LOCATION CHANGE! Level 2 Paddle - was Sellwood to Foothills Park on New Years 2019

LOCATION CHANGE:  We will launch from Willamette Park, SW Macadam Avenue and Nebraska Street.

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: How many times have you paddled past Lake Oswego’s Foothills Park, with its sail-topped cantilevered viewing platform and what appears to be a mini-Stonehenge nearby, and thought “I need to check that out”? Any answer from zero to a million will do. Because we’re going there regardless! And we’re keeping it festive with a potluck lunch!

Join Marty Martinez and Chris Mayou and other Trip Organizers* on our third annual OOPS New Year’s Day trip. This year we celebrate on the Willamette, dammit! We’ll launch from Willamette Park, which should have ample free parking available on the morning of January 1st. We’ll head upstream with an ever-so-slight tidal push, passing by Milwaukie Bay Park and Elk Rock on our way to Foothills Park. We’ll take out there for lunch, utilizing the docks and access ramp. The trip back will have both a tidal and current assist. Total miles round-trip will be about nine.

Let’s make this a potluck! Bring your own plate, utensils, beverage (maybe a hot one), and a dish to share. We hope to be able to use the stone fireplace for ambiance and perhaps a tad of warmth, but there are no guarantees on that. Bring along your storm cag or large jacket to throw over your drysuit at lunch to stay warm while you’re not moving those muscles.

Arrive at Willamette Park by 9:30 a.m., so that you’re ready for the safety chat and to launch by 10:15 a.m. Wheels can be helpful. You can choose to launch from the dock or the beach. Since there is only dock access at Foothills Park, this is one of those rare trips where you might be able to keep your feet dry all day! There are bathrooms at Willamette Park.

Drysuits required. 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.

Lake Oswego’s Foothills Park “features sweeping views of the river from a covered platform; a ring of basalt columns engraved with the poetry of William Stafford (the Stafford Stones); a timber and stone picnic pavilion with a stone fireplace; pathways, a reflecting pond, and a grass amphitheater.” The park amenities include wi-fi accessibility. They don’t mention bathrooms, but I’m betting we’ll find some there.

https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/parksrec/foothills-park

*Thanks go out to these Trip Organizers who signed on early so that we could have many paddlers: Bill Vonnegut, Bob Freshman, Mel Wishan, Michael Kipley, and Rich Becker.

Meeting Time: 9:30:00 AM
Launch Time: 10:15:00 AM
Type of activity: Paddle Trip
Put in: Willamette Park 
Take out: Willamette Park
Route Alternative for bad weather: TBD
Required equipment: 
Minimum Immersion protection: Drysuit
Primary Organizer: Chris Mayou
Assistant Organizer(s): Marty Martinez, Bill Vonnegut, Bob Freshman, Mel Wishan, Michael Kipley, and Rich Becker.
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: 50
Estimated Water Temperature: 50
Estimated Water Time (including breaks/lunch): 4-5 hours
Tide times & heights: Tide at Morrison Street Bridge:
2019/01/01 Tue 07:55 AM 0.40 L
2019/01/01 Tue 1:18 PM 3.00 H
2019/01/01 Tue 10:11 PM 0.42 L

Current information: Less than one knot unless we've had significant rain
Hazards: 
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 1: Frequent easy landing opportunities including gently sloping, sand, gravel or grass
Currents: Level 1: None or mild (less than 1 knot)
Total distance: Level 2: 6 to 11 miles
Open crossing: Level 1: No open crossing
Paddling Environment: 
Overall rating: Level 1
Rating Comments: Weather conditions could change this to a Level 2 trip.
Location (Optional): Willamette Park, SW Macadam Avenue and Nebraska Street.