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(contact me for more detailed information including the maps and aero-photo shots)

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Thanks to Continental Airlines, which failed to bring crutial pieces of our baggage to Newfoundland, only 10 people made it to the float plane base to start the trip. Five had to fly back home empty-handed ; we badly missed them on the river.
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First night on Medonnegonix lake was spent in the uninhibitant fishing camp.

We loaded boats on sunny Wed morning, crossed the lake and started down the river. Water level was lower than expected, but still runnable. Water temperature - about 20 celsium, much better than anticipated. Andrey and Katya flipped their boat in the first class2 rapid, but it was no problem and caused no delay.

We started to fish and caught first few trouts immediately.
After passing some easy rapids and a couple of small lakes, we got to the first technical R3+-R4 ( pix 21-27). The spot is easy to identify by a house-size rock on the left, half-way down the rapid. As proved to be the case with nearly all Bay du Nord rapids, there is almost no risk to miss the last take-out spot. After scouting, Mitya attempted to run the upper half, but flipped and had a short but unpleasant swim -- the better part of the rapid with a narrow chute between huge rocks was still ahead. Somehow he managed ashore by himself. I run a different line on upper section, did just fine, but realized that my line may be too difficult for bigger boats, so I suggested a partial lift-over. We carried a few boats, but then Roma found yet another line, so he and then Yura also run the first section - and had no problems. On the second section, which started with a narrrow chute between large rocks (too narrow for katamaran to pass), Mitya got his second (and the last one) flip. We realized that our hero "zavhoz" overloaded his kayak with food -:) Almost immediately after this rapid, we came to a series of small lakes, made a late lunch on a first one, then battered strong wind ( a serious problem for Raft Master kat) for a couple of hours. River resumed with a nice and easy class2 drop.
First river camp ( pix 30-32) was made on the rock along the left shore - right at the class 5 drop, unrunnable at this water level. This was probably the best campsite of all 3 (or 4 - counting the fishing camp) we had on the trip.

Next day started with a long class 2-3 creeking-style run: lots of slalom and some 2-4 feet drops. Andrey and Katya flipped in one of these drops, and this time it was a bit more difficult for Katya to get to safety. Then Roma got his boat pinned bertween two rocks, and it took some time and a lots of Mitya's help - to free it.
Then came a big class 5+ chute (pic 35). Estmated drop: 3 -3.5 meters over about 25 meter run. Class 5 or 6. Could be runnable in hard-shell or katamaran, but very dangerous. Initial drops are followed by right turn, with a current smashing against long left rock. Last straight drop has a side wave ("otboynik") from the right, so flip is very likely; it is critical not to be carried into the left rock below, and there is little time and space to maneuvre. Rescue is very complicated - line must be set across with one person ready to throw the bag from the left shore, and another - to pull from the right.
Portage over the ledge on the left, about 30 meters long. That's what we did.
After this drop, we had a few smaller rapids, one of them - a pretty R3 or 3+. Just above the rapid, Yura got flipped, and his kayak went through the rapid by itself. The boat washed ashore below - no problems, but Gene's fishing rod was gone. Rapid starts with an easy 2-feet drop (though Mitya run it on the extreme left, and made it a 4 feet drop, plus a big hole below, which swallowed his kayak whole - but he survived - pic 38), then continues for about 200 meters, while river makes a bend to the right... A few hundred meters below that spot, river dumps into yet another lake, "L"- shaped ( you start from the top) , very shallow, 3-4 kilometers long. Katamaran had to batter a strong wind once again.
After the lake, river starts over with a very dangerous class 4+ ( 6 ) rapid. The drop itself is about 2-3 meters and quite runnable, especially in high water ( though it could be run even in our water level) -- but below the ledge and a big swirling pool, current pushes strongly to the left shore, which is bow-shaped and has multiple undercuts (pix 42-43). The bow ends with a large rock extending across the current from the left shore (pic 44 - on top of Mitya's head), and it is an undercut too ( "siphon"). I would not advise to run this rapid in any conditions - it is OK if you make it without flipping the boat, but swim there is too dangerous. Reliable rescue is possible to set, but will take quite some time and effort. It's mandatory to use "live bait" rescue here - someone will have to jump from the left shore and grab the swimmer (who may not have enough time even to exit the boat before being swept into undercuts), then both have to be pulled from the right shore. Easy portage on the left, 100 meters.
We had our lunch there ( would be a good campsite too! but camping there could make remaining schedule a bit more demanding.)
Immediately after the rapid, there was a rock garden on a 300-meter sweeping right bend -- very broad, shallow, so it was a challange to find a good channel through all the rocks. It ends in a huge pool ( river turns sharply left there) - on top of a BIG waterfall.... which is really stunning: it is a cascade of 2 drops, total of about 20 meters high.... Portage trail is on the right side. Trail is relatively easy. Very relatively.

After the portage, there are more fun (read troubles) to come. Just a few hundred meters below the big falls comes a chute about 2-3 meters high, short but difficult. It would be runnable in hardshell, at least a bottom half, class 5. We portaged the chute, then run a class 3 rapid below (pix 54-56). Andrey and Katya got another flip, Katya was rescued by Mitya ( full service: fast rescue, taxi to the shore, plus some cognac while-on-a-ferry). Another few hundred meters - and another big drop, or rather a bundle of 2 or 3 drops ( very approximately: 8-10 meters total; pix 57, 59, 60). The last drop is near vertical in one spot (closer to the right shore), about 3.5 or 4 meters high (have no pic), it is an excellent class 5+ for hard-shell; however, clean approach to the drop may be a problem, especially if "approach" drops(s) are also attempted; drops are difficult too, and need to be run perfectly clean. We portaged on the right ( trail is hard there) to our second river campsite, but line-then portage option on the left could be an easier option.
A campsite there was OK, though we had problems finding flat spots for all tents -- place looks like a grassy lawn, but there are too many rocks and some wet spots.... pix 65, 67, 68
The night came in perfect weather with starry sky, but the rain started later, and by the morning it was a continious rain and somewhat cold...

Just below the camp we had a class 3 rapid, then - a few hundreds meters below - a good class 4 rapid (probably, the only one that was not a creeking type run, but rather straight, with noticable holes and waves - pic 69). Yura swam there, but managed to flip his kayak back - and climb in with kat's help.

A little below we came to yet another big drop.
River forks there. Left channel has a class 6 chute ( maybe 3 meters, but not quite runnable), the right channel is a series of smaller chutes, then a class 4+ or 5- rapid. We portaged on the right: IKs - all the way to the bottom, kat -- over first (small - but too narrow) chutes, then run the main rapid -- not exactly as we wanted, but close enough. Pix 70-72. We almost mistaken this rapid with a waterfall marked on the map ( as left channel IS a waterfall).
Actual waterfall was about 500 meters below. I do not remember how high it was, but - not runnable. At least, not at our water level. Pic 74. Portage again on the right, very difficult (pic 73), through the dense woods. We found a better way to carry the cat -- over the slippery rocks of the right shore.

Next we had a couple of nice class 2-3 rapids (pic 75), and then - continious very shallow rock garden: lining or scrambling through for next 5 km or so. River is wide there, it is possible to cross it knee-deep (or even ankle-deep) in many places.

After the shivera, we started looking for out last camp. Found a decent spot on the left shore. We camped earlier, at around 4 or 5 p.m. -- leaving about 9 or 10 kilometers for the last day. Rain never stopped, so by the morning we found our campsite swamped ( mildly speaking). We left camp at around 10:30. I expected about 3-4 hours run to the finish line. But there was a delay when 2-3 kilometers below our campsite we found one last rapid - 3 (maybe 2.5) meter drop -- at the same point there houses and people first appear...

Portage is short - 50 meters on the right. We run the class 4 ( or 5- ) drop in katamaran, pix 81-82, but it can be run even in IK. There is a good chance to flip, but rapid is not risky - there is nothing dangerous below. Running on the extreme right could be a real fun in hardshell --- drop is near vertical there ( about 3 meters ), it has a smooth and deep "gate" ( 1.5 meter wide) to start the jump -- but the line ends in a hole with both side currents coming to the same focal point (pic 80), so it could be a challange not to flip there.

Last 5-6 kilometers of the river and bay are quiet and pretty, water is deep and dark, shores look like fiords ( but wooded -- though a lot of rock is visible too).
River is very narrow in one sport... We slowly entered the bay, Pools Cove was very visible on the opposite side, but it took almost an hour of hard paddling to cross the bay. Water was getting salter and salter, and the end of our trip drew closer and closer.

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Conclusions:

Bay du Nord river should be run best in the early-mid June. It combines excellent white water with complete, true wilderness, river runners are not likely to meet other people there. It offers outstanding scenary and excellent fishing.
One can make the trip to Bay Du Nord 100+ km long or just 50-something km short. It can be made as an moderate class 3 river (with 9 or 10 portages) - or as a adrenalene-charged class 5+ adventure - or anything in between. My best guess is that some of the class 5 and 6 rapids there will be a "first descend".
Best yet - all types of river travellers, from fishermen to extreme kayakes can make the trip as one group.
Notable downsides of the Bay du Nord river are:
1) frequent bad weather
2) dependence on air transportation ( see #1)
3) short season - there is almost no chance for this river to be passable in July or August.