I’ve always had a healthy respect for the Puntledge River, which translates in staying out of it as the water in much of the river capable of sweeping you away, but on this hot summer day with low water flows, I figured it was safe to take a dip at Stotan Falls.
I stayed upstream of the Comox Lake Logging Road bridge, which is upstream of Stotan Falls – partly because that’s where the rock bed of the Puntledge has been eroded into some marvelous pot holes, and also because the falls are not a place to play around.
A bit further downstream from the falls, maybe, but the Puntledge divides into two channels, one that always moves fast, and the other that’s more suitable for getting you ankles wet and searching for fossils.
The other thing about the Puntledge is that the water flow can increase rapidly if BC Hydro increases the water output water from the Comox Lake, dam, or suddenly shuts down the Puntledge Generating Station.
Anyhow – I carefully enjoyed the river, and had some fun with one of my underwater cameras.
