North Sea
Rapid 7 reads as a tidy S-turn at low water — but let the river rise and its lower half erupts into the North Sea: a boulder-strewn Toreva-block maelstrom of waves that break back upstream and stack into walls of muddy water. Flip here when it is big and your boat may not stop until North Wash, with or without you. Sneak the breakers on the left, or charge the middle and find out why they named a rapid after an ocean. (The guidebook uses “North Sea,” singular, for this specific feature — not the larger composite.)
Also known as: North Sea, The North Sea, Lower Rapid 7, Toreva Block rapid
North Sea is the lower section of Rapid 7 in Cataract Canyon — the part of the rapid that rolls out through the Toreva Block boulder field below the main drop. Webb/Belnap/Weisheit identify 'North Sea' (singular) as this specific feature, not a composite of the upper rapids as commercial guide usage sometimes suggests. The irregular, choppy waves through the Toreva blocks give the feature its nautical nickname.
Difficulty
Class III+ at most flows. The Toreva Block boulder field creates irregular lateral currents and off-camber waves. Read-and-run for experienced groups; the drop itself is short but the rocks demand boat awareness.
The water
Character: pool-drop through boulder field.
Features: Toreva Block boulder field; irregular, choppy waves; lateral currents off submerged boulders; fast exit into the pool above Rapid 8.
Hazards: pin risk on Toreva blocks at low water; off-camber waves that can spin boats; shallow rock strikes.
How it changes with flow
Low water: Rock definition increases; boulder field exposure requires line picking.
Medium: Classic North Sea character — choppy, lateral-heavy waves with defined lines.
High water: Features wash together with the upper part of Rapid 7; the whole rapid coalesces into a sustained wave train.
Scouting
Most groups read-and-run. A quick scout from river right is available if needed.