Search

The rapid onset of high winds, fog, storms and other dramatically changing conditions on the lower Columbia can transform a seemingly easy paddle into a dangerous, and even life-threatening, situation. Be prepared for the worst scenario and make safety a priority when planning your trip. Adequate preparation is critical to safe paddling. Be prepared for the worst scenario and make safety a priority when planning your trip. Check out the information below for resources.

Adequate preparation is critical to safe paddling. Be sure everybody in the party has the training, skill, and experience, including self- and assisted-rescue techniques, for the trip you have planned. Learn as much as you can about the route and any hazards before leaving. Get an up-to-date weather forecast. Be alert for larger, motorized boats. Stay along the river’s edge and steer well clear of the shipping channel. If it is necessary to cross the shipping channel, do so quickly, in a direct line, and in a group. Leave plenty of room for barges, tankers, and ships. They may appear to be

The Columbia is a mighty river, by volume, the second-largest in North America. Its lower stretches capture the powerful flow of its thousand-mile length. Unpredictable weather, winds gusting across an expansive surface and heavy commercial shipping traffic create a unique brew of paddling hazards. Caution! River current and tides are dynamic forces. Ebb tides increase the speed of the river downstream, while incoming tides can reverse some of the lower river's direction everywhere except in the main channel. Navigation is befuddling as islands disappear under a high tide. At low tide, boats

Whether you are looking for weather, chambers of commerce, paddling clubs, or state parks information, our Resources page has you covered. Emergency Contact Resources U.S. Coast Guard: 1-800-982-8813 9-1-1 Weather National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (503) 261-9246 NOAA National Weather Service Pacific Northwest 7-Day Zone Forcasts Web Site Paddling Clubs Lower Columbia Canoe Club: www.l-ccc.org Oregon Kayak and Canoe Club: www.okcc.org Oregon Ocean Paddling Society: www.oopskayak.org OutKayaking: www.outkayaking.org PDX Sea Kayaker: PDXseakayaker@yahoogroups.com Scappoose