CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS.
This trip is limited to members with a wet exit certification. To successfully register you will need to sign into your OOPS member account, and your account will need to be a member of the "Wet Exit Certified" group.
Your acceptance is conditional on approval by the Organizer, who may contact you with questions about your skills and equipment. If the measured water temperature is different enough from that listed below to warrant a change in required immersion protection, the Organizer will contact all participants and the Trips Board member with the update at least a day before the trip.
Narrative: King tides! We’ll explore Salmon River and its estuary and do our best to paddle to the beach. Please note that I’ll be watching the conditions carefully as it gets close enough to the date for a hopefully-accurate weather prediction. With excessive wind or pouring rain, there will be an alternate route.
NOTICE OF IMPORTANT CHANGE! There will be two launch times. 8:30 a.m. sharp for those planning to paddle first toward the ocean. 10:30 a.m. to paddle upstream. Therefore, the 10:30 upstream launch will include those who first launched at 8:30 as well as those who only plan to paddle upstream.
We’ll meet at Knight County Park at either 8 a.m. or 9:45 a.m. Those who launch from there at 8:30 a.m. will paddle against an incoming tide (did I mention King Tide?) and paddle toward the mouth of the river which is about a mile to the west. The flood-tide current will slow our progress---how much, I don’t know. We’re going to find out! This trip does not include paddling in the surf zone. There are often seals in the area, both in the water and on the beach. We’ll keep our distance, so we don’t disturb them. NOTE: Those who want to paddle toward the beach must be water-ready by 8:30 a.m. sharp!
Then the early pod(s) will head back upriver to rejoin the "upriver only" group. ALL paddlers will launch from Knight Park at 10:30 a.m., taking full advantage of the incoming tide. Knight Park is our only guaranteed place to take out besides the beach; please use it for your bio-break. Then we’ll continue farther upstream. We may choose the main river, passing under Hwy 101. But with the King tide, this is the perfect opportunity to first explore the estuary’s water paths to the south. We'll complete our trip by heading back to Knight Park with an outgoing tide. The overall length of the trip will be about 6-8 miles, mostly near slack or with a current or tidal assist.
There are vault toilets at Knight Park but no water; parking is free. Bring a lunch or snacks and water.
For the early risers, an added benefit of this trip is the close proximity to Otis Café. A visit to McMenamin’s afterwards is a distinct possibility. Please sign up for, and use, the forum related to this trip to chat about pre- or post-trip libations and sustenance. You need to click on the box at the bottom of the forum page to be emailed forum posts. https://oregonoceanpaddlingsociety.wildapricot.org/Trips-Forum/6955992
· We will observe the Four Ps: Please Plan to be Pod Participant! If you are a lone wolf, this is not the trip for you. We WILL be paddling in pods.
· This Level Two trip is suitable for boats 12 ft. and longer; no inflatables, please. Intermediate-advanced SUP paddlers who can keep up with kayaks welcome.
Cascade Head tides:
2018/12/23 Sun 06:13 AM 1.98 L
2018/12/23 Sun 11:58 AM 9.71 H
2018/12/23 Sun 7:17 PM -1.45
Knight County Park 2368 N 3 Rocks Rd, Otis, OR 97368
Meeting Time: 9:45:00 AM (or 8 a.m. for the early pod)
Launch Time: 10:30:00 AM (or 8:30 a.m. for the early pod)
Type of activity: Paddle Trip
Put in: Knight County Park 2368 N 3 Rocks Rd, Otis, OR 97368
Take out: Knight County Park
Route Alternative for bad weather: TBD
Required equipment:
Minimum Immersion protection: Drysuit
Primary Organizer: Chris Mayou
Assistant Organizer(s): Rich Becker, Dennis Pennell, Steve Pruett, Don Durheim, and Susan Dininni
Has organizer paddled here before? Yes
Has organizer led an OOPS paddle here before? Yes
Organizer's first aid and CPR current? Yes
First Aid /CPR Person:
Maximum number of paddlers: 24
I certify that I understand and will conduct this activity in accordance with the OOPS Activity Policy: Yes
Estimated Air Temperature: 40-46
Estimated Water Temperature: 50
Estimated Water Time (including breaks/lunch): 4-5 hours
Tide times & heights: Cascade Head tides:
2018/12/23 Sun 06:13 AM 1.98 L
2018/12/23 Sun 11:58 AM 9.71 H
2018/12/23 Sun 7:17 PM -1.45
Current information: Unknown. Best guess is 3 knots near the beach, less upriver.
Wind strength: Level 1: 0-7 knots (8 mph)
Swell/Surf size: Level 1: Under 1' waves, no breaking waves
Sea state: Level 1: Waves up to the deck seam; water glassy to rippled, no whitecaps
Landing types: Level 2: Frequent landing opportunities including docks or moderate sloping banks, brush or overhanging trees
Currents: Level 3: Up to 4 knots: paddlers must sprint to move forward
Total distance: Level 2: 6 to 11 miles
Open crossing: Level 1: No open crossing
Overall rating: Level 2
Rating Comments: Please watch for trip updates when we have a more accurate weather forecast.
Location: Knight County Park 2368 N 3 Rocks Rd, Otis, OR 97368
