RSS
Home
Pleasant Portland paddling: free kayaking lessons on the Willamette
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
photo from flickr user Greg e
Props to [my hetero lifemate] Dolores, who discovered the free kayaking lessons that are the focus of this week’s adventure in Portland twentysomethingism. Props should also be awarded to our landlord, who told Dolores about the free Skills Social that happens every Thursday and is hosted by Northwest River Guides. This weekly event allows “normal” people like you and me to get a free paddling lesson on the Willamette, with all equipment provided. It is outdoorsy and fun and free, and as such, a bastion of twentysomething awesomeness.
The Skills Social is apparently mainly for students who are taking classes with eNRG Kayaking and want some additional practice and instruction, but it is also open to the public, including those who have never kayaked before. And so, last evening, Dolores and I and our friend The Jolly Vampire* drove to Sellwood Riverfront Park and met Dave, an eNRG instructor. Given the sweetness of this deal, we assumed that we would not be the only ones in attendance. We were wrong. So Dave gave the three of us our own private lesson in kayak terminology and technique. We learned about the deck and the hull and the stern, etc. and made the unnecessary but appropriate jokes about getting scurvy. We learned that the place where you sit is called the cockpit and made the unnecessary but appropriate jokes about pilots and fighter planes. And we learned that kayaking is really not about upper body strength, but about core strength (thank goodness I have abs of steel!). Then we hit the water.
It was a glorious evening in Portland - the sun was just setting, the river was peaceful, and the temperature was mild. Dave was extremely encouraging and friendly, teaching us strokes and then one at a time helping us get them right, or at least better. The moon was large and low, and we could hear the occasional whoosh of the roller coaster at the nearby Oaks Amusement Park. The lights of the city were starting to come on upriver, and it was just so darn pleasant paddling around in the dusky light, even if my kayak seemed to be continually and uncontrollably spinning around in a circle (which, Dave assured us, is perfectly normal). Plus, at the end of the night, Dave informed us that he once kayaked off an 80-foot waterfall, so you know, he’s kind of a big deal.
There is no catch. It’s every Thursday evening, from 7:00-8:30, but only until September 24, so get moving if you want a taste of pleasant Portland paddling. Just email or call ahead to sign up, give them your weight and height, and they’ll bring the boats, the paddles, the life jackets, and the instructor. You can sign up for kayaking lessons, too, but those are something like $350, which is somewhat out of my price range. And by “somewhat” I mean “extremely.” Oh well. It was a nice night. Especially since it ended with a trip to Dairy Queen (this is highly recommended).
Love from the poop deck of my fighter jet,
Your Portland Twenty-something
*This is quite honestly the most accurate moniker for our sun-hating, graveyard-shift-working, yet surprisingly well-adjusted and super amiable friend Matt (not to be confused with fried-pie-and-puppy-chow-making friend Matt).
Related Articles:
Comments
