Sunday Aug 31 No paddling today; Paddling Monday?? Same deal. Looking for 5 to commit.

Want to paddle tomorrow?. Same deal goes. Send a txt or call 541-806-2612 or send email to sup-club@cutcallcosts.com or respond to this post on the club blog. If you are reading this post on facebook – click through the link to bring up the wordpress blog and respond on the blog.  If a total of just 5 members respond by 11 AM Monday I will bring the boards to the City Waterfront Park or Nichols Boat Basin. from 12:30 to 4:30

Starting Tuesday we return to regular fall paddling schedule with boards generally available at a site to be determined each day between 2PM and 6PM (on especially nice days those hours may be extended) We start later in the fall because it takes longer to warm up and most members do not want to paddle until the temp reaches at least the mid sixties. The water remains quite warm until Mid October and in fact on the last day of paddling last season on Oct 23 the water temp was 67 degrees and I know that because I FELL IN! (hit a submerged pier piling near the Hook and took a header!) and the water was surprisingly warm and I expect the same this year (the temps – not the header into the water!) because it has again been an above average temperature summer in the gorge.

Sunday Aug 30 last day of August – no decision yet Summer membership ending for summer members.

Only two with a third may be considering paddling have responded to the most recent post. At least 3 more must indicate  before NOON today they WILL paddle this afternoon at either the City Waterfront Park or the Nichols Boat basin before I will commit to bringing the boards and equipment to the site.

And what about tomorrow. Does everyone have Labor Day plans or do you want to paddle? It’s going to be the same deal for Monday paddling. I will make boards available at either the Waterfront or Nichols Basin or Mayer Park ONLY if 5 members let me know they WILL paddle. Otherwise, I Will return to the regular schedule of boards available every suitable day starting Tuesday Sept 2 – the first day of our FALL Season. Those of you will summer only memberships – your last day of membership is LAbor Day Sept 1. You can renew for the fall upon payment of the Fall membership fee (good through October 15th – six more weeks of paddling) for $125 per family or $75 per solo adult membership.

Daily report for Sat. August 30

One member paddled. He enjoyed it. Told me it was his favorite place to paddle of all the sites we go to (and he has paddled all of them.) It’s at the top of my list too. But hey, it rained a little. And it is a holiday weekend and that means family and friends and bbqs and travel so it was NOT unexpected there would be a small turnout. It’s a learning process and I’m a slow learner (some say stubborn but I’ll go with my version!) So in the future perhaps I will just plan in advance for a Labor Day weekend off. Tomorrow is predicted to be a lot like today. Not sure yet if I’ll be smart or stubborn 🙂 . Maybe I’ll let YOU decide.

If I get 6 or more commitments from members who say they will paddle tomorrow (Sunday) I will make the boards available between 1 and 5 PM  To register your desire to paddle, txt 541-806-2612 or email sup-club@cutcallcosts.com or comment on this post. Whatever YOU decide, I hope you have a good time this weekend.

Saturday August 30 Mayer Park West (exit 76 Rowena – off I-84)

Slow to warm up today. Heading to Mayer Park West for opening at 1 PM with paddling available until 5 PM. The water level is higher now and the inside coves are again pleasant to paddle and sheltered from most of the wind. The water is warm, even if the air is not. 12 boards available for your paddling pleasure. That’s 48 hours of board time availability which – if I estimate right, will be enough for each member who shows up to paddle for at least 4 hours! (I’m betting not more than 12 will be paddling and my best guess is that it will be no more than 5. But I’d love for you all to prove me wrong. I really enjoy busy days and really would prefer to be somewhere else when no one shows up! (especially the day after I expended a lot of energy on a down-winder so don’t feel like spending a lot of personal time on the water paddling myself!)

Oh ya, the down-winder yesterday was nice. Good wind and great waves most of the way (except from Wells Island to the boat basin when the wind died off. 2 first time down-winders made the run and enjoyed the experience. I am sure they will be back for more!

Friday August 29 No calm water paddling today. down-winder only.

Meet at Nichols boat basin at 1 PM for transport to Viento State Park. Be prepared with water and an energy bar to be carried on your person – not fastened to the board. No other recreational paddling today. Stay tuned for Saturday paddling which will probably be a Mayer State Park where I am pleased to report the water level is back to an acceptable level (the lagoon is again a useful launch site and Steve’s Tilt a Whirl was operating smoothly Thursday evening and gave a new member some great rides! So plan on Mayer Park for Saturday starting at noon and running until 6 PM You must be off the water by 6.

Help needed today from 1 PM to 4 PM

Need a member willing to be on site at Nichols Boat basin for 3 hours today starting at 1 PM until the downwinder from Viento arrives about 4 PM. I would like to accompany first time downwinders on this run and cannot be both places at once. If someone is willing to “hold the fort” (you can paddle in the boat basin during that time) by watching over the 4-6 boards I leave on the shore along with the PFDs and paddles (I’ll leave a chair too) it would be a big help to me and favor to those looking to expand their skills by undertaking their first down-winder.

For the future, I’d like to develop a list of club members willing to do occassional on site duty (checking members in and out and keeping equipment secure several times per season. I’d also like to develop a list of members willing to lead down-wind trips from viento to the event site, waterfront park or Nichols, and from the Marina Beach to Rock Creek Park in Mosier. Please let me know of your interest by sending me an email to sup-club@cutcallcosts or txt to 541-806-2612 or call me at that number. 

Down winder from Viento to Nichols boat basin on Friday? Respond before 11:30 A.M.

Call me or txt me at 541-806-2612 if you want to do this today. If I get at least 4 takers other than me, I will arrange to take you and the boards to Viento at 1:30. If less than four, you have the option to take the Big Winds shuttle at 1:30. ($12 per person fee) Winds are expected to be in the 20 to 30 range most of the dayl Enough for a fun trip without it being extreme. I would expect waves in the 1 to 4 ft range. If someone will volunteer to drive me back to Viento to retrieve the truck at about 4 PM I would be most appreciative.

Thursday Aug 28 Mayer Park 1:30 PM to 6:30 Arrive by 5:45 and I’ll stay to 6:30

Mayer Park is at exit 76 off I-84 (the Rowena Exit). The boards will be at Mayer Park WEST at the boat launch (not the EAST end of the park where windsurfing and kiters go. It will be a windy day but there are sheltered places to paddle suitable for new paddlers. 

Heads up for a down-winder on Friday! Viento to Nichols Basin. If 4 or more want to go, I will take you to Viento. If fewer than 4 then we can use the Big Winds Shuttle. Either way we will meet at 1 PM on Friday at Nichols Boat Basin.

Wed Aug 27 winds forecast but calm now. Nichols boat basin 1 PM until 6 PM

The boat basin is the pond just to the EAst of the Event Site. It connects t the river through a shallow 50 ft channel between the event site and the sand bar.

Forecast calling for winds in the 18-25 range today throughout the gorge. But it’s calm now. 

So here are options for today. 

1. Make the boards available for a downwinder using the Big Winds Shuttle?

2. Locate at the Nichols Boat Basin (could do both one and two)

3. I think I like idea 2. So I will have the boards at the Nichols Boat Basin at 1 PM and anyone wanting to do a downwinder with the Big Winds Shuttle can take a board up to their trailer. Check with them to be sure they are going. They do advertise that they will do the shuttle every day at 1:30. If you do the shuttle you would launch about 2 PM and should easily be able to complete the downwinder back to the boat basin by 5 PM

 

Tuesday August 26 Waterfront Park Noon til 6 PM

A repeat of Monday but a few degrees warmer. What a great day today. Put over 20 members on the water (a lot for a Monday) and welcomed a new family to the membership roster! Tell your friends about the fall special. Join the club for next season now at the preseason discounted rate of $325 for family, $165 for adult and get the rest of this season FREE! This is the perfect time to get your friends started in the club! The weather is great and the water is warm.

To get a new membership form, send email requesting the Free Fall Special to sup-club@cutcallcosts.com.