Dane and Lynda Kayak

Time: 2.92 hours Distance: 8.96 miles We put into Yale Lake at Yale Lake Park, WA late in a sunny and calm morning. We paddled South, into Siouxon Creek and as far up as we could go before hitting the creek proper. The day got a bit more cloudy during the second half of the paddle but the winds were very light and we got no rain. The mild weather and lack of traffic on the lake made for a very pleasant paddle. Lynda preparing to put in. Lynda paddling on Yale Lake. Lynda paddling under the bridge at the entry of Siouxon Creek. Lynda on Siouxon Creek looking at a small waterfall. Lynda pausing near the end of the navigable water on Siouxon Creek. The end of the road on Siouxon Creek. Lynda and Dane just before heading back. Siouxon Creek. Lynda paddling back down Siouxon Creek. Lynda paddling back towards Yale Park and the get out.

Time: 2.25 hours Distance: 7.86 miles We put into Multnomah Channel at Gilbert Boat Ramp on Sauvie Island OR on an overcast morning, paddled up-river for just over an hour and then turned back. Though the weather wasn't the greatest with intermittent rain and some wind the river was totally empty and peaceful. Along the way we got to see four Bald Eagles sparing with each other over the water. We'd seen quite a number of Bald Eagle in previous trips but we'd never seen them behaving in this way. They would "fight" in the air diving each other and screeching then fly low above the water back and forth over the river. One even decided to try and prey on a small water foul that was floating in the water. Every time he'd dive down the smaller bird would just duck under the water only to pop back up after the Eagle had flown by. We watched this behavior for several minutes before moving on. Lynda preparing to put in. She wasn't in the mood to have her picture t...

Time: 2.83 hours Distance: 8.86 miles We put into the Trask River at Carnahan Park in Tillamook, OR on another day with rain and high winds forecast and another King Tide. We thought the incoming King Tide would slow the flow of the river but the Trask was flowing fairly fast and it got faster as we went up-river. We paddled several miles up-river before turning back. Near the end we took a detour down the Trask Slough before finally heading to our get-out. Lynda gearing up and preparing to put in. Lynda going around a small island on the way up-river. Lynda paddling up-river in the rain. Got to stay hydrated. Dane paddling under a bridge on the way back down-river. Dane paddling by a large tree on the Trask Slough.

Time: 3 hours Distance: 9.16 miles We put into the Tillamook River at Memaloose Point in Tillamook, OR and headed up river on a day with a weather forecast for rain and winds from 10-15 mph. Additionally King Tides were coming in at the Oregon coast and the tide charts called for a high-tide of +8 feet. We put-in three hours before high-tide and so witnessed the full effect of its reach.  The first part of the paddle was pleasant with no rain and little wind but that changed as we neared the Hwy 131 bridge where the wind picked up considerable. Over the next hour we paddled into fairly consistent 10 mph winds with intermittent showers. More than once we almost turned back. As we moved up river the winds subsided and the rain was light. We turned back at the bridge on Tillamook River Rd and the paddle remained pleasant for the next hour. Shortly before the Hwy 131 bridge, where the up-river wind had been the worst, we were hit by a hail storm and wind gusts of 25+ mph. The next 20 m...

Time: 2.65 hours Distance: 8.72 miles We put into the Tualatin River at Cook Park in Tigard, OR on a clear sunny Autumn day. We paddled down-river to the Stafford Road Bridge before turning back. Light winds and little river traffic made for a very pleasant paddle. Lynda preparing to put in. The Tualatin River early in the paddle. Lynda paddling down-river. The Tualatin River about  half-way through the trip. Lynda paddling back up-river.

Time: 3.3 hours Distance: 11.12 miles We put into the Yamhill River at Dayton Landing County Park on a rainy Sunday. We broke out the weather gear for the first time of the season and were glad we did. We paddled down-river to the Willamette then up-river on the Willamette for about a half-mile before turning back. The trip out had us wondering if we should have forgone our suits but shortly after turning back we were hit with very heavy rain showers. The first half of the trip was pleasant with the beautiful colors of Autumn and leaves falling off the trees and floating through the air to land on the water. The second half was less casual as the weather picked up. Lynda putting in. Autumn on the Yamhill River. Leaves falling from the trees. The picture doesn't do it justice. At times the "leaf fall" was thick and very pretty. Lynda parked in the bushes marking out location. Lynda paddling back up the Yamhill River. Dane paddling up the leaf covered Yamhill River. The lea...