It’s the dog days of summer and you have a day off work. What better way to spend it than lazily floating down a river, dipping your fingers in the refreshing water while basking in the sun?
If this isn’t already on your quintessential Canadian summer activities list, you have some editing to do.
We took an impromptu road trip to Edmundston NB this summer. Never thought to stop in Edmundston on your way to Quebec before? To be honest, we hadn’t either, and we had been missing out.
Edmundston is a town in northern New Brunswick, the last stop before crossing into la Belle Province. It has a history steeped in the forestry industry and a seemingly endless cache of surprises.
Our first stop in Edmundston was just outside of town, near Pont Boniface, a classic covered bridge that spans the rivière Verte. Just past the bridge is a simple, little building and a sheltered picnic area. This is Chez Ron’s, home of some pretty tasty roadside grill fare, as well as les tubes de Pont Boniface.
Ron is the proprietor of both. He has a fleet of comfy donut-shaped tubes, sleek tubes that are a little more like inflatable sea kayaks with seat backs, and a tandem tube. We opted for two of the more aerodynamic tubes with paddles for a little more control, though we put the paddles away pretty early on and just enjoyed the ride.
Picture in your head a lazy river, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what the Green River looks like, crystal clear water lined on either side with trees. The river bends back and forth, sometimes narrow, sometimes wide, with the occasional island in the middle. On this particular day, we had blue sky accented with a fluffy cloud here and there, and plenty of sunshine. It was not long before we gave in to temptation and closed our eyes as we gently floated along.
Along the way, we spotted plenty of birds of a variety of species. It made us think that this would be a perfect way for birders to unwind. We were treated to a special experience, when a beautiful bald eagle with an impressive wingspan swooped along the river above us before roosting in a tree to watch our progress through its territory.
After two hours, we arrived back at Chez Ron for a mid-afternoon snack, very relaxed and all of us with big smiles on our faces. What a way to soak in the summer.
The tubes we rode in cost $14 to rent, but price varies depending on your tube. For kids 16 and under, rentals start at just $8.
Season: June – August
Website: https://www.facebook.com/RonsRiverTubing
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