The Global Paddling Community

What's it like

This is a wave/hole that has turned more into a wave over the past year because of flooding.

At lower levels (4-5 on the internet guage) it is a great spot with excellent eddy service. Blunt right and left, but going surfter's right can get a bit shallow. The entire thing kicks back to surfer's right into a very shallow hole section.

A lot has changed over the 2005/2006 winter so locals are figuring it out all over again....

At higher flows, the rock that forms the eddy turns into a super nasty hole that you just don't want to get anywhere near! But, the waves right behind it can be nice.

And, at really high water (6.5+ on the internet) two fantastic waves form just upstream on river-right. You have to carry back up for these waves, but they are worth it. One gives up good loops and kicks to the left. The other is smaller, but kicks right and has a beautifully shaped curl on surfer's left for some really classic, slow, spud boat blunts and spins.

Route description

30 minutes north of Danbury, CT on route 7. Just north of Gaylordsville pull into the power plant parking lot and paddle upstream to the spot.

More info

Internet gauge (USGS) should be 4 or higher before you decide to go. I does run lower, sometimes, but is unpredictable below 4.

Locals

Everyone there is pretty friendly because it's such a small community of boaters. New faces are always welcomed. The power plant has given boaters special permission by designating the power plant parking lot a boating access point. Some new police officers don't know this and try to enforce the posted "no trespassing" signs, but often back off once they are reminded that we have permission to be there. An occasional fisherman can be seen at the parking lot and sometimes they get a bit grouchy, but they are the ones actually trespassing so cannot complain at all. There are several other fishing access points along the river.

Info source

Scott Barnes
http://www.artandwater.blogspot.com
http://www.totalwhitewaterfun.blogspot.com
http://www.clarkeoutdoors.blogspot.com

Nearest weather station (°C):