TheCloud
Riveris
one of the larger drainages in Newfoundland. We had perfect flows and
it had still not rained, so we knew we had our work cut out for us to
find something with water. We also had to make it back to Deer Lake to
drop off some of the crew at the airport in two days.We
started the drive south
with our fingers crossed, but found
everything to be dismally low, and pulled into Rocky Harbor to check
the weather and stay the night.
The
evening was delightful and the
forecast called for overnight rain.
As evening turned into night it brought minimal
amounts of
rain but
plenty of wind, at speeds high enough to blow me around in the tent.
Good thing it was tied to the car. Water levels didn’t come
up
overnight, and after dropping off
some of the boys and getting a new rental, we headed up to Labrador
figuring that there would be water in at least the Bradore River.
The
wonderful ferry to Labrador.
Once
in Labrador we drove straight to
the Bradore and camped out.
Waking up to a cold morning we found that flows were way too low.
So
we drove south all the way to the
end of the road, literally.
Then
we drove more heading north.
We
drove all the way up to the Pinware
River and found that it had a
class II-III section flowing, but caught a spike from a snow machine in
a tire and had to turn back south to get it fixed.
Discouraged
by no water and a daytime
high of one, and with a forecast
for “frozen rain pellets” we got back on the ferry
to Newfoundland.
Back on the island we decide to head south, hope for good
weather, and
if there wasn’t any in the forecast, fly standby home.We
had driven past the
Torrent River three times already, but knowingBrandon
Knappand
Johnny had already run it, we ignored it. Knowing they had a serious
lack of water when they ran it prompted us to take a look, and it
turned into a quick park and huck in the cold weather. We were psyched
just to get on the water at this point, and the chunky waterfall looked
pleasing.