Hello Columbia Land Trust Volunteers!
In the coming months, we have scheduled several volunteer work parties that you may be interested in attending. They are listed below:
- Pine Planting at Rowena Wilds just east of Hood River, OR. Saturday, February 27 from 10 AM to 3 PM.
- Holly, Laurel, and Ivy removal at Crooked Creek near Rosburg, WA. Friday, March 12 from 10 AM to 3 PM.
- Planting and Weed Control at Germany Creek near Longview, WA. Saturday, March 27 from 10 AM to 3 PM.
- Weed Control at Little White Salmon Biodiversity Reserve near White Salmon, WA. Friday, April 9 from 10 AM to 3 PM.
If you are interested in attending any of these work days, send an email to volunteer@columbialandtrust.org or call (360) 213-1215 for specific details regarding location, what you’ll want to bring, and potential carpooling opportunities.
Additionally, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Kelly Kay and I’ll be working for the year as Columbia Land Trust’s volunteer coordinator. I’m sure I’ll get the chance to meet many of you at events, work parties, and site steward visits in the coming months. In the meantime, if you’d like to introduce yourself, ask any questions, or express any concerns, please feel free to email me at kkay@columbialandtrust.org or call me at (360) 213-1215.
As of late I have had two cameras get minor water leakages. I did a little research back to my College Physics Book and Hydraulics Books to reeducate myself in some old principles.
In the end the height of the drop (water fall) equals is the same as the water depth for a camera. Example, if Husem Falls is 10 feet in height, then going over it would create a velocity equal to the pressure of approximately 10 feet in water depth when hitting the surface. Not taken in to consideration is aired water for this calculation, unusual pressure of strong currents or high drops (Like 50 plus feet). If you have camera rated for 10 feet then going over Horseshoe Fall might bring a leak over time.
In the future, I will need a container or bag for my cameras. This is just a little food for thought if you want to increase your camera life!
Anthony Boesen- NW Kayaker extrodinaire
Learning to Eskimo roll is an important part of whitewater kayaking. you may have heard that it is difficult or complicated but that is not the case when taught properly. Northwest River Guides teaches the foundations of the roll first, then progresses onward as you learn! Most students learn to roll in 1-2 lessons. After that it is on to learn to roll on your offside, back deck and hand roll. We also teach more advanced techniques such as sculling, draws and paddle dexterity drills during the class.
Call 503-772-1122 to enroll!
Where: USA Athletics, 8333 NE Russell St, Portland
When: 8:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Equipment: We provide the paddling equipment if necessary. But you should bring swim goggles and a nose plug!
Learning to Eskimo roll is an important part of whitewater kayaking. you may have heard that it is difficult or complicated but that is not the case when taught properly. Northwest River Guides teaches the foundations of the roll first, then progresses onward as you learn! Most students learn to roll in 1-2 lessons. After that it is on to learn to roll on your offside, back deck and hand roll. We also teach more advanced techniques such as sculling, draws and paddle dexterity drills during the class.
Call 503-772-1122 to enroll!
Where: USA Athletics, 8333 NE Russell St, Portland
When: 8:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Equipment: We provide the paddling equipment if necessary. But you should bring swim goggles and a nose plug!
The fall weather is coming so it’s going to rain. Yeah I know, for some things rains bites. But for river kayaking it’s nectar of the GODS! Soon, our rivers will be refreshed, recharged, re-energized with life-giving water! And that water is what we need to enjoy whitewater.
To prepare yourself for the Northwest’s best season for paddling – winter – you should take some professional instruction with Northwest River Guides! We’ll take you down the “bunny slopes” near Portland in water that will give you confidence to tackle the blue squares and black diamonds. There, we’ll tune up your peel outs, eddy turns, your river roll, your edging and your bracing.
We’ll also provide you with all the equipment you need to enjoy your time on the river – the kayak, paddle, spray skirt, PFD, helmet. You’ll be all set. And, if anything should go awry our instructors are there LICKETY SPLIT to help you out!
Call 503-722-1122 to reserve your place. Our weekend classes run 9-1 Saturday and 2-6 on Sunday.
Oh yes… 1 more year of fun! Yesterday we had 300 people come out to paddle down the Clackamas River outside Portland, and clean it up! We had plenty of clif bars on site, and had good weather. It was in the mid 70s, and a little cloudy, but otherwise great weather. We had fisherman, rafters, kayakers, canoers, and drift boaters for a day of river stewardship. Mississippi Studios set up music, and we had a HUGE BBQ for all the volunteers after the event. This year was a landmark year, b/c we pulled out less trash this year than ever before. Over the past 6 years we cleaned on average 3 tons of trash- thats right over 6,000 lbs of trash / year. Pretty amazing amount of trash every year until this one. I am guessing we pulled out 50% less trash this year than in previous years, and I think we are starting to create a critical mass that has helped a paradigm shift take place in how people treat the Clackamas River. We had KOIN 6 news, out KPAM AM talk radio and a few other media outlets. Most exciting this year though is the Ripple Effect. We have a group of 15 artists this year that will be making Fine Art from the trash pulled out of the river. Last year was the first time we integrated artists, and had 5 artists… the Art show had almost twice the amount of people come as that showed up to the River Cleanup (so 500-600 people) and 80% of the Art sold! Pretty amazing. learn more at www.ripplepdx.org
Check out this video… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7GdbEsN-6A
Check out what WEND mag had to say about the event.
Blog entry on Wend by Anna Brones (also with us in Pod 10!):
http://www.wendmag.com/iwend/2009/09/down-the-river-cleanup/
To learn more about upcoming events go to www.welovecleanrivers.org
First Annual Great Willamette Clean Up: Saturday, October 3rd, beginning at 9am
Using kayaks and canoes, we will take to the water and have four groups picking up trash along four different stretches of the river including:
- Meldrum Bar Park (RM 24)- Goat and Cedar Islands
contact: WLCR, paddle group: PNW Sea Kayaker MeetUp
- Jefferson Street Boat Ramp in Milwaukie (RM 18.5)- Elk Rock Island
contact: Kate, paddle group: Alder Creek will provide boats for volunteers
- Willamette Park in Portland (RM 16)- southern end of Ross Island, Sellwood area
contact: Gerry, paddle group: Willamette Riverkeeper will provide canoes for volunteers
- Cathedral Park in St. Johns (RM 6)
contact: Travis, paddle group: OOPS members, and ? (still working on it, I know I can rally W. University students if I can provide boats)
*To be clear, anyone with their own boat can register to help clean up on any of the four designated stretches.
We encourage you to BYOB (bring your own boat)! For those of you who do not have a canoe or kayak but want to participate, additional boats are available at Willamette Park and the Jefferson Street Boat Ramp by registration. An optional garbage-picker social will follow at a local venue.
To register, call Kate at 503-223-6418 or info@willametteriverkeeper.org.
Let us know what section you would like to cover.
Why now? Because low water is a great time to fish for trash!
Why bother? Because our collective actions make a difference! When we allow trash to flow freely from our rivers, it can lead to devastating consequences for wildlife and habitat in our great oceans. See this video about our Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Northwest River Guides is teaching beginning whitewater kayaking river classes this weekend! This Saturday and Sunday NRG is holding classes on the lower Clackamas River near Portland, OR. These four-hour classes will teach the basics of safety, reading water, entering and exiting rapids, and more. We will go over on-the-water warm ups and stretching, bracing, peel outs, eddy turns, ferries, braces, t-rescues and rolling!
NRG instructors will be there to guide your every move. These lessons are offered Saturdays 9:00-1:00 and Sundays 2:00 – 6:00. All equipment provided.
Contact Northwest River Guides at 503-772-1122 to register. No equipment necessary, but we’ll need to know your size so we can provide the correct fitting equipment!
Northwest River Guides is teaming up with Next Adventure and the Clackamas River Basin Council in presenting the 7th annual Clackamas Down the River Cleanup! On September 13th some 300 kayakers, rafters, canoeists and river enthusiasts join forces to scour 13 miles of the river!
Since its inception this annual event has removed some 31,400 lbs of trash. The event mobilizes river enthusiasts, scuba divers, businesses and residents from the watershed and youth to give back to the community and to get first-hand experience with the impact of careless use of public waterways. We clean the section from Barton Park to where the Clackamas connects with the Willamette River. Kayaking, rafting, drift boating and inner tubing are popular along this stretch during the summer months. But careless use and outright dumping marred the enjoyment, as well as the habitat for wildlife. We have removed tires, wheels, structural steel, furniture and more.
The BIG news is that this year our organization is now the non-profit We Love Clean Rivers! Plans call for duplicating our efforts on other rivers!
We invite your participation in this river stewardship event! Starting in early August you can sign up at www.welovecleanrivers.org . On the day of the event, there will also be music, a barbeque, a silent auction and raffle! Call 503-772-1122 for more information.
solutions that justice demand.