The Puntledge River is ideal for tubing at the present time

By Keith and Heather Nicol

A group of tubers coming down "Tubers Trail"

    Well it is that time of year again. With a forecast of 2 weeks of warm weather ahead it is certainly a perfect opportunity to dig out that tube and head down the Puntledge River in Courtenay, B.C. What an ideal way to cool off and have lots of fun at the same time. Water levels are very good right now for tubing...you can slip over most rocks with ease if you can get in the right channel. We tried our first tubing of the season on Thursday, July 6 and we were joined by people of all ages and stages on the river. Most people start at the fish hatchery on Powerhouse Road.  Park near the fish hatchery access road and walk around or past the gate. Part way down you will see a sign pointing to “Tubers Trail” and take that to the put in. This trail is abit steep and slippery in places and there is a rope to help you down the last section.  Good footwear really helps on this section and we tend you use kayak booties since they give reasonable grip and are great for protecting your feet once you are in the river. We also use a kayak paddle to help steer and manoeuvre but most people don’t use one.We also have found that putting a life jacket over the mesh on the bottom of the tube keeps your bum and lower back from hitting too many rocks. If you are using a truck inner tube keep your “bum up” when you go over rapids to avoid hitting “bottom” in the shallow sections. 

Heather paddling through the rapids

The section from Powerhouse Road to Puntledge Park is abit faster and rockier than the lower section from Puntledge Park to either the Condensory Bridge or Lewis Park. First timers or those with younger children may want to do just the lower section starting from Puntledge Park and we suggest a pull out just below the Condensory Bridge since the last part can be slow, especially if there is a high tide. For newcomers to the Comox Valley,  Puntledge Park is at the intersection of 1^st and Urquhart Avenue and the Condensory Bridge is off of Anderton Avenue. Since the river is dam controlled water levels can change from day to day so be aware of warnings posted along the river. Tubing is an institution in the Comox Valley and it is the ideal way to spend a couple of hours on a warm day. 

Heather on a quiet section just above the Condensory Bridge