West River, Sheet Harbour

[Dave Greene]

I had to go back and find out.  West river was calling my name. I had a leisurely morning at home packing home and didn't get to the put in at Beaver Dam Rd., until 1pm. 4 hours later, I found myself about 4km downstream at a beautiful camp site close to Tent Brook. This first section of river had a couple of strainers and 1 log jam.  However everything was run.  The chutes and ledges were fairly straightforward class 2/2+, full of rock and super technical. 

There are suitable campsites on RR and RL running into Lower Basin Pond depending on water levels. One could also camp here if they had come down the Killag. Which is a major tributary just downstream from Lower Branch Pond. 

From the Killag confluence down the river is a swift/ Class 1 rock dodging heaven.  The salmon association has been through much of this section restoring the river to pre logging days, adding berms, channels and artificial eddies etc.  The Lime dosers further up stream also seem to be doing their jobs, if you catch my drift... The Lime dosers also have water gauges in them.  The information is not readily available to the public but the Salmon Association was pretty eager to help me out.  I ran the West this weekend at 45cm. You wouldn't want much less then that. 

Info:  I spent about 8 hours paddling total.  Travelled 18km total. Class 2+ max.  You'd want some experience reading and running water. I hitchhiked back to my truck at the end but a bicycle (11km) would do the trick as well.