Mispec River (Saint John)
The Mispec river runs into the Bay of Fundy near Saint John. This is a gem of a river that was just first run in the spring of 2004.
At the put in bridge the river meanders through about 30-45 minutes of swift moving flat water and alder bushes until the real fun starts. The first rapid (Time warp) goes around a mid stream island. The first few rapid on the Mispec are all warm ups (Class 3) for what is to come.
After a few warm up rapids your see a horizon line that you might want to take a look at on river left. You can usually sneak around on river left or try the hole in center or slightly right of center (Class 3+). The next few rapids lead to the most interesting series of drops on the river. The river narrows up significantly here. The first chute feeds into a pool with a couple more ledges before the most technical drop of the river. Take out on river right to scout this. The drop consists of a pourover that is undercut on the left side with the pourover feeding back into the hole on the undercut side (gross). At low water this can be boofed. At higher water, this has to be skirted on the right with a little right angle with the boat to keep you from falling off into the pourover. This is what they call the Pot Hole I think. This drop is often portaged!
Below this is a 100 foot pool before the next two tiered drop which can have some good sized looking holes on either tier. This has been run right and center but should be scouted as it could have some consequences.
There are a series of smaller rapids now until you come to a 90 degree left followed by a 90 degree right. Immediately following the right is a nice rapid followed with a river wide drop that can be run far right or in the middle with a little intimidating but easy ferry, ride the wave, move made at the top. Easier than it sounds!
Next drop is a very narrow chute at low water. At high water you can ride the rocks on the left and miss the narrow chute. You can recognize this drop by a snowmobile bridge crossing the river directly above this drop. At low water the chute is about 4 feet wide with some of the water pushing you into the right rock wall especially in a playboat). The bottom of the chute is a sticky hole too. This is one drop that is often walked.
The next horizon line should be lined up by starting left of center working right. About halfway through the rapid, in the center of the river is a significant hole to avoid. After this you want to get far right.
Next we have a 90 degree left turn which leads to the longest (and last) rapid of the river. This rapid is an eddy jumping rapid with some big waves and maybe a hole or two. It is a pile of fun! Rocks become and issue at the end of this rapid as the water seems to crash into a few rocks which are hard to avoid.
I think probably Harold and Adam found this gem in 2004. All drops on this river are doable but a few are often portaged.