity for Pat to try his cork impression in a fashionable red creek kayak. While he looks a little lost in this photo it won't take him long to dominate the whitewater.
Bruce and Louise will be facing the tumult in this tried and tested Old Town canoe, a veteran of many Seeton expeditions on the white waters of Ontario and Quebec.
Fishing is easy when there is plenty to catch so the Seeton boys were more eager than usual to pull some trophies from the Coulonge.
Ian with his new friend Mitch, who was kind enough to be dinner. Your intrepid author is in the background.
Now many of you would not think that Pizza is an option in the wilderness of Quebec. Well our resident outdoorsman Bruce was never one to shy away from a challenge, ill-fated or not. Let's just say we didn't go hungry.
More fishing - it's kind of a theme.
More success slaying the Bass.
For those who doubt the awesome power of a Class IV drop I say behold the broken thwart and 12 inch hole in this poor Old Town canoe. The idiots who were navigating this once proud craft had neither the skill to manoeuvre the dangers nor the wits to avoid them. I am not one to practice Schadenfreude but this was a unique opportunity to witness a canoe do a complete cartwheel, launching the sternsman forward, breaking the thwart as he was launched from the boat - that is something I have definitely never seen before.
Lori and Ian skillfully navigating me down a Class III.
Me in my fully loaded glory.
I told you Pat would master this kayak thing.
This was Lori and Ian taking me down an apparently unrunnable ledge. While it may appear that we escaped unharmed in fact I received a baseball size dent right on my bow (see picture below).
Pat expertly handling this serious ledge.
Bruce and Louise demonstrating how it should be done.
This is the damage I received on the "unrunnable ledge". It's always good to get the first dent out of the way, isnt' it?
