Wet Wednesday in July - L1

When
July 10, 2024
5:15 PM
Location
Willamette Park Boat Ramp Portland
Spaces left
6
Registered
7 registrants

Registration

OOPS Paddler (No WEC required)
A level 1 paddler requires no WEC. this ticket is for anyone.
TO and Safety
Reserved For TO and Safety
WEC Candidate

Registration is closed

Full Name: Jon Light-Powell
Narrative: Level 1 EVENT. This event is especially designed for people wanting to get their Wet Exit Certification !!

Please Join Joseph and Me for a pleasant Warm Weather Jaunt around Ross Island.
This early Evening Paddle is a Wet Wednesday, which is a paddle and Wet Exit Certification event we are running for the Summer. Depending on demand and staffing we hope to have this event several times a month during the summer.

Circumnavigating Ross Island is like an evening walk. We will set a brisk pace and be on the lookout for Bald Eagles, Great Blue Heron, Merganser, and maybe even a Canada Goose.

The Special This Week:
This week we will stop for a short time on the North Tip of Ross Island. Good time to stretch your legs and search for Agates. We will also be bringing along a couple of trash bags and doing 15 minutes of trash pickup. A great time to get the Presidential Trash Award !!

The Plan:
Parking is Free at Willamette Park (in Portland) after 5:00. Plan to show up at 5:15 with the safety talk and launch at 5:45. We plan to paddle counter clockwise around the island with a brief rest stop at the Northern tip. Then continue back to the launch site planning to arrive before 7:30..

After the paddle, anyone that wants to be certified for Wet Exit can join the designated WEC Certifier and be coached through the certification process. We are leaving a couple of slots open on this paddle just for people wanting to get their Wet Exit Certification. For more details see below.

In Addition, if you haven’t done any rescue practice recently, you are welcome to join the TO and safety team and try getting in and out of your boat. Really, you should do it at least once a year just to make sure you still can.

This is a Level 1 paddle. Cold Water gear is not needed at this time, though if you plan on doing some safety practice you may want to bring some sort of wet suit. (I will probably bring a light neoprene jacket to put on for rescue practice)

IMPORTANT: Kayak Skirts are not required but can be fun to wear. If you do not have a Wet Exit Certification you cannot wear a Kayak Skirt (by club rules).

More Information on Wet Exit Certification (WEC).:

The Wet Exit Certification is a process and the certifiers are trained to coach you through it. The purpose of the WEC is to demonstrate that you can safely get out of your boat, when wearing a Spray Skirt, should you flip over and then, with help, get back in again.. There have been instances of people not understanding how to remove their spray skirts during an emergency and the club takes the viewpoint that it is better to face these things during a fun training than during some unexpected spill.

We will conduct the WEC close to shore. You will be paired with a WEC certifier and there will be at least one other safety boat standing by to observe. You will be coached through the process of:
Flip over.
While upside down in your boat, remove your spray skirt.
Come out of your boat while keeping hold of your paddle and your boat (the boat being more important)
Flip your boat back over in preparation of being rescued.
Hold onto the boat of the rescuer while they drain your boat and position it for your reinsertion.
Get back into your boat while it is held in place by the rescuer.

Then, after you have a little rest. You do it a second time.
After that, if you are having fun, you can try to rescue the rescuer. I encourage this as it gives you a chance to get even and have your WEC certifier flip over.

Note that to do this you must bring with you a Spray Skirt that fits you and the boat you are paddling. This spray skirt must attach to the boat using the elastic edges of the skirt tucking under the cowling of your cockpit. If you are unsure about sizing, talk to any of the paddle shops in the area that sell kayak gear. Portland Kayak is just around the corner from our launch site and they can help you out.

When you sign up for this trip make sure and get a “WEC Candidate” ticket, so we know to plan for you.

Do you need a boat: I might be able to bring you a boat to use for the paddle and WEC purposes. Contact me directly via email through the website

Meeting Time: 5:15:00 PM
Launch Time: 5:45:00 PM
Type of activity: Paddle Trip
Put in: Willamette Park Boat Ramp Portland
Take out: Same
Route Alternative for bad weather: Hide in the lee of Ross Island or go up river to west side floating homes
Required equipment:
Minimum Immersion protection: None
Primary Organizer: Jon Light-Powell
Co-Organizer(s): Joseph Skudlarek
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: 13 with TO safety boat
I certify that I understand and will conduct this activity in accordance with the OOPS Activity Policy: Yes
Estimated Air Temperature: 74
Estimated Water Temperature: 68
Estimated Water Time (including breaks/lunch): 2 hours
Tide times & heights:
event time height
high feet
8:18am 2.6
9:19pm 2.48
low feet
3:45am 0.79
4:30pm 0.39
Current information: less than 1 knot
Hazards:
Wind strength: Level 2: 7-12 knots (14 mph) – wind noticeably effects movement of paddle
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 1: Up to 6 miles
Open crossing: Level 1: Less than 0.5 miles
Paddling Environment:
Overall rating: Level 1
Rating Comments: Wind may come up in the evening. Usually dissipates around 8:00.
Location: Willamette Park Portland Boat Ramp
Photos (Optional):
COVID-19 Status of Trip: Participants of this trip may, or may not, be vaccinated for Covid-19
Tide Station: Morrison Bridge
Link to map of route (Optional)

Oregon Ocean Paddling Society
Portland, Oregon