Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => SUP General => Topic started by: Admin on April 28, 2020, 05:16:34 AM
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https://mynorthwest.com/1840311/gov-inslee-announces-partial-reopening-of-outdoor-recreation-on-may-5/
Gov. Inslee announced a partial reopening of outdoor recreation on May 5
Restrictions will ease for day use of state parks, day use of public lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources, and day use of state fish and wildlife areas, including fishing, hunting and the ability to play golf. Inslee emphasized that social distancing guidelines must be followed and safety measures like masks and hand sanitzer must be used.
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Someone in my paddle group text thread this morning said that Oregon will follow suit shortly. They didn't elaborate on the source though or post a link, could be wishful thinking so here I am spreading rumours ;)
Did a Drano - White salmon (WA. side) run yesterday using pickups for a socially responsible shuttle. Sure lying in the back of an open bed pickup doing 50+ is probably way more dangerous than the alternative but that's the current tradeoff.
Viento could be right around the corner (or still just eight miles down the highway)
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Someone in my paddle group text thread this morning said that Oregon will follow suit shortly.
I am down with that. Viento is wingable right now :).
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The beach communities will not be opening on the 5th it appears. So legal surfing may be a ways off.
Not every state park will reopen on May 5. Hoch said they’re working with local jurisdictions to avoid people flocking to places like beach communities. They’re working to determine the best approach and timing for reopening those parks.
The main surf beach in WA is at Westhaven State Park in Westport. I sort of doubt that they will open it even though viral microbiology 101 supports outdoor activity in regard to virus spread. The local surfers are loving the lack of crowds. I have gone surfing anyway at some more hidden spots and got vibed the first day - and had to explain that I was only a couple towns away. I was out Sunday and got told "You shouldn't even be here". I took the high road and just stared at the guy. Westport is in Grays Harbor County which has not had a new case since April 12. The local hospital is laying off because of lack of customers.
The golf thing is hilarious too. You can golf in "two somes" unless you live with the people in your group. So drive to the course with your four co-workers, and then get to the course and split into two somes on different tee times? Or I guess you can lie to the starter and say you all live together? Maybe the starters and the kid running the till for minimum wage and free golf will be deputized to investigate if the groups live together or not? Also, they say you can't ride to the course together, and so if you get pulled over - you have to tell them you are on the way to Wal Mart.
Seriously hope they figure out the beach thing quick. I don't mind scalawagging my own self, but every time I come back from surfing my girls are pissed that they don't get to go too. The weekend we closed everything down in WA my 12 year old got a new 7-2 for her b-day and hasn't been able to use it.
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Here are some details:
https://parks.state.wa.us/1181/Parks-opening
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So basically, nothing in the Gorge. We've been scoring on empty water. I'm not encouraging anyone to come here, it's not easy to get in the water without a lot of local knowledge and a license that says 97031. It doesn't hurt that the air temperature and the water temp were identical today--51F. I need to get Chan a T-shirt, or maybe more effectively a heavy hooded sweatshirt that says "140 or forget it!" which of course means combined water and air temp. But with a little wind (and today was very little) and a big wing, much fun can be had.
I hope all of you are finding ways to have fun. A reversal of the lockdown is in the wind. Use your local knowledge to have your fun where the goofballs aren't congregating.
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Here are some details:
https://parks.state.wa.us/1181/Parks-opening
Surfing parks are closed. I can find a few places to get wet, just walk more and a little hassle from the locals. The state claims that the reason they are not opening some is because of "staff availability" but really means that the optics of people at beaches are not acceptable to the Karens of the world.
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FYI, upstream on the the Columbia, the city of Richland owns two parks which cover about 5-6 miles of river front. The bathrooms are closed, the trash cans are overflowing, but people have been paddling here every nice weather day since the pandemic started. Same thing with Columbia park in Kennewick.
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The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers in Washington State re-opens Avery and Roosevelt Parks for day-use only.
Lower Columbia Region Daily News is today reporting that The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday began easing visitor restrictions at some recreation sites on the Washington side of the Columbia River, the agency announced.
The sites reopening are:
Bonneville Dam: Hamilton Island, Fort Cascades and North Shore recreation areas
The Dalles Dam: North Shore Recreation area and Avery Park
John Day Dam: Railroad Island Park, Rock Creek Park, Roosevelt Park, Sundale Park and Plymouth Park Boat Ramp.
These sites are only open for day use. Camping and overnight use is not permitted at this time. Visitors must comply with all park and vehicle rules and recreate responsibly by following safety guidelines to lessen the spread of COVID-19.
All other Corps-managed recreation sites remain closed at this time.
The Corps closed all recreation locations March 30 to fight the spread of COVID-19 and support the stay-at-home executive orders issued by the Oregon and Washington state governors. Stay-at-home orders and safety requirements remain in place in both states.
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Prepare for every access to look like the 4th of July. It’s like that everyday here in Forida. Could barely get to the water on a friggin Wednesday.
Everyone out of school permanently. It is nuts.
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Prepare for every access to look like the 4th of July. It’s like that everyday here in Forida. Could barely get to the water on a friggin Wednesday.
Everyone out of school permanently. It is nuts.
Yeah I 2nd that! ... I'm also on the FL spacecoast and the number of out-of-state people here taking their Covid vacation is F'd-Up. Thought everybody was supposed to stay home. Nope that's not what's happening. So if you run into me on the beach, or out in the line-up, and I don't smile and say hello, that's why.
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What is the count there Admin?
In our county, we have 59 lifetime hospitalized. Currently 7 hospitalized.
Our county spans NASA to Cocoa Beach, to Melbourne. Population 601,000
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Oregon has 2,759 cases and 109 deaths. Hood River County has 11 cases. They are worried that if they open the Gorge that the spots would be overun by Portland people. The Western Gorge is very close to Portland and Hood River is only an hour. That would be true for a lot of the closer trail oriented parks and likely some of the town parks with amenities. On the other hand, we have a lot of locations that are great for water sports but are not very enticing for general use. Those could easily be opened (at least to residents) with no risk. Even the few locations that are open to us now are only getting a few takers. I was on my own yesterday (but the conditions did suck). The spots that just reopened are both further out from Hood River. One is an extra hour and the other is an hour and a half and neither is really desirable for general use. The further out location is one of the best wind sport locations in the world though :). Stoked to have that back on line.
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Struggling to compare your risk to ours. Orlando is 45 minutes away at 1.9 million people. Portland is same population as our county.
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Struggling to compare your risk to ours. Orlando is 45 minutes away at 1.9 million people. Portland is same population as our county.
What is the status for you guys? All beaches open?
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About 75% of beach parking is open. Just enough closed to make it miserable.
We are staying away from the beach. Just sticking to river access points for winging. River access points are also way over crowed. Motor homes parked along the openings in the bushes. Trash everywhere.
There is even some jerk, who is local (maybe Orlando) who drives his 40 ft $300,000 motor home to the winging park and takes up 10 spaces just so his family can have a full kitchen at the park. Never seen such insanity before.
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People here are basically being cool. We have chilly water so there is really no swimming or wading yet. Early May is really never crowded for watersports anymore.
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About 75% of beach parking is open. Just enough closed to make it miserable.
There is even some jerk, who is local (maybe Orlando) who drives his 40 ft $300,000 motor home to the winging park and takes up 10 spaces just so his family can have a full kitchen at the park. Never seen such insanity before.
Classic! Doheny State Park has a big sign posted at the day use parking, "No vehicles over 25' beyond this point" just because of that. The park rangers are good at enforcing it.
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The good news about Oregon is that there are so many possibilities for outdoor adventure that for the most part, nothing gets crazy crowded--nothing remotely like the east coast. The ocean beaches here stretch for miles, and a crowd is when you can perhaps see a hundred people if you look way off in the distance. And ten people in the water--it's always cold. The coast is about 360 miles long.
The Gorge gets pounded a bit, but the Gorge is 80 miles long and from Astoria (on the ocean) to the beginning of the Gorge is another 100 miles of wide river. The Willamette River, which runs through Portland takes a lot of the watersport load off the Gorge.
We can spread out.
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The good news about Oregon is that there are so many possibilities for outdoor adventure that for the most part, nothing gets crazy crowded--nothing remotely like the east coast. The ocean beaches here stretch for miles, and a crowd is when you can perhaps see a hundred people if you look way off in the distance. And ten people in the water--it's always cold. The coast is about 360 miles long.
The Gorge gets pounded a bit, but the Gorge is 80 miles long and from Astoria (on the ocean) to the beginning of the Gorge is another 100 miles of wide river. The Willamette River, which runs through Portland takes a lot of the watersport load off the Gorge.
We can spread out.
Bill, you might not want to generalize the “east coast” too much. There are numerous east coast locations that don’t see the same density of beach/park crowds as some of the well known tourist destinations near metro areas. Even during the peak of tourist season my home spot (Outer Banks) has many miles of both ocean side AND sound side beaches that remain pretty isolated. Even our busy life-guarded beaches are really low density compared popular beaches beaches closer to metro areas.
FWIW the OBX is reopening to visitors on May 16. I’m sure the local kite/surf industry (Real, Kitty Hawk Kites, OceanAire and others) are desperate to get some seasonal income going again. The beaches here never closed during the shutdown despite the bridges being closed to any non-resident,.....and creating a national bru-ha.
We can spread out too, and the water/air combo Is already in the 120-135 range
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yeah, Cape Cod is overwhelmed as well.... ;)
especially when there's waves like last week.... but we muddle through ;D ;D
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Dave, You are lucky being away from 'population'; they have to work to get to you. Up this way it is dense-pack from here to NYC with the exception of a strip available only to the few people with an Off the Road permit in the federal park to the south.
I am continually blown away how we as a country seem to be treating this virus. At lunch, I look at a few cams. Tamarindo in CR and Pedasi in Panama are totally void of humanity.* By contrast, in FL it seems the secret password for beach entry is: 'COVID' ..."Pass it on."
Jim
*the locals may also want to get out of the Sun and heat in contrast to us 'non-tropicals'
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This should open things up a lot.
https://www.koin.com/news/health/coronavirus/oregon-gov-kate-brown-phase-1-reopening-counties-coronavirus-pandemic-05142020/?fbclid=IwAR3v9JeBuU2386KI0KjGg8xa_woLB1BK0QSVW6-RoF-uU-sdaEA62HpjINY
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Lots of new good stuff opening today or already recently open. Some of these are limited openings but they will be fine for our use. Event site, Viento, Rufus, Rooster, Rowena (not sure what they are calling mid and West but I think this includes the wind launch). Not sure about the Luhr Jensen launch. Trail is open, park is closed. No word on Swell or the Hatchery opening yet but I expect we will see that today or soon.
So stoked to have these extra options online.
https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.dsp_parkstatus
https://portofhoodriver.com/whatisopen/
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CGWWA posted the info below. Swell is now open as well. STOKED!
Today The Port of Hood River and both Oregon and Washington State Parks are conditionally re-opening the following Gorge parks for day-use only and most with limited services.
WA = The Spring Creek Fish Hatchery, Doug’s Beach, and Maryhill State Parks (no overnight camping).
OR = Rooster Rock, Viento (no overnight camping). East Mayer State Park (a.k.a. Rowena) IS NOT yet re-opened but we are working on it. Probably early next week.
Port of Hood River Event-site - Limited parking and reduction in services At this time, no kite launch and landing, but pump and dry on the East end is permitted. launch from the sandbar. If water rises too high, launch pad will be installed. Windsurf / Foilsurf at West end as usual.
Conditions for remaining open -
If you feel sick, are experiencing any symptoms of COVID19, or have been in the presence of anybody exhibiting symptoms related to COVID19, STAY HOME AND CALL YOUR DOCTOR (cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell).
Recreate as close to home as possible. State and local Gorge authorities are still discouraging distant travel or overnight trips for recreation.
Maintain a minimum of six feet distance from others. If you feel you cannot maintain six feet of distance from others, masks / face coverings are recommended.
Only travel with members of your own family.
Know that parking capacity may be limited.
Know that restrooms, drinking water, and trash facilities may not be available, so be prepared for such.
Bring your own seating. At this time, picnic table seating may not be available.
Finally, please know that site-closure may re-occur at any time without notice.
Please be the example that keeps these valuable launch-sites open and CU Sailin' !
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Oh well, I guess there's enough river for us to share some. There's been a peaceful character to chasing wind lately that I'm going to miss. This weekend will probably be a zoo.