This is a photo of my good friend and kayaking buddy Josh just below Thrasher on Canyon Creek, WA.  What I like some much about this photo is the swirling water, dark and deep, yet white and aerated.  This is the kind of special, unique thing you get to see when you are whitewater kayaking.  In the isolated river gorge near Portland you can really feel how special these wilderness areas are.  Unfortunately, clear-cut logging caused a large landslide above where this photo was taken.  Now the gorge is filled with literally thousands of trees.  It is still possible to get down the river but much more dangerous and harder work.  Still, Canyon Creek remains one of my favorite places to kayak.  If you’d like to get started whitewater kayaking, give me a call at the Northwest River Guides office (503.772.1122) or check out our website. I hope to paddle with you soon. -Dave

Could the water be any cooler looking?

Come take whitewater kayaking classes with Northwest River Guides.  NRG provides the best instruction in the Portland, Oregon area with top-notch instructors.  Our kayak lessons are small with lots of one-one time and you will learn faster than anywhere else.  In the spring and winter classes are taught on the Sandy River; in the summer and fall we move to the Clackamas River.  Call 503.772.1122 to make a reservation or if you have any questions.

NRG Students having fun on the Clackamas River.

Enjoy some great kayaking fun with Northwest River Guides. We lead beginner flatwater kayak trips and lessons on waterways close to Portland, OR – Vancouver Lake, Sauvie Island, Willamette Falls, Ross Island, Smith & Bybee Lakes and the Columbia River.  All ages and all experience levels welcome to paddle with Portland’s premier kayak school.

Happy NRG Students on Vancouver Lake.

British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast is home to some of the most stunning and spectacular landscapes in the world.  Seaside mountain peaks and glaciated fjords, blanketed with evergreens.  Deep, clear water teeming with life.  And a natural wonder unlike any other, Skookumchuck.  Skook is a surfer’s paradise and one of the most reknowned kayaking spots in the world.  Join Northwest River Guides’ professional instructors for a trip full of fun, laughter and learning.  Aug 15-20, 2009.  For more information or to register, call 503.772.1122.

Northwest River Guides Instructor Ben Liotta surfs Skook

Sam Drevo busting a quick eddy turn- curtousy of Mark Gamba Photography

Here is the beta on the Oregon Whitewater Association film night January 13th hosted by Sam Drevo and Northwest River Guides.

“High Water In Africa” – It is PG13.  This 55 minute video chronicles the rise of one of the most prolific whitewater kayakers today- Steve Fisher and several friends on a quest to run the biggest whitewater in Africa, and Quebec CA.  The story interweaves whitewater, Steve’s philosophies, a bit of his life story and close friendship with one of the sports most controversial figures- Dan Cambell.  This video was produced by GearboxHD, a local production company, and filmed/edited by Barney Bonito – one of Northwest River Guides instructors (as well as PDX local Craig Ernst).  We will open the evening by showing a short 2008 Down the River Cleanup video, a video from the Nelscott Reef Big Wave Contest in Lincoln City OR, and a short film about an Adventure in Paupa New Guinea produced by Epicocity documenting several NRG Kayaking friends and OR Locals- Andy Maser, Brian Eustis, Trip Jennings and Kyle Dickman.  This will be an action-packed hour and a half.  The OWA usually supplies some free pizza, and there will be an opportunity to sign up for this springs OWA SW Rescue workshop powered by Northwest River Guides.  Hope to see you there!  Pass this along to anyone you think might be interested.  Happy New Year!!!

Location:  Portland Fire Bureau’s Training Center, 4800 NE 122nd Ave., Portland, OR. 7pm

Last night I taught the flatwater skills session/pool class for our Advanced Whitewater Seminar.  This class has been my favorite to teach through the winter.  It is designed for intermediate and and advanced whitewater kayakers who are looking to make a significant improvement in their skills and technical paddling ability.  Chris, Linda and David are so much fun to teach and paddle with.  They are super enthusiastic, excited about learning, determined and always asking me difficult questions.  Just teaching this class has helped me improve my own paddling quite significantly.  Last night we worked on bracing, the Hand-of-God Rescue and some advanced paddling strokes- the C-Stroke, Gliding Draw, the Cross-bow Draw and the Reverse Compound Stroke.  On Saturday we have our scheduled river trip for January.  I’ll let y’all know how it goes.

The Seminar Classes (Intermediate, Advanced and Creeking) are the best thing we do for experienced kayakers looking to step their game up to the next level.  Students participate in a progression of classes, 2 per month, and build solid time with their instructor.  This provides incredbile opportunity for advancement by developing skills over time, rather than trying to compress learning.    Check these classes out, they are a blast!

-Dave

Below are a few photos from a Swiftwater Rescue Workshop that Northwest River Guides conducted for the Oregon Whitewater Association in April of 2008.  This was one of the more enjoyable classes that I taught all spring, bringing together a diverse group of rafters, IKers and kayakers for some fun, safety and learning.  In the workshop Northwest River Guides teaches the fundamentals of rope rescue, mechanical advantage(such as the z-drag), whitewater swimming skills and basic rescue organization.  Northwest River Guides teaches on minimalist approach to swiftwater rescue, focusing on techniques and strategies that are ideal for recreational kayakers, canoeists and rafters.  We will be teaching several swfitwater rescue workshops in the spring of 2008, including a class in the Portland area during April 25-26.  Sign up now to reserve your spot in one Northwest River Guides’ most popular courses.  Call 503.777.1122 to register.

This video is a Gearbox HD video production.  It is a short promo that we shot for a proposed video series.  There are some cool shots and a little bit of talent from Sam Drevo.