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This is my favourite route for an evening paddle, when I don't want to drive anywhere, and perhaps, catch a few fish. The fact that I live in Whitbourne makes it especially attractive. There are a bunch of options available for the paddler in this area.
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My preferred route is shown below:
This is about 6 kms, and takes about an hour. I like to start at the pump house on Main Road, which puts you on the end of the Hodge River before it dumps into Beothunes Pond and ends at the town council building on Junction Pond. This series of ponds is linked together by small rivers, which in my experience usually have enough water to paddle through without having to get out and drag your boat. There is also pretty decent fishing on these ponds, although you are most likely to catch ouananiche (land-locked salmon). They are a lot of fun on the rod, but not as good to eat as trout, in my opinion.
Starting on the Hodge River
Hodge River
Small wooden bridge over Main Road
Beothunes Pond
Two Islands on Beothunes Pond
Start of the river between Beothunes Pond and Hoopers Pond
Mouth of the river
On Hooper's Pond
Start of the river to Second Pond. This area is protected for nesting birds. You
can see a bird house on the right bank.
This river is the fastest of the small rivers, Class 0.5 :-)
Jumping the beaver dam on Second Pond
Second Pond
The narrows between Second Pond and Junction Pond
Sunset set on Junction Pond
Splashing beaver
Catching Ouananiche
If you are looking to camp in this area, there are very few places on the shoreline of these ponds to pitch a tent, however one beach does exist, with enough room for two small tents, as seen below. It's only 2.75 kms from the town council building on Junction Pond, which makes it a great place to sneak away from it all for a night.
Camping on Second Pond.
Another option is to leave from the pump house, and paddle down to Markland, ending at the bridge over the Hodge River. It's a little bit longer, and requires a longer car shuttle, but you get to hit a couple more short river runs.
These paddles can be combined with other trips as well. You can start on the Hodge River near Ocean Pond then do one of the two options I have listed above. Or continue on the Hodge River, link into the Rocky River and paddle on to Colinet. This is an addition 20+ kms of river paddling.