I have encountered many paddlers, both in person and through pictures they share on social media, enjoying time on the water in a canoe or kayak with their four-legged, furry companion. And why not? Most dogs are well suited for paddling adventures and will relish the...
When the sun comes out and temperatures start rising, there’s no better way to appreciate western Oregon’s beauty than to take out the kayak or canoe on the water! We’ve done the “hard work” for you, and are happy to present you with the top five kayaking spots I’ve fo...
Kayak and canoe campers might think they have to drive 25 miles or more outside of civilization to escape the jarring sounds of car horns, noisy sirens, or blaring radios to find a quiet place away from all the noise, hustle, and bustle of the city to pitch a tent and...
I confess. Some of my paddling has become rather boring. It’s not the type of paddling I’m doing; it’s where I’m paddling. I find myself going back to the same locations over and over again. Even places I love to paddle and go many times a year, like Beaver Creek, have...
I recently read a post on one of the many Facebook paddling group sites from someone who said that flatwater paddling sucks, which prompts me to ask the following question? Is flatwater paddling boring?
My immediate answer is no, flatwater paddling does not suck; it is...
While the information I present in this article is useful to those doing multi-day trips using canoes, I wrote this article more for those planning on doing multi-day paddling trips using a kayak. The shear carrying capacity of a canoe makes most of this information un...
I had the opportunity on Monday, October 16, to attend the very first Oregon Outdoor Recreation Summit at Oregon State University (OSU). The summit is a result of House Bill (HB) 3350, which passed the Oregon Legislature and which Governor Brown signed into legislation...
It's an early fall day; you set out in the morning; the water is calm and as smooth a sheet of glass; there's not a cloud in the sky; the sun has started to creep above the ridge behind you, bathing the water ahead of you in amber light. You think to yourself, "With wa...
I don't sleep well when camping, so I was up somewhat early.
Day two started out with me taking a short hike in search of wildlife. During my walk, I came across a pair of black oystercatchers on the west side of Jones Island.
I was joined on this four-day sea kayaking expedition by my best friend, Stephanie Cowles, and trip leaders from Next Adventure in Portland, Michael Bowersox and Dan Numbers. We set out just before 3 p.m. and headed out of Friday Harbor. Our paddle took us northwest pa...