Dane and Lynda Kayak

Time: 3 hours Distance: 8.86 miles We put into the Columbia River at the Kaiser Shipyard Memorial on a foggy but calm morning. We paddled up-river just past the I205 Bridge before turning back. The fog was with us most of the day only clearing up just before we got out. The water remained calm for around the first hour then became choppy with up to one foot swells. We turned back at the 2 hour mark and it took exactly and hour to make the return trip. Lynda preparing to put in. Lynda heading out into the fog. Dane heading up-river in the fog. Dane on the West side of the I205 Bridge. Lynda on the West side of the I205 Bridge. Looking down the West side of the I205 Bridge. Looking down the East side of the I205 Bridge. Lynda paddling back down the river. The view up-river from the three-story tower at the Memorial Park.

Time: 1.2 hours Distance: 3 miles We put into Nehalem Bay at the Nehalem Bay State Park on another windy and rainy day. We fought the wind, rain and waves (up to 2.5 foot swells) for about 40 minutes before giving up and turning back. Lynda preparing to put in. The waves on the Bay. They look even bigger from inside the kayak.

Time: 2.2 hours Distance: 5.75 miles We put into the Nehalem River on a very high tide on a windy day with of an on rain. We'd originally planned to put in at a dock in Nehalem but the tide had flooded the parking lot we'd normally have parked in. We ended up heading to the Tillamook County Boat Launch and actually put in right in the middle of the parking lot. After just over an hour of paddling the wind and rain picked up and we were encountering up to two foot swells so we turned back and made a short trip of it. Lynda preparing to put in. What looks like a "puddle" to the right is actually the river flooding into the parking lot. The boat launch is totally under water. Lynda heading out of the boat launch which is totally submerged. Lynda marking out turn around spot on her phone.

Time: 3 hours Distance: 9.35 miles We put in at Stevens Point on the Willamette River and paddled down-river to the 405 Bridge before turning back. It was an overcast day but we experienced very little rain and the river was largely empty. Lynda preparing to put in. Lynda heading down-river just after we started out. Heading toward the Ross Island Bridge you can see 5 of the 9 bridges that span the Willamette River in downtown Portland. Lynda near the middle of the Willamette River on the way back.

Time: 3.34 hours Distance: 11.1 miles We put into Lake Merwin at Speelyai Park on a beautiful fall day. The weather was clear and sunny and there was almost no one else on the lake. We paddled as far towards Yale Dam as we could get then detoured up Canyon Creek until we hit impassable conditions. Once again Bald Eagles were all around us almost immediately after leaving the main body of the lake. Lynda preparing to put in. Dane preparing to put in. Lynda setting out. Lynda on the lake. Yale Bridge on the way out. Dane paddling toward Yale Dam. Dane underneath a waterfall near Yale Dam. The end of the road at Canyon Creek. Lynda heading back down Canyon Creek. Taking a short break before heading back.

Time: 3.12 hours Distance: 10.1 miles We put in at the Goble Marina, headed up the Columbia River on the West side of Sand Island and continued until we reached Sand Island where we turned back down-river, around the East side of Sand Island and back to the marina. Lynda preparing to put-in. Lynda heading up-river. Dane watching a large barge approaching on the way back down-river. Lynda coming into the ramp to get out.

Time: 3.35 hours Distance: 10.58 miles We put into Lake River at Ridgefield on a cool and rainy day. We had to break out the weather gear for the first time since early last Spring and it rained on and off most of the trip. We paddled up-river for about two hours then turned back. Though the weather wasn't great we did not see another person on the river for the entire trip. Lynda in the rain preparing to put in. Lynda leaving the shore. Lynda heading up-river. Dane heading up-river. Lynda coming back down-river near the get-out.

Time: 4.6 hours Distance: 14.13 miles We put into the Columbia River at Broughton Beach Park, paddled down-river around Hayden Island on the Washington side and then back on the Oregon side. We'd originally planned to put in at Kelly Point Park but found it was closed when we got there. We had pleasant weather and good conditions though there was quite a lot of river traffic especially on the way back along the South side of Hayden Island. Lynda preparing to put in. Lynda paddling down-river. Dane heading down-river approaching the I5 Bridge. Dane approaching a set of barges parked in the Columbia River near the West end of Hayden Island. Dane paddling along one of the barges. Lynda on the West end of Hayden Island during a short break. After beers at Level Brewing.