Questions tagged [rivers]

Questions referencing Rivers, this may also include springs, streams, tributaries and river mouths.

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21 votes
5 answers
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How can I find the safest place to cross a frozen river from a map?

Where is the better chance the ice on the frozen river in winter will be thicker and safer to cross? I expect the river width oscillates between the following conditions: on a shallow, wider, slower ...
HoursFrom.World's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
382 views

How long does it take to sail up the Mississippi?

The head of navigation of the Mississippi River depends on the type of craft and on the source you look at. For large oceangoing ships, it seems to be Baton Rouge, but otherwise, seems to be the Coon ...
rwallace's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
137 views

Why would a glacier-fed river have its peak flow levels at mid morning?

How would the Hoh river, glacier fed, have peak flow at about 9am? The meter is about 20 nautical miles from the source, and Google suggests it's about 40 river miles. It should only take 10 hours ...
CHris Rohde's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
160 views

Is the head of navigation same for sailing and motorboats?

Rivers are often described as having a 'head of navigation', the furthest upstream point you can reach in a ship coming from the sea. Does this equally apply, regardless of propulsion method? In ...
rwallace's user avatar
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6 votes
5 answers
565 views

Can you notice a waterfall in time to get off the river?

If you are going downstream by canoe or raft on an unfamiliar river, and there is a waterfall ahead, are you likely to be able to detect the sound and the cloud of spray sufficiently far in advance to ...
rwallace's user avatar
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26 votes
5 answers
6k views

Is it significantly faster to hike along a river bank?

Hiking through old-growth forest with no trail, is a lot slower than hiking on a trail. The actual speed seems to vary greatly depending on the particular forest, with estimates ranging from perhaps 1 ...
rwallace's user avatar
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17 votes
5 answers
6k views

Figuring out from a map which direction is downstream for a river?

If you pull up a river on Google maps it's not clear what's downstream from what. Like the Colorado River... Hoover Dam is downstream of the Grand Canyon, which is downstream of Lee's Ferry, which is ...
neubert's user avatar
  • 715
1 vote
1 answer
168 views

tips for wading in knee deep water where water moccasins could roam

Lately I've taken up a new hobby: taking pictures of train trestle bridges. There's one that goes over the San Gabriel river in Texas that I can get within half a mile of but any further than that ...
neubert's user avatar
  • 715
2 votes
5 answers
13k views

How dangerous is it to swim in the Amazon river?

I have a long term dream of visiting the Amazon rainforest. I have been trying to determine how dangerous it is to swim in the Amazon river. I realise it is a large river, with various side channels - ...
Martin C.'s user avatar
  • 131
3 votes
1 answer
161 views

How long would it take to canoe the entire length of the Belize River upstream in July?

Hopefully someone has made this trip so I can craft a realistic scenario for a novel I’m writing. Assuming you had a crew of one experienced paddler and two inexperienced paddlers, about how long ...
Ryan Williamson's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
95 views

How long to travel the Mopan River by canoe between San Ignacio and Melchor de Mencos?

I’m researching river travel for a novel and need to figure out about how long it would take a canoe to go from San Ignacio to Melchor de Mencos via the Mopan River. This would be upstream travel, so ...
Ryan Williamson's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
90 views

How do you determine where to cast when fly fishing bigger, mostly featureless rivers?

Smaller streams are easy to tell where to cast when fly fishing given fish's tendency to hang out in pools or hole or undercut banks. It easy to decide where you need to cast and approximately where ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Name of this Forked Fin Fish with Teeth Caught in Miami River, Florida, USA

What type of fish is this? I caught this fish in the Miami River in Southern Florida, USA. This river is brackish I believe, so I am not sure whether it is saltwater or freshwater. It is brown, green,...
NULL's user avatar
  • 721
6 votes
3 answers
2k views

Flat bottom boat trolling motor power

I am wondering how to estimate the needed motor power for boating upstream on big rivers like, for example, Danube. (mean the bottom to middle part, i.e. where the Danube is wide and "slow"?). To be ...
clt60's user avatar
  • 163
11 votes
2 answers
712 views

How do you protect yourself against crocodiles when you have no option but to camp on the banks of a croc-infested river?

I am reading Escape Routes by David Roberts. This is a collection of 20 articles ranging from a winter ascent in Iceland to the first descent of a river in Ethiopia, the Tekeze, a major tributary of ...
ab2's user avatar
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33 votes
4 answers
7k views

In the US is it legal to travel on any river/creek my canoe will navigate?

I have always assumed that if my Canoe will float, and the waterway ultimately reaches an ocean it is legal to travel on. I looked around for documents that said it clearly one way or the other. ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
695 views

Small Islands in Androscoggin river, Berlin NH

We were recently driving through Berlin Hew Hampshire, and saw these small islands in the river for several miles. There was not a good place to stop and take a picture of them, but they show clearly ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
529 views

Can you sit on the comfy trike saddle while the canoe is in the water?

My answer to How to carry a bicycle in a canoe? includes the image below. The following question was asked in a comment, and to give it a decent answer, I am posting it as a new question. ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
129 views

What causes the current in the interior lagoons of Presque Isle State Park PA?

There is canoe trail, in the interior lagoons of Presque Isle State Park PA. No gas engines are allowed, travel is bidirectional, like a bike path most travelers make a two way trip on the same path. ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
24 votes
3 answers
4k views

Can horses ford deeper/faster rivers than humans?

Is it safe to follow a equestrian trail and assume I can ford where the horse-trail does? Or should I expect equestrians to ford rivers too deep or swift to ford on foot? I'm thinking of the ...
gerrit's user avatar
  • 27.1k
5 votes
0 answers
119 views

What's the best way to use bucktail jigs to catch Butterfly Peacock bass?

I would like to fish for Butterfly Peacock bass with some bucktail jigs, but I haven't been able to find information on the best way to rig my line to have a successful setup. I live in Florida and ...
NULL's user avatar
  • 721
4 votes
2 answers
241 views

What is this 40 cm long greenish and golden shining fish with brown fins?

I caught this fish yesterday in St. John river in Canada. My father and I don't know what it is. Fish like this have been caught recently (this Summer). Apparently, the fish was caught using worms.
cnm2c's user avatar
  • 41
10 votes
2 answers
368 views

Does fordable by 4WD imply fordable on foot?

I am investigating the feasibility of a hike looping around Hofsjökull. Among the foreseen challenges are 17 crossings of named rivers (and many smaller ones). All rivers I need to cross have 4WD ...
gerrit's user avatar
  • 27.1k
7 votes
1 answer
241 views

Strange river level changes (similar to tides) near the "Lech Fall"

The "Lech Fall" in Austria is a huge waterfall with a small peninsula on its inflow. This picture gives a nice overview: From Wikimedia I was standing on that peninsula and experienced extremely ...
OddDeer's user avatar
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11 votes
5 answers
5k views

What are the risks of stream crossing with bare feet?

Sometimes while backpacking you have to cross streams, and from a weight point of view, it would be nicer to just cross in your bare feet, instead of bringing an extra pair of shoes along. These ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is this floating raft-like object in the waters of a reservoir in Massachusetts?

My husband frequently walks at the Wachusett Reservoir, which spans a few towns in central Massachusetts. This past Sunday he was on his usual path, and saw something floating in the water which he ...
Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL's user avatar
10 votes
3 answers
2k views

How can one know where to throw one's spear when spearfishing?

Spearfishing has been around ages and everyone has heard of how great the Native Indians were at spearfishing. As we all know, light is refracted (bent) when it enters water. The key to spearing fish ...
Ken Graham's user avatar
  • 9,589
11 votes
3 answers
446 views

How to cross rivers or streams at night or in darkness?

I am preparing a dayhike with some buddies of mine but to get to the trailhead, we have to cross more than ten river crossings which are passable by huge vehicles. The water there is quite fast and ...
user19652's user avatar
  • 1,511
5 votes
3 answers
4k views

How can I use horsetail as a "indicator plant" to find gold while gold pannig?

How can I use horsetail as a indicator plant to find gold while gold pannig? What are Indicator Plants? Indicator plants are peculiar to a certain place. Though they aren’t necessarily rare, ...
Ken Graham's user avatar
  • 9,589
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

What is an ice circle, and how does it form?

I've seen ice do a lot of strange things, but I've never seen it do this before: Ice Circle spinning on Middle Fork Snoqualmie River (Vimeo). What causes ice circles to form?
ShemSeger's user avatar
  • 53.4k
8 votes
1 answer
186 views

Long term autonomous winter expedition northern Quebec/Labrador: Advices/questions

I'm pondering a longer-term hike in Northern Quebec/Labrador. Autonomous style, sky or snowshoe (TBD) with a sled etc. Right now, considering going Fermont, going south to Sept-Iles (possibly ...
Francky_V's user avatar
  • 510
13 votes
4 answers
4k views

Why do some people stand inside the river fishing?

Why do some people stand in the water to fish and not just stand on the bank of the river? They get wet this way.
Ronen Festinger's user avatar
17 votes
3 answers
714 views

How can I take my dog kayaking?

I wonder if there are any dog crazy people like me out there who have ever tried to take their dogs kayaking or floating down the river. Has anyone seen anything created for dog-friendly kayak ...
Sasha Nicole's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
429 views

Can I expect a mountain stream to have less water in the morning, even when it is not primarily fed by meltwater?

In late September 2015, I hiked part of the trail in the incredibly beautiful Lónsöræfi in southwestern Iceland, near Vatnajökull. The easternmost segment of the trail requires fording Hnappadalsá (...
gerrit's user avatar
  • 27.1k
11 votes
3 answers
894 views

How do hikers cross fast-flowing rivers without wading staffs?

Outdoor instructions in Lapland often recommend to always use a wading staff for river crossings, and not a trekking pole. Ever since I purchased my Folding Wading Staff in a Swedish outdoor store, I ...
gerrit's user avatar
  • 27.1k
10 votes
1 answer
556 views

Are there any possible telltale signs along a water's edge that it would be a good spot for gold panning?

A friend and myself would like to do some gold panning this summer for the first time. We both live in southern British Columbia and have the intention of going into some known gold producing areas. ...
Ken Graham's user avatar
  • 9,589
10 votes
2 answers
7k views

Bald eagle vs. vultures?

I witnessed a bizarre scene on the James River in Richmond, VA, USA (1000 yards west of Mayo Bridge if you want to examine Google Maps). It was on a large rock in the middle of the river, where nearly ...
priorww1's user avatar
  • 291
18 votes
10 answers
9k views

What is the best type of shoe to wear for crossing deep rivers?

I'm heading up for some walking to Scotland soon. I will need to cross multiple rivers. I have no interest in crossing wearing my walking boots as so many people like to do as wet feet are the worst ...
Undistraction's user avatar
12 votes
6 answers
4k views

Can I use a blue plastic tarp to float my vehicle across water?

For those unaware, the US army has been using canvas tarps to float jeeps across water for decades. Video http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675028751_US-4th-Engineers-troops-with-Bantam-...
James Jenkins's user avatar
21 votes
4 answers
16k views

Can a human survive in Saltstraumen or other whirlpool?

I am fascinated and afraid (at the same time) of whirlpools and water currents. I wonder if a average human could survive water currents or whirlpools or maybe even the Saltstraumen?
DeathToxic's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
4k views

In kayaking how would you escape an underwater whirlpool current if you were trapped in one?

In kayaking I've heard a term called the 'washing machine'. Apparently as a river is flowing over terrain it can create whirlpools and currents that swirl in all manner. Occasionally a condition can ...
Citizen's user avatar
  • 873
5 votes
1 answer
341 views

Terminology and cues for reading river water when fly fishing

When reading or watching videos on about reading water for fishing in English, I often come across terms like riffle, run, pool, seam, among others. However, when I get o the river ready to float that ...
Kenji's user avatar
  • 1,934
3 votes
1 answer
408 views

Creek discovery. Two structures at opposing ends of the bank. What are they?

I found these structures in a fairly inaccessible area of the creek. The oven like construction is made of bricks (which can be found around in the creek bed itself due to runoff) and mud for the seal ...
Isopycnal Oscillation's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
279 views

How many bike paths parallel the Ohio River?

I have a bike and canoe combination that I have been using to explore rivers in my area that have public access between the river and the bike path. I tow the canoe up the bike path and paddle back ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
292 views

What is the longest stretch of bike trail that parallels a navigable river in the US?

I have begun adventuring where I drive to a boat launch on a river near a bike trail, put the canoe on a trailer, and tow the canoe up the trail with the bike. At another boat launch I put the canoe ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
18 votes
4 answers
4k views

Sleeping in an inflatable boat

I am going to make a trip on a river in an inflatable rowing boat. The trip is going to be two days long: one day down the river and the next day - back. The question is how I should spend night. I ...
olegst's user avatar
  • 313
3 votes
0 answers
48 views

Sleeping in an inflatable boat [duplicate]

I am going to make a trip on a river in an inflatable rowing boat. The trip is going to be two days long: one day down the river and the next day - back. The question is how I should spend night. I ...
olegst's user avatar
  • 313
12 votes
2 answers
3k views

Advice on wild swimming in Ontario, Canada

I am pretty much a newbie when it comes to wild swimming, or swimming in rivers and lakes having only went once or twice. However, I'm an avid swimmer and have participated in several swimming ...
mding5692's user avatar
  • 223
18 votes
3 answers
3k views

How do you survive getting towed under a log jam?

When I was a boy, my father and I were unexpectedly swept into a log jam (pile of logs the size of a house) on the banks of the Elk River while canoeing near our home. Somewhat similar looking jam, ...
ShemSeger's user avatar
  • 53.4k
11 votes
5 answers
2k views

River crossing in winter?

So we were out looking for some new ice to climb today and discovered this short pitch of ice: There's only one problem: The ice is on the wrong side of a rather wide creek. The nearest crossings ...
ShemSeger's user avatar
  • 53.4k