Flat water paddling near Portland, OR

[photosettle]

I will be in Portland for a couple days.  Any good places to flat water paddle near down town?  Thanks for any thoughts.

[PonoBill]

Try to hook up with PDX--if nothing else he writes some of the funniest posts I've read--got to be just as witty in person. Willamette park is good. Drop by Gorge Performance and talk with Bob. He's on Macadam Ave. Great shop and he can point you in the right direction. The paddle up the Willamette is really pretty, I like to go all the way up to Willamette Falls, but it's a bit far. You can just go around Ross Island or paddle down to the restaurant that's on the end of the dock at the downtown waterfront for lunch (they welcome grubby paddlers as long as they bring a visa) and then paddle back.

Another fine paddle is the multnomah channel. Easiest way to get there is to cross the Sauvie's Island bridge and drive west on the island to the boat ramp. I like to paddle down to Scappoose bay and have lunch at the restaurant in the marina, then paddle back. That's a 20 miler round trip.

You may sense a recurring theme here. It's no secret, I paddle a lot further if there is food involved. 

Last but not least, take a look at the wind report for the Gorge. If it's blowing, drop me an email and it's probably we'll be doing a downwinder. It will make you crazy. Even people who don't like it the first time wind up buying downwinder boards and dreaming about it.

[laszlo]

Should I recognize myself in that last statement? I guess so.

[pdxmike]

Photosettle--take PonoBill's advise, and stop by Gorge Performance, which is also almost next door to Willamette Park.  So am I--so if you've found Gorge Performance, you've found me.  You can rent gear from Bob, too if you don't want to bring your own.  Around Ross Island from Willamette Park is about a 4.5 mile paddle, and scenic.  Going to downtown isn't much further. 

I've gone south on the river to George Rogers Park in Lake Oswego, which is also scenic and about 10 miles round trip.  If you go as far as Willamette Falls, watch out for 48' powerboats launching themselves onto the rocks, as happened last week.  And if you like downwinders, you might love Willamette Falls--you can get going waaay faster than 12-13 mph, but stopping can be rough.   

[pdxmike]

Should I recognize myself in that last statement? I guess so.

I get excited about it just from seeing the videos people post, even though I haven't done it, and I still have trouble balancing on boat wakes...

[PonoBill]

Should I recognize myself in that last statement? I guess so.

You're definitely the most extreme case Lazlo, but not the only one. Lazlo went from "I didn't really like that very much" to "should I buy a 14' Glide or something else" without any intervening downwinders.

[photosettle]

thanks for the feedback everyone.