The Global Paddling Community

Playspot: Canada, Ontario, Ottawa, Ottawa River, Remic Rapid, Dessert Wave.

What's it like

The Dessert Wave at Remics rapid is bitter sweet. It is the best playwave in the City of Ottawa but it doesn't have eddy access. The Center Wave playspot at the Champlain Bridge Rapids, until recently, was the best playspot at low water in the summer in the city. After the 'main course' of paddling at Champlain's Center Wave, or if the line-ups got too big, you would paddle down to surf the wave at Remics Rapid for dessert. Thus, the wave was given its name.

You will see the Dessert Wave coming as you approach it from above. The wave is big and glassy, with pile on the top. It is a slower moving wave. The higher the water level, the bigger the wave. It will hold 2 or 3 paddlers easily at higher water levels. At medium to high water you have one shot at catching the wave on the way down. If you miss it or get blown off you have to paddle to shore, walk up, and put-in again which can take up to 20 minutes.

At low water below 2.7 on the Britannia Gauge, the Dessert Wave can be reattained by paddling to the river left immediately after you come off of the wave. You will eventually beach yourself on a rockshelf. If the water is low enough you can get out of your boat and walk up to put back in above the wave. There is still water running over the shelf so beware of foot entrapment!

All of the photos above were taken at low water with the level at the Britannia gauge at 2.7. The Dessert Wave is great for any wave move... spins, blunts, backstabs, donkey flips / air screws, loops, etc. It's location and lack of eddy service means that it is not often that you will see paddlers there. It's best to head out with another paddler because a swim there could be really long. Moreover, it may be difficult to find so it's always good to paddle with someone that knows how to get there.

How to get there

Remics Rapid is about 500m downstream of the Champlain Bridge adjacent to the Tunney's Pasture government complex. The Dessert Wave is in the middle of the Ottawa River which is probably 300m to 400m wide in this area. There are 3 main access points to the Dessert Wave:

(1) From Ottawa take highway 417, exit at Parkdale Avenue, head north until you reach the Ottawa river Parkway, head west about 500m on the Parkway, and turn right at the Remic Rapid Lookout. Look to the middle of the river and you will see the wave. It's the biggest white foam pile out there. Put in above the rapid.

(2) You can also paddle downstream from the Champlain Bridge Rapids. As you are paddling downstream line up the Peace Tower of Parliment Hill and the train bridge closest to the Ontario shore and that will take you too approximately where the Dessert Wave is located.

(3) The prefered access to Remics Rapid is on the Quebec side of the river in Gatineau. Cross the Champlain bridge, turn right at Boulevard de Lucerne, turn right on Rue Begin and continue to it's end at Parc Brebeuf. Put in above the rapid.

Locals

There are too many to mention. If you have questions check out one of the local paddling shops like the Paddle Shack, Mountain Eqiupment Co-op, Trailhead, or Bushtukah.

Info source

Cory B

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