What you need to know before embarking on a canoe or kayak trip

By Gilles Granal, Adventure Tourism Expert – Aventuraid

To plan a canoe or kayak trip effectively, you must, of course, choose a river and then the section you want to paddle down. This decision should be based on your paddling experience, the people you’re traveling with, the time you have available, and the kind of experience you’re looking for.

We’re talking here about canoe-camping trips on easy rivers. People often ask me: How many kilometers can you cover by canoe in a day? While the typical range is between 15 and 20 km, the answer depends on several factors:

• The experience: You can find a canoe self-assessment on the website of the Fédération québécoise de canot kayak (FQCK) https://canot-kayak.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/autoevaluation_canot.pdf
• Whether you’re paddling with young children or just adults, the dynamics are different. With children, it’s best to plan for more stops and fewer hours of paddling if you want everyone to enjoy the trip.
• You may also want to make the most of the campsite in the evening by stopping early, and in the morning by setting off later. In this case, you’ll need to plan for fewer kilometers.
• Water level is another factor to consider. If there’s little current, you’ll cover less distance for the same effort.
• On the water, don’t underestimate the wind. When blowing head-on, it can hinder progress, particularly in a canoe. It can create waves, which make navigation more difficult. It increases the risk of hypothermia.
• If there are difficult rapids, the time required to navigate them must be taken into account. This includes: the time needed to scout the rapids, set up safety measures, and even portage if necessary.

Generally speaking, it’s better to feel like you haven’t paddled enough than too much! At the end of a trip, it’s better to think: “We could have done more,” rather than “That was too long…”

The risk of paddling for too long, reaching a point of exhaustion where all you can think about is getting out of the river, is turning this wonderful adventure into a negative experience. The result: you’ll end up forgetting the good times you had before. Especially with children. That’s a shame.

On the website www.cartespeinair.org, you can find guide maps. They show launch sites, exit points, the location and class of rapids, campsites, and more. The Lac Saint-Jean area is located in Zone 06.

What to bring

The advantage of a canoe is that you can bring along quite a bit of gear.

A river trip is more likely to be a success if you have the right equipment.

Here’s a checklist to help you plan what to bring: https://canot-kayak.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/liste-%C3%A9quipement-canot.pdf

When kayaking, it’s best to wear shoes that can get wet. You could use an old pair of sneakers, for example. Kayaking barefoot can make it difficult to get in and out of the boat, or if you have to walk in the water after capsizing. Most of the time, you’ll end up in the water when getting in or out of the boat, especially if you don’t want to get your feet wet and you stretch out… and splash! Avoid rain boots, as it’s quite difficult to swim with them on.

A waterproof container is useful for camping gear, spare clothes, and food. This can be a barrel or a specialized bag; it makes logistics easier. You can also use a simple bag lined with a trash bag.

You’ll need a daypack to keep rain gear, lunch, sunscreen, and snacks within easy reach. This way, you won’t have to open the waterproof container—the more you open it during the day, the greater the risk of not sealing it properly and getting everything wet if it rains or the water level drops.

When preparing meals, there’s something magical about a wood fire; at busier campsites, it might be a good idea to bring your own firewood. Rain can make the experience more challenging. A portable stove can save the day.

Bringing a tarp makes camping more enjoyable in bad weather. It allows you to eat outside while staying dry.

The management of campfires, trash, and restroom facilities must be taken into account if we want to minimize our impact on the environment. You can refer to the 7 Leave No Trace principles: https://www.leavenotrace.ca/home This way, those who come after us will feel as though they, too, are the first to pass through there.

If you want to venture onto rivers with more rapids, it may be a good idea to take a whitewater course. This will give you a solid foundation on which to build as you improve and gain experience https://canot-kayak.qc.ca/trouver-une-formation/

You may decide not to run a rapid that’s too difficult for your current skill level, but you still need to be able to stop before it or cross the river upstream of the rapid to reach the portage trail, which might be on the other side of the river.

Improving your technical skills will allow you to run a wider variety of rivers.