Rivière Saint-Jean Sud-Ouest / Southwest Branch Saint John River
Kayak spot · Canada
That date has passed, so this trip starts today.
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
85Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Thu 5: Wind 6 kn gusting 13, Air 16 °C
Tue 3 · 86 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 10kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 4.6 mm
Wed 4 · 89 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 16kn
- Air
- 17°C
- Rain
- 1.3 mm
Thu 5 · 92 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 13kn
- Air
- 16°C
- Rain
- 3.1 mm
Fri 6 · 86 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 19kn
- Air
- 14°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 68 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 16kn
- Air
- 4°C
- Rain
- 16.2 mm
Sun 8 · 75 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 5°C
- Rain
- 0.6 mm
Mon 9 · 72 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 13kn
- Air
- 4°C
- Rain
- 1.2 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Tue 386, good
- Wed 489, good
- Thu 592, good
- Fri 686, good
- Sat 768, good
- Sun 875, good
- Mon 972, good
- Tue 1073, good
- Wed 1157, fair
- Thu 1266, good
The spot in one fact
- Flat waterthe water
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3Nov | 86, good | 3 kn | 10kn | 11°C | 4.6 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 89, good | 6 kn | 16kn | 17°C | 1.3 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 92, good | 6 kn | 13kn | 16°C | 3.1 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 86, good | 3 kn | 19kn | 14°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 68, good | 7 kn | 16kn | 4°C | 16.2 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 75, good | 6 kn | 12kn | 5°C | 0.6 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 72, good | 6 kn | 13kn | 4°C | 1.2 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 73, good | 6 kn | 16kn | 7°C | 2.1 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 57, fair | 10 kn | 22kntoo gusty | 4°C | 0.3 mm |
| Thu 12Nov | 66, good | 8 kn | 23kn | 3°C | 0 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
No month stands out
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for grade III paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan5of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb4of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar4of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr5of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May7of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun7of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug7of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep7of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct6of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov5of 7: a trip from Wed 4 Nov
- Dec5of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical weather, not a forecast, and not the river's level: a month that is often good to be outside may still be low water.
Map
the spot and its town
Rivière Saint-Jean Sud-Ouest / Southwest Branch Saint John River on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Rivière Saint-Jean Sud-Ouest / Southwest Branch Saint John River
A launch on the Rivière Saint-Jean Sud-Ouest / Southwest Branch Saint John River. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. No paddling school, club or hire within 50 km on the map. The town to stay in is Lac-Etchemin.
- River Rivière Saint-Jean Sud-Ouest / Southwest Branch Saint John River
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire No paddling school, club or hire within 50 km on the map.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,110–US$2,030 each
about US$1,110–US$2,030 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to YQB, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | about US$174–US$356 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$134–US$228 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$315–US$523 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$309–US$577 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$181–US$342 |
| Total | about US$1,110–US$2,030 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Lac-Etchemin
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 1h by car · 9 places to stay
about US$121/nightcountry average
About Lac-Etchemin its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$121 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
Getting there: about 8h 10m
About 8h 10m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → YQB, direct, then 2h 10m by road
Flights ORD → YQB on your dates · AviasalesAdeSIM for your phone · Search on AiraloAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Lac-Etchemin · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Lac-Etchemin · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
No paddling school, club or hire mapped within 50 km.
Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.