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Bonaventure River

Canoeing in Canada with Wilds of Maine

Highlights

  • Paddle from mountains to sea on continuous Class II whitewater
  • Clear-water river running through a narrow forested valley
  • Challenging canoe and poling skills
  • Great meals freshly prepared and varied

Full Description

A wilderness whitewater paddler’s dream of continuous Class II rapids from mountain to sea.

The Bonaventure River is a wilderness paddler’s dream.Starting high in the Chic-Chocs Mountains of Quebec’s Gaspe Peninsula, it flows for 85 miles (120 km) to the Baie-des-Chaleurs in the Atlantic. The water is continuous, fast Class I-II. The river scenery is beautiful, winding through a deep valley with crystal clear water. In the lower valley there are deep salmon pools and fishermen. (We don’t fish as the pools require Canadian fishing guides with pool-specific permits.)

The Wilds of Maine offers a nine-day excursion with seven days/six nights on the river and two travel days. Previous whitewater experience is required, as it is not suitable for beginners. This is one of the best rivers for the art of canoe poling, and if you haven’t tried it, we’ll show you how! There are no portages, but there may be a short drag around dry-ki.

We will meet guests on the morning of the trip in Maine-some choose to drive to Belfast, or we can meet you in Bangor or Presque Isle, to which air service is available. That day we will travel to Quebec and stay at a campground (where shower facilities available) just outside of the village of Bonaventure. After breakfast the next day at a great local restaurant, we will be shuttled to the put-in on Bonaventure Lake and paddle a short distance to camp. For the next six days we will paddle and pole our way down this beautiful Canadian wilderness river. After take-out, we will gather our gear and drive a ways to a hotel for dinner and lodging. The next day we will complete our journey back to Maine.

Includes:

  • A fully guided and outfitted expedition
  • All transportation to & from the river from the group meeting location
  • All park entrance and camping fees, including the last night's hotel accommodation
  • Paddling and poling instruction as desired
  • All meals from lunch on Day 2 through lunch on Day 8; dietary needs can be accommodated
  • All equipment available (canoes, PFDs, paddles and tents)
  • All group camping gear (cooking gear, tarps, etc.)

Excludes:

  • Travel to and from the trip's meeting location
  • Pre-and post-trip hotel accommodation
  • Meals or snacks prior to lunch at the river on Day 2, dinner on Day 8, and meals or snacks on Day 9
  • Travel and medical insurance

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1

We meet in Belfast, approximately three hours drive north of Portland, or in Bangor, Maine and start the drive to the Gaspe Peninsula. It is approximately eight hours to Bonaventure village and we’ll camp at a private campground tonight.

Day 2

After a great breakfast at a local restaurant, we meet with our Canadian associates and drive to the headwaters of the river, Bonaventure Lake. While we load the canoes with the trip gear, lunch is prepared. This is followed up with a safety talk, river reading, and a review of the paddling strokes. Where this is a trip for experienced paddlers, this really doesn’t take very long. We paddle across Bonaventure Lake, about a mile, to the outlet and away we go. The river is small and shallow, fast and twisty, so we space it out and regroup in the few eddies, where possible. It’s not a long run from the Lake to La Petite Bonaventure, a very small lake. Depending on the time of day, we sometimes camp here. But, not too much further downriver there is another campsite, small but very cute. At this point a good meal and a little rest and relaxation is in order. Your guides go to work and get the first of many fireside meals prepared, everything from soup to nuts. No one ever complains about the food, it’s all fresh, healthy and varied.

Day 3

This is the day that we call “the underground,” generally a lot of fun, but sometimes you have to use your imagination. The narrow river can get partially blocked with dri-ki; referring to driftwood, logs, trees, etc. Generally we can find a route through the alders, around this, over that, a little push and a little pull, but no unloading and carrying. This takes a few hours, depending on the number of boats involved. Once this is done, it is all downhill from here. A good lunch and everyone is ready to go again. We like to spend more time in the top section of the river, as it’s small and intimate.

Day 4

Full day on the river. While in the top section of the river, it is narrow and rocky, the rapids run class I-II+. There are some very tight turns and steep drops, requiring good paddling skills. The river drops through a steep sided valley, this narrows it up even more and the gradient is greater as well. A beautiful campsite tonight, just above Whitehorse Ledges.

Day 5

This morning we will scout Whitehorse Ledges before we get started. It wouldn’t be too difficult if there were some depth to the water, but the approach is very skinny; it’s hard to get a paddle full of water to make your move. It’s even hard for the poler as the ledges are too slippery to get a good grip. That being said, once you’ve done it, and hit the right line, you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about. Hold on though, because right around the corner is the Three Steps, we eddy out just above them and run the drops one boat at a time. The steps are ledge drops that run the full width of the river, at this point about 50 feet across. The first drop is angular and descends about 4’, the second and third steps are progressively easier and shorter. We’ve never had anyone tip over here; again, things usually look worse than they really are. But don’t bet on that! After this everything else is pretty straight forward - but we always stay alert for the occasional strainer, because they will be somewhere. From here down there are numerous beach campsites to use, these are great to spread out on, maybe even get a swim, but the water is very cold, it is still snow melt time in the Chic Chocs Mountains.

Days 6 & 7

The river is wider now and the rapids are bigger in places, but there are plenty of routes to follow. At this point we have gotten down into the fishing section; this is one of the best salmon fishing rivers to be found, so it attracts fishermen from all over. There are a lot of beautiful pools that the salmon love to lay in, the water is crystal clear. I’ve never seen a river so clear as the Bonaventure. So, when we come upon a fisherman, we watch for directions as to where he would like us to pass, we don’t want to scare the fish that he is trying to catch.

Day 8

Our last day on the river and take out is generally mid-afternoon. Our vehicles will be waiting here and we drive a short distance to our pre-arranged hotel, and we’ve found a great restaurant for dinner. There still might be some time to stroll the town or walk along the bay.

Day 9

Fill the cups with coffee and we begin our drive back to Maine with a stop at our favorite breakfast place. We arrive first in Bangor late afternoon for those staying there and flying out the next day, and from there to Belfast.

*Accomodation Note

Price based on double occupancy for last night's hotel stay.

About The Operator:

Wilds of Maine

Headquarters:

Belfast, Maine

Established:

January 1995

Mike Patterson is the owner, head guide, and chief cook and bottle washer of the "Wilds of Maine Guide Service." An avid outdoor enthusiast, Mike's love of paddling started with earning his 'canoe merit' badge on the way to becoming an Eagle Scout. A native Mainer of Belfast, Maine, he worked in the shipbuilding industry following graduation from the Maine Maritime Academy in Marine Engineering. After 23 years of spending all his vacation and weekends on the water, he turned his real passion into his full-time profession. It's been fifteen years and millions of strokes since.

Mike is past president of the Professional Maine Guides Association and a 17-year veteran Boy Scouts of America leader. He is featured in Canoe & Kayak's Special Anniversary Issue, and his articles have appeared in National Geographic Adventure and Paddler Magazine. Over the years he has been a whitewater canoeing instructor for the Appalachian Mountain Club, and winner of the Northeast Divisional Championship for canoe poling. He continues to offer instruction in poling - see our Schedule. His other pursuits have included mountaineering, ice climbing and cross-country and downhill skiing, including instructing for Maine's ski resorts.

He's usually found paddling somewhere nine months of the year with guests and friends, and wife, Shauna. In November and December he's helping folks make their Christmas merrier by operating a Christmas tree and wreath lot. January finds him in the office and barn getting ready for the next paddling season, but he still finds time to participate in his winter pleasures of skiing and snowshoeing. Course he's always ready to talk about rivers, or his favorite haunts in Maine. Call anytime!