Paddling NB

Description

Note: Weather conditions and water levels can drastically vary the speed and difficulty of your trip. Please plan accordingly.

The water level for this trip was 17.9 metres at the Durham Bridge Guage.

My son and I started our adventure at the Marysville Heritage Centre. We left a car and then had Vicki drive us up river to drop us off. Our plan was to paddle back to the car in Marysville but we didn't know where we were putting in. Vicki was planning to stay in Fredericton for the day in case we didn't make it back to the car.

We took the highway and exited at Durham Bridge. We had put in at the Taymouth Church before while tubing so thought this might be a good option. Especially since we were being dropped off and not leaving a vehicle. When we got there we found a funeral happening at the church. Time for a plan B. The boat launch at Nashwaak Bridge was the next access point but it would add 5 more kilometres to an already 30 kilometre trip.

We crossed the cement bridge and pulled into the Taymouth Community Center to re-eveluate. A van pulled in beside us and a woman asked us if we were looking for a place to access the river. We said yes and she offered to let us use her farm in Pleasant Valley. We followed her and when we got to her farm she pointed us to the road that would take us to the river. If you are the lady who provided us with the acces then thank you!

While we put our boats in the water, we watched a deer cross the river above us. This was a good omen for the trip. We sent Vicki on her way and we were off. The current was steady and pulled us along. We went behind a small island and the rapids picked up to add some excitement. We were already seeing eagles fly overhead. The water was low and we scraped bottom a bit but it was enough to keep us moving.

We passed by the bridge in Taymouth and the Taymouth Church. We passed by mergansers and common goldeneye chicks. We came close to route 148 where Nashwaak Tube Rentals used to drop us off for a shorter run. There were people climbing down over the hill with their own tubes to get in the water. There were some young people fishing on gravel shore on our left. It was a beautiful day to be on the river.

At Dunbar Stream we started to follow along the road. We reached some islands and assessed which route would give us the most water. We stayed right and picked our way through the shallow, gravel bars. We soon passed under Durham Bridge. We rounded the next turn and came to a fish dam across the river. There was a mowed portage trail around the dam on river right. As we prepped our boats for carry we watched as the salmon splashed through the counter gate and up against the dam. It was fascinating to watch.

We continued on our way and soon came to another island. We decided once again to stay right. On Google Maps, the left channel looked like it turned into shallow gravel bars at the end. We passed by the golf course and for the next few islands we stayed left. It was more wild to the left because it was farther from the road. When we approached Penniac Island we evaluated if we would be able to get through the wilder channel to the left. We decided against it because it was getting late and we would have to back track if it didn't work out. We would have to save that one for another day.

We had to get out and walk a bit here because the channels split around several islands. As we paddled through the islands we noticed a large bald eagle sitting on a stump next to the river. The channel was narrow here so we were getting very close. He watched us pass but didn't move. I a guessing he had something of interest close by. It was probably the closest I have ever been to an eagle and it was definitely the closet that Isaac has been to an eagle.

We were now paddling into my past. Penniac Island and the farm below it were owned by my grandfather when I was growing up. We used to swim in the river, help hay the island, and skate in the back channel. So many memories rushed back to me as we passed by the old farmhouse. A feeling of nostalgia washed over me as we passed the old swimming hole. When I was 5, my mother had to come and save me when I got out too deep on a tube and was scared to jump off. I remembered all the summer days that we hung out with our cousins and explored the endless corners of the barn. It was a mixed feeling of joy for having had the experiences, and sadness that it was now so far in my past.

The river changes after this point. It became a bit narrower and the current picked up. It allowed us to just float along in the fading light. We watched a doe and two fawns frolic on the shore. We stayed right when a gaggle of geese on the left honked at us as we approached. We passed the old bridge site in Penniac and noticed that it had been made into a boat launch. We said hi to the men who were fishing off the base of the old abutment. We used to swing on a rope under that bridge. We floated by the small man-made islands that were used to dam water for use in the cotton mill in Marysville.

The sun was setting when we turned a corner and could see the Marysville Bridge. The most exiciting part of the trip was yet to come. We passed by a cement structure that used to be part of a dam that crossed the river. Here the rapids became stronger. There is remnant cement under the water from the old dam site. This makes the rapids random and hard to read. At one point I got caught up on a small shelf that flowed into a small waterfall. I could have gotten out and walked in the knee deep water but I was concerned about my camera equipment getting wet if the boat turned over. I protected my equipment as best I could and schooched down off the shelf.

It was exciting and challenging but that just meant we had to pay attention to where we were going. There were two other sets of rapids below the old dam site and another one just below the bridge. We did a lot of scraping. It would have been a lot more fun if there was more water.

Just past the brige we pulled into the boat launch behind the Marysville Heritage Centre. The sun dipped below the horizon as we unloaded the boats. The sky was turning from orange to deep purple. By the time we loaded the boats on the car it was getting dark enough to require our headlamp. We ended our adventure without a moment to spare!

Directions

Access to the Nashwaak River is limited. As mentioned in the description there is an access point next to the church in Taymouth but it can only be used if nothing is going on at the church and you are getting dropped off. There is a boat launch just below the bridge in Nashwaak Bridge that is on private ground but well used by locals. There is also a private, gravel road above where Killarney Road meets Canada Street (route 148), that locals use to access the river. None are ideal places to leave a vehicle so its best to get dropped off.

To access the boat launch at Nashwaak Bridge, take route 8 north from Marysville. At 32 kilometres take the exit to Nashwaak Bridge. Drive down the hill a short distance on route 107 and you will come to a junction. Continue straight at the junction and you will soon cross a bridge. Just past the bridge, take the gravel road on the left. This is a short road to the boat launch.

Other Routes nearby

• Kaine Creek
• Barkers Island
• Fredericton South Riverfront

Route last paddled: June 30, 2025.

Page Last Updated: February 15, 2026.