Jim O’Brien Memorial Paddle - April 23, 2023

Paul running the Gorge Drop

In 2010, well-known local paddler Jim O'Brien died in a tragic boating accident on Hubbard Brook. Other than Gordon McKinney, the RICKA paddler who died on Esopus Creek in 1992, this is the only death of a local whitewater paddler that I am aware of in my time paddling. Each year, Jim's friends organize a memorial paddle for him on his home river – the Westfield in western MA. It’s a nice section of the river – Knightville Dam to Huntington, its dam-controlled so there is always water, and there is always a HUGE crowd. It is the bumper-boats of whitewater paddling, and I always make it if I can.

The Westfield River arises in the Berkshires and flows generally southeast for 78 miles to its confluence with the Connecticut River in Agawam. The river has lots of great whitewater paddling on three branches that join in Huntington to form the main stem - the North Branch (sometimes called the East Branch) that includes Pork Barrel, the Middle Branch, and the West Branch that includes Knightville. Several sections of the river have received national Wild & Scenic River designation.

Running the Gorge Drop

This was also the weekend of the Westfield River Wildwater Race, so we knew there would be a big crowd on the river. The race started in the morning, so I dropped off Paul and the boats at the dam at around 10:00 and headed back to the gazebo to meet the rest of the group for the shuttle. I was back at the dam at 12:00 for the group picture. The river was at 4.75 feet, 1,000 cfs – a typical dam release level. The run is mostly class II rock dodging until you get to the Gorge in the Gardner State Park.

The Gorge Drop is the main feature on this section of the river. It is a 3-foot ledge to the right of a large jumble of rocks. The easiest line is just to the right of the rocks. From there you can either catch the eddy behind the rocks, or ride the haystack waves downstream. I usually try to catch the eddy so I can climb up on the rocks and get some pictures of other folks coming through.  

In the eddy below the rocks

As I came over the crest this time I noticed three kayakers sitting in the eddy below waiting to surf the wave at the bottom of the shoot. My line was set, so in I went. I bumped into two of them and pushed one out the other side. Open boaters call that eddy clearing, and I did a pretty good job. They were OK with it, and I quickly got out of their way to take some pictures. 

From the Gorge Drop down to the take-out is quickwater and more class II rock-dodging. We usually stop at the Hill and Dale rapid on the way home to catch the carnage from the downriver race, but with the earlier start time, we missed it this year. Fun day, great community - just wish the get together was for a different reason.

Group picture at the put-in

Links:
My Pictures
Knightville Gage
River Description from American Whitewater
Westfield River Watershed Association