Wahnapitae River | Strong Current | Surprise Waterfall | Paddling Sudbury

In this video, my son and I tackle the strong current of the Wahnapitae River and race to see who can assemble our new camp chairs the quickest. We also take some time to enjoy an unexpected waterfall. We start our adventure just east of Sudbury, Ontario, aiming to reach a set of rapids about 7 kilometers (4.2 miles) up the river. However, the powerful current has other plans for us, and we soon realize we might not even make it halfway there.
Launching from the public boat dock in Wahnapitae, a community with historical significance as the first non-indigenous settlement in the Sudbury region, we encounter the swift current as we pass under Highway 17 and the adjacent railway line. My kayak, equipped with a skeg, handles the current better than my son's smaller kayak, which lacks this feature. Despite being a skilled paddler, he struggles with the demanding conditions. I offer to switch kayaks with him, but finding a suitable spot along the shore proves challenging. Eventually, he begins to suspect I might not be so eager to swap boats after all. I explain his kayak's issue, and though unspoken, I believe he appreciates the explanation.
We hug the shore to avoid the worst of the current, but it becomes clear we won't reach our intended destination. Accepting this, we find a new challenge: a race to see who can assemble our camp chairs the fastest. Age and wisdom prevail, and I celebrate my victory with grace. The Wahnapitae River, flowing through the traditional lands of the Anishinabek First Nation, has a rich history of providing resources like fish, logs, and electricity. Today, it's our source of enjoyment.
Thank you for watching, and we hope you enjoyed the video.
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#SudburyPlaces, #PlacesInSudbury, #SudburyVisitPlaces, #SudburyCanada, #DiscoverSudbury, #SudburyTourism, #Kayaking, #FatherSonAdventure, #WahnapitaeRiver, #SudburyOntario, #Paddling, #RiverCurrent, #OutdoorChallenge, #CampingGear, #Waterfall, #NatureExploration, #OntarioAdventures, #KayakRace, #FamilyTime, #DiscoverOntario, #TravelVlog, #AdventureAwaits, #OutdoorLife, #RiverJourney, #CanadianWilderness, #CampingLife, #NatureLovers, #ExploreCanada, #Wahnapitae, #Wanapitae
Sources:
www.sudburymuseums.ca/index.c....
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanapit...
Gear:
Akaso Brave 7 and/or DJI Osmo Pocket
Sony a6400
DJI Mini 2
Hohem iSteady Gimbal
Pelican 10' Kayak and/or Riot Bayside 12 HV (High Volume) Kayak
Harmony Sea Passage Paddle
Salus PFD

[@JimHayesHiking]

It's always great to get out with the offspring. I'm glad to see you expressing perfect humility in your chair assembly victory,lol! Have a great day my friend.

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks! I appreciate your comment, Jim. I'm never sure if my humor comes across in the right way. Have a great rest of the week!

[@chrisbentleywalkingandrambling]

It's still great to get some one on one time. Thanks for sharing.

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks so much, Chris. Cheers. ~ Daryl

[@CantGetHandle8]

Interesting (and encouraging!) to see healthy water levels along this popular paddling river. Nice to see you and a your son enjoying the paddle together, Daryl.

[@flynorthprod]

Very healthy levels - I didn't know it goes down that much. I also didn't know that's where the City takes in a lot of its water for drinking. Thanks for watching, Rob.

[@meruhan-kazuchan]

Beautiful exploration by a canoe to the stunning waterfall.

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you so much.

[@hikingoutdoorfamily]

Really nice to see you and your son kayaking together. That spot with the two waterfalls was awesome. Great idea to bring the camp chairs to relax for a bit too.

[@flynorthprod]

Yes, we had a fun day despite the strong current. He's a good sport.

[@carolannontario]

This video is fun to watch! What a perfect place to stop and I love the chair race. So nicely filmed and put together

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate you stopping by. Looking forward to your next one!

[@IceBearHalfwayPoint]

Looks like a great kayaking trip! Love the waterfalls and the camp chair race! 😄🤣 So humble!

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you very much. Yep, not so humble. 😁

[@nationalparksprincess3216]

Even though it was rough and you didn't get to your intended destination, it was still beautiful, and the waterfall was nice 😊

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks - yeah me not reaching the intended destinations has been a bit of a theme for me lately. Oh well, I'm always pleasantly surprised with my "Plan B's." Thanks for watching!

[@maureenmunden6708]

Another good one. This time my kayak awaits in the yard, not up in the garage.

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks Maureen. Hey, at least you're making progress. Let me know if you want to go to some time. Thanks!

[@tripmood365]

Very great kayaking river day video, my friend 😎

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you kindly!

[@HikingWithKathleen]

I really enjoyed watching you and your son enjoying a paddle in today's video. Going against the current...wow! Laughed when your humbleness shone through at winning the chair assembly😂

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you Kathleen! I really appreciate your feedback. I'm never sure if my humour comes across in the right way. Thanks for visiting. ~ Daryl

[@ClubCrafteria]

Beautiful place. Enjoyed watching

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@NatureAndOther]

Great video of you and your son exploring with the 🛶 ❤️ 👍

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks for joining us Roni! Cheers. ~ Daryl

[@StartLivingNow1963]

Great Adventure Thank You Daryl good to see you and your son out Kayaking together and enjoying life and Nature together Beautiful Waterfalls. Have a great week looking forward to more Adventures.🙂❤👍

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you Robert. I hope all is well for you in NB. Looking forward to your next video!

[@StartLivingNow1963]

@@flynorthprod I will be working on a new video this week got some good drone video last week for new video just got sit down and work on it Thanks Daryl 🙂

[@hikinganddrone]

Great and nice sharing 👍👍👍

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you kindly!

[@HikerT]

Pretty waterfall! I'm not a strong paddler so I would have probably not even made it to the falls. What a nice surprise, and a great place to have a chair assembly contest and sit for a bit.

[@flynorthprod]

Those chairs were surprisingly simple to set up - though I did glance at the instructions first. Thanks for watching.

[@FXWalesAnnaAlf]

So beautiful here and great that you got to spend time with your son kayaking and putting up chairs, well done 😃 gorgeous river and little waterfall. Interesting history and info that you told. It all looked so lovely :) ~ Anna 👍

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it! Cheers from Canada. ~ Daryl

[@DCOutdoors]

Great family outing. I laughed when you said he assumed you didn't want to trade after all. P.S. Congrats (humbly) on the win. 😄

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks! Yeah, my kayak was much better. 😅

[@jsteelsadventureandvariety4545]

it looks like you both read the instructions on the chairs and thats half the battle lol awesome adventure guys, that river can be real tricky sometimes :)

[@flynorthprod]

It only looked like I was reading, there were also pictures I could follow instead... but I didn't understand those either so I just winged it. 😀

[@CraigKoppel]

I have two kayaks and neither one of them have a skeg. The area looks beautiful. Nice job on winning the chair race. 👍20

[@flynorthprod]

Hi Craig. I don't think they're that important unless there's a strong current or high winds. It sure made a difference though.

[@Travel.with.jafari.]

Hello 🙋🤝🙋🇨🇭🇨🇭 It was a great video and I enjoyed watching it👍💕👍

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you so much! 🙏

[@simbajohn1882]

Great video Daryl. Interesting history, great shots. Have a good day. John

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you so much John. Have a great week!

[@simbajohn1882]

​@@flynorthprodthankyou. You have a great week as well

[@TheWanderingWulfs]

It's so nice you could spend time with your son in nature. Kayaking is always a fun time! Those small fins are important to have. We have those on our kayaks and they really do make a big difference in staying straight when paddling. ❤ Camp chairs can be tricky! 😂 Good job! See you on the next adventure! 😊 Oh, and love the waterfalls!

[@flynorthprod]

Hi! Yes it sure is nice to spend time with family. Thanks so much for visiting!

[@agesadventures]

Nice paddle on the river! hat was really nice of you to offer to switch kayaks with your son😁 At that point it's up to him to find a suitable place to make the switch😀 Celebrate all the victories you can😊 It'll make your son strive to be better and in effect you're doing good parenting then😁 Nice trip out there today, Daryl😀

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks Age. He can beat me at other things now so you're right, I should savour the ones I can. I hope things are good on the island. Cheers. ~ Daryl

[@JenniferLupine]

Tough going up stream! Great job making headway there. Fun to find a hidden waterfall and a safe place to get out of the kayaks. Your new camp hairs look great, probably a very nice break. Hope you had a quick and easy trip back to your starting point. Always interesting to hear some history and about the native peoples who lived there! Thanks Daryl 😄👍👍

[@flynorthprod]

Thanks Jen. Yes, I love the research part almost as much as I do the editing. I've learned so much about my own community. Thanks for your continued support! ~ Daryl

[@JenniferLupine]

@@flynorthprod Awesome!!

[@riversandcoffee]

If you don't stop putting out such cool kayaking videos...I'm driving up there. What a wonderful spot to end up at... I just knew you would win that chair race.. I have resorted to cheating with my son... I probably would have practiced putting up that chair 6 or 7 times before the race, Lol Super fun adventure... Jim ✌️

[@flynorthprod]

I hope you do get up this way some time, Jim. Look me up! I like your strategy about competition, it keeps them on their toes. Thanks for watching buddy, have a great week!

[@Wilderness-Will]

It's amazing how rivers that look like they're flowing gently like this one can actually have surprisingly strong currents; I've capsized more than once by underestimating it, lol. This looks like a great place to paddle!

[@flynorthprod]

Yeah, I was surprised. I know others who have paddled it and had no issues but they must have done it later in the season. One report said the current was up to 18mph earlier in the month. Thanks for visiting!

[@kanukkarhu]

That was, as usual, awesome! I really enjoyed the photography, and I realized watching how much effort you put into your shots! Thanks for sharing this wonderful day and wonderful spot with us, Daryl! It almost goes without saying that another Monday morning has been made better! 👍 Oh, PS - Did I see you reading instructions?!?!? 😲 😉😆

[@flynorthprod]

Haha - I wasn't reading, I was looking at the diagrams instead. But I also didn't understand those either. 😀 Thanks for acknowledging the work I put in, that means a lot, Jeff. Have a great week! ~ Daryl

[@flynorthprod]

Hi Jeff, I have a question for you. Do you have any knowledge of Lois Maxwell (aka Ms. Moneypenny of the James Bond movies) ever having resided at a cottage in the Willisville area? Perhaps it was when she was starring in Adventures in Rainbow Country. A couple people have mentioned that to me over the years and I was thinking I might try work her into an upcoming video if I can. Thanks in advance for any insights you might have. Cheers. Daryl

[@kanukkarhu]

@@flynorthprod Yes indeed, she had a cottage there. I will ask around and see what I can dig up for you. 👍

[@kanukkarhu]

@@flynorthprod Her cottage (she likes the area so much she had one built) was on Faraway Rd. and not in willisville. Faraway Rd. is just north of Espanola. I remember it now that I was reminded. The place they filmed at was in McGregor Bay, I believe. She had a son named Christian whom was remembered as being involved in the local timber industry at one point. He is now apparently out west. An engineer perhaps? I also seem to recall her being somehow involved perhaps in the local theatre? I'll let you know if anything else comes up, or if I remember anything else from those foggy environs of yesteryear ....

[@flynorthprod]

@@kanukkarhu Thanks Jeff! Faraway Road rings a bell with me too, so I think that's correct. Even though it's not right where I was hiking, I can still work a bit of her story into my video. She was a pretty interesting person. Thanks for your help, much appreciated! ~ Daryl

[@KONGNO2000youtube]

Wow very entertaining video I want to try that canoeing too

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you so much. I hope you do get a chance to get out on the water.

[@OpenAirOutdoors]

3 maybe 4 weeks ago I was planning an overnight trip up the creak just a little further up stream from there. Apparently it is a nice set of falls. But after talking to a friend that lives on the river, at the time he estimated the current to be 30kmh and suggested I don't go. I took his advice not wanting to risk a possible injury being it would have been my first canoe outing of the season! Take care Daryl✌

[@flynorthprod]

30km/h! Wow. I was curious how fast it was flowing for us. We coasted down about 7kph - no paddling. But I bet below the surface was much faster. I'll have to get to those rapids another day I guess. Thanks for watching, Marc. Cheers.

[@almarcon1896]

Great video of one of my stomping grounds. It's such a easy river to access because if the public boat launch. I was surprised to see so much current. They must have been letting water out through the Stinson Dam. I've paddle all the way up and when I was there, the rapid was not very big, because of minimal water flow. If we you want we can use my canoe and paddle up for a 2nd look and video. And if we wait until after Father's Day we can do a bit of fishing below the rapids.

[@flynorthprod]

Sounds like a plan but if the current is anywhere near that strong when we try it in a canoe, we'll probably be going backwards.

[@almarcon1896]

All we can do is try. I'm guessing they're letting more water through and that's why there's more flow. I've paddle up there with no problem the last time I went to there.

[@backroadjournals]

Nice one! That waterfall is a really nice find! Who was first packing the chairs back up🙂? Thank You for taking us on another nice paddle 👍. All the best, Michelle and Holger 🙏

[@flynorthprod]

Haha. Great question! Actually, my son beat me at getting his chair back in the bag first, but I conveniently neglected to show that part. 😉 Thanks as always. ~ Daryl

[@caseyoingo6440]

You guys did better than I would have in a kayak lol, I hate them I can’t control one very well they scare me I went in that river at Secord Falls just waist deep and probably shouldn’t have I could feel it pulling us.

[@flynorthprod]

I'm not very good in those skinny sea-kayaks either. But the ones I have are wider and definitely more stable. I prefer them over canoeing now because of the ease of paddling and speed. I was at Secord last year - the river is quite narrow there so I can only imagine what the current was like. Glad you made it out okay. Thanks for watching.

[@iCanoe_]

Wow. That current was definitely working against you - but the surprise waterfall made for a worthy secondary destination. For a moment, I thought you were going to drag the canoes up the waterfall landing so you could kayak back down the waterfall... but you are probably saving that maneuver for the next video. :p Cheers!

[@flynorthprod]

Lol! I'm surprised I didn't accidentally slide down those falls, the way things have been going lately, it was a real possibility. I really enjoyed your Silver Peak video, hope to see some more coming from you soon. Cheers. ~ Daryl

[@iCanoe_]

@@flynorthprod sorry to hear that things haven’t been going your way lately. If that’s the case then it’s probably best to send the boy down the waterfall first. Glad to hear that you enjoyed the silver peak video. I’m heading out tomorrow for a south Algonquin 4 day trip. A video will most certainly follow. Cheers Daryl. T.

[@flynorthprod]

I like the way you think... Send the boy first! 😂 Good luck in Algonquin, weather is looking good.

[@WarrenTheReporter]

I've long wanted to try the Wahnapitae, but seeing this current makes me doubtful that I'll have much success with my inflatable kayak. I've got similar chairs, they still require a fair bit of effort to stretch the fabric but they're great to have, and I can put them together in seconds now!

[@flynorthprod]

Good to know about the chairs, we did struggle a bit with the fabric like you said. I think that river must really slow down later in the season, a couple of viewers said they were surprised at the current we experienced that day. Thanks for watching, Warren!

[@Sayitaint_So]

i would have liked to have been on this river in the late 1800's when the likes of JJ McFadden the lumber guy was building businesses with the likes of the McMartin and Timmins who were interested in finding mining claims while others like McVittie and Gordon and Stobie were thinknig of building power dams to supply the miners and the loggers. Been thinking about paddling it from about the old CNoR bridge near Timmins Creek to where you started. Downstream !!!! lol Strange that the 1850 Robinson treaty with the Atikameksheng Chiefs was unclear and somehow included territory from the Wahnapitae to the Whitefish but then was renegotiated when the railroaders were linking to the area in the 1880's. Still trying to piece that together but it certainly leads to Mongowin township where the Wallace Mine was discovered in the 1840's when there was no such thing and when Salter had not yet mapped the north shores of Lake Huron. Glad to see someone else into the history of this area. Carry on....

[@flynorthprod]

Yes, I highly recommend the downstream approach! 😁 I really enjoy the history elements you provide on my videos. Thanks for doing that, it's very appreciated. Take care.

[@trangvlog754]

Wahnapitae River like 584..

[@flynorthprod]

Thank you!

[@ecttreker9816]

What is the overall length of those kayaks? As you stated a skag will help with tracking straight, however, so does a longer kayak. Some of the shorter pond kayaks have a big time "wobble" from side to side with each paddle stroke.

[@flynorthprod]

Hi. The short one was a 10' and mine was a 12' I think you're right about the wobble in the short one being more pronounced. I probably should have changed kayaks with him. 😁