Northwest Paddling

December 4, 2009

Drink for River Stewardship Dec 10th!

Head to Pizzicato Pizza’s new sustainably-built restaurant at SE Division & 21st and ask them to pour you a  pint of Fish Brewing’s organic Willamette Riverkeeper Paddler Pale ale! This eatery was constructed of recycled materials.

Enjoy gourmet pizza & cold organic ale! All proceeds on December 10th benefit Willamette Riverkeeper’s efforts to restore Oregon’s Willamette River. There’ll be a special get together from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Where: Pizzicato at SE 21st & Division (across from New Seasons)

November 22, 2009

Learn the River the 28th

Rogue09-3231

OK, you’ve learned the basics in the pool. You’ve done the strokes, dialed in your outfitting, and you know what it’s like to be under water in the kayak. Maybe you’ve done a few rolls. NOW, it’s time to take it to the elements. Northwest River Guides will introduce you and your new found skills to the river! We’ll introduce you to river features like eddies, pour overs, rivulets, and even a standing wave while you learn skills in the elements!

As a Northwest River Guides student, you’ll learn fundamental skills like peel outs, eddy turns and ferries. Using these skills allows kayakers to be the most maneuverable craft on the river, avoiding rocks and other obstacles and heading where you intend. You’ll learn about river hazards & obstacles, self rescue, river scouting, etc. We’ll teach you on class 1-2 rapids, which should help build your confidence. These are the green circles of kayaking. You’ll need to have had a pool class or NRG’s introductory class to qualify for this lesson.

Date: November 28th

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Equipment provided. Call 503-772-1122 to reserve your place!

November 20, 2009

Learn to Roll Your Kayak!

 northrup pool by Northwest River Guides.

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!

November 12, 2009

Take Our Intro to Kayaking!

 pool session2 by Northwest River Guides.

This is our first ‘baby steps’ class introducing the new student to kayaking! We teach this class in a pool because they’re warm and mistake friendly. Be prepared to get wet! You’ll learn kayak nomenclature, stretches, how to adjust your outfitting to suit your body, and then we’ll hit the pool.

You’ll learn how to wet exit, brace and Eskimo rescue, all prerequisites to learning your roll. We’ll cover basic paddle strokes. We keep the student/instructor ratio to 4:1 so everyone gets maximum attention.

Date: 11/18

Time: 8 – 9:30 p.m.

Location: USA Athletics, 8333 NE Russell St., Portland, OR

Call 503-772-1122 to sign up for this class!

November 10, 2009

Take it to the River: Class Nov. 14th

Rogue09-3251 

Got those pool classes in? Now it’s time to bring your skills outside. You’re gonna put yourself in the elements – and that’s where you belong. Learn the skills you’ll need to start using the river’s parts - eddies, rivulets, pour overs, standing waves – to your advantage, and more. We’ll show you peel outs, eddy turns, ferries, how to catch a wave, and maybe a river roll!

As a Northwest River Guides student, you’ll learn fundamental skills like peel outs, eddy turns and ferries. Using these skills allows kayakers to be the most maneuverable craft on the river, avoiding rocks and other obstacles and heading where you intend. You’ll learn about river hazards & obstacles, self rescue, river scouting, etc. We’ll teach you on class 1-2 rapids, which should help build your confidence. These are the green circles of kayaking. You’ll need to have had a pool class or NRG’s introductory class to qualify for this lesson.

Date: November 14th

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Equipment provided. Call 503-772-1122 to reserve your place!

November 7, 2009

Learn to Roll in a Pool Nov. 11th

 pool session3 by Northwest River Guides.

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!

November 6, 2009

Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival 11/12

Brought to you by Willamette Riverkeeper and Patagonia, the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival is as entertaining as much as it is a call to action. Expect an inspiring lineup of creative, independent, eco conscious adventure films that illustrate the Earth’s beauty, the challenges facing our planet, and the work communities are doing to protect the environment.
Wild & Scenic both informs people about the state of the world, and inspires us to create positive change. You’ll see Red Gold,  an award winning film about a controversial copper and gold mine is proposed at the headwaters of the world’s largest salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, AK. The film tells a story of remote Native American sustenance-users, commercial fisherman, sport fisherman and residence that all share the commonality of salmon fishing at the core of their existence. For the first time, all user groups have come together in opposition of Pebble Mine development.
 
Crossroads at the Columbia:  Exploring the environmental and community-rights issues surrounding proposals by private companies to build Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals on Oregon’s Columbia River. 
Where: McMenamins Bagdad Theater, SE 37th & Hawthorne
Time: 7:00 p.m.
PRIZE: That’s right – we like prizes! You’ll get a chance to win an Eddyline Merlin XT kayak!

October 27, 2009

BOO Halloween River Class!

Deschutes 4th of July 2009 Multiday

If you find swift eddies and standing waves frightful, save your soul with a confidence inspiring river class taught by our professional instructors at Northwest River Guides. We’ll teach you the skills necessary to get out there and start enjoying whitewater kayaking on some of Portland, Oregon’s famous neighborhood rivers.

As Northwest River Guides student, you’ll learn fundamental skills like peel outs, eddy turns and ferries. Using these skills allows kayakers to be the most maneuverable craft on the river, avoiding rocks and other obstacles and heading where you intend. You’ll learn about river hazards & obstacles, self rescue, river scouting, etc. We’ll teach you on class 1-2 rapids, which should help build your confidence. These are the green circles of kayaking. You’ll need to have had a pool class or NRG’s introductor class to qualify for this lesson.

Date: Halloween, October 31

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Equipment provided. Call 503-772-1122 to reserve your place!

October 26, 2009

350.org River of Action Success

350bigger

Saturday the 24th over 100 paddlers assembled on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, to make a statement. As part of International Climate Action Day, we made a huge “350″ of kayaks, canoes and paddleboards at the waterfront. This planetery event cries out for action. In over 150 countries in hundreds of places, participants spelled out the number 350. 350 parts per million is the amount of CO2 the Earth’s atmosphere can hold without catastrophic consequences for our climate.

We are already at 387. The idea was to get the attention of a climate conference upcoming in Copenhagen, to get those attending to take action immediately!

puttingthenumbertogether

We lucked out on the weather, it was a golden fall day, and a lot warmer than I anticipated. I turned out to be over dressed for temperature and under prepared for sun! As bullhorns blared out instructions and walkie talkies were crackling, we tried to coordinate out three numbers. The slow current of the Willamette was enough to push the group into the Burnside Bridge three times, causing us to re-create the number. At least we got it right one time!

October 23, 2009

Eskimo Roll Pool Class Oct 28th

 pool session2 by Northwest River Guides.

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!

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