St. John River

St. John River: A well-kept secret

By Cathy MacKelvey

On any weekday morning there are more eagles and ospreys than people. In a narrow channel called the Hole in the Wall that applies any day that's not in duck hunting season! The St. John River is a well-kept secret. Scorching hot in summer. Cooling fog from the Bay of Fundy stops at Evandale. Upriver tends to be hot and sunny with occasional rainy days. It's not unusual to see some impressive American eye candy. My favorite this year was a yard-maintained Hinkley 55 out of Boston. Recently, there has been commercial traffic on the river so the channels are well marked. There are old concrete paddleboat wharves all along the river that make terrific public access points for launching small boats. They are well marked on the charts. There are cable ferries at Quispamsis, Grand Bay, Bellisle, Evandale and Gagetown requiring some care in crossing their cable.

Meeting the river in a ladder formation are four large navigable bodies of water - Kennebecasis River, Bellisle Bay, Washedemoak Lake and Grand Lake - with open water and good breezes for an afternoon sail. For kayaking I prefer the main river with its seemingly endless number of creeks to explore.

You can walk on a sandy beach, Grimross or Ox Island, enjoy an afternoon sail, kayak in one of the many creeks while also having access to some of civilization's amenities. Have a meal in a pub, on the wharf in Evandale or Gagetown. Buy an ice cream cone at Ducey's up from Wickham Wharf, at a farmers' market, including Jemseg on Saturdays, Gagetown on Sundays. Visit an interesting village such as Gagetown or take a pleasant walk down a country road or paddle up a creek may lead to the vineyard at Motts Landing, German sausages at Elke's BBQ up from Colwells Wharf),the ruins of historic Mount House in Mount Creek.

And that's just in the summer. Come fall there are fewer people still on the river The nights are cool for sleeping well and the winds steady. And, of course, there are the fall colours.

Coming from Saint John direction, Purdy's and then Whepley's Coves are popular. From there, turning into the Bellisle, there is Kingston Creek also known as The Bedroom and Jenkins Cove. But keep an eye open for floatplanes.

The Hole in the Wall in Lower Musquash Island is one of my favorite anchorages and one of my favorite spots to kayak. As the creek opens into a large lake the only signs of civilization are a few farms in the distance. Late in the year when the grass is high and the water low, it can be difficult to find the creek to exit the lake. If you go be careful to note where the creek is as you enter.

Big Cove is a popular anchorage in Washedemoak Lake. Across the lake is Motts Landing Vineyard. They have a mooring and some very good wine.

Tuck yourself in between between Ox and Gilbert Island. This is a popular destination for boats coming from Oromocto or Fredericton for the weekend. The upriver ends of these islands have sandy beaches. Casey's restaurant on the opposite side of Gilbert Island is popular, particularly for breakfast. As you go up river from Ox and Gilbert the river narrows and the current is more apparent.

Head to our articles section for more information on boating activities!