New Kayaker in Oregon

Okay, so I am new at Kayaking. I have about 12 hours on flat water, not been dumped yet.

Next weekend (aug 3-5) I am going to the central Oregon coast (Newport) I need recommendations about where I can put in. Note that I am solo so where I put in is where I have to take out.

I need something more challenging than D-Lake but not white water.

Also any good places within a hours drive of Salem?



Thanks

Paddling Newport, Oregon
I have always thought that it would be fun to put in at the marina under the bridge and paddle all around that area. When you are finished, you can stop at the Rogue Brewery and quench your thirst.

Where Specifically?
Where are you specifically wanting to paddle - on a coastal river, inside Newport Harbor, along the coast, or …??

thanks
Being new at this I am looking for flat water, but something a bit more challenging than devils Lake at Lincoln City. I guess I am looking for a costal river or estuary.

Estuaries
Estuaries are especially interesting for flora and fauna.


  1. Check your tide tables

    http://vhost4.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/cho
  2. Check your weather
  3. With 12 hours and solo, just stay off of the ocean.
  4. Newport is large enough that there should be a tide current chart for the bay. You should look at that. It will give you an idea of current strength and directions (it won’t help for the estuary since big boat drivers can’t go there).
  5. Wear your pfd, let someone know where you are, etc.



    Low tide can strand you in a mudflat that you might not be able to walk out of…you may be sitting there for 6 hours if that happens. People have drowned in mudflats after trying to walk out. Tide changes will can create some pretty peppy currents in narrow channels in the marsh. The direction of the currents are not easy to predict.

Awesome Map of coast water trails
http://kayaktillamook.com/content/pages/map



" … The seven estuary systems in our service area offers six bays, and approximately 900 miles of tidally influenced river systems, intimate sloughs and backwater channels. … "



all around Tillamook … amazing …



http://kayaktillamook.com/content/pages/special-events



For a fun active recreational kayaking group in Portland that goes lots of places:



http://www.meetup.com/Kayak-Portland/


I’m new but…
I would stay where there are people. My “experienced” brother-in-law almost drowned at Sunset Bay yesterday.



I kayak alone too and am not waiting for anyone to show up to go with me. They never want to try anything fun so I go alone. I just take every precaution I can. I’m sure you know all this:)



denise near Roseburg OR

Thanks all.
Thanks for all the good advice. (And the links).



I have no desire to paddle in the ocean… at least for the moment. My craft is a rather humble “Old Town” “Dimension” “Escapade” that I bought at BI-Mart for 250$. It is short and fat. But it does fit in the trunk of my car with the back seat folded down and the trunk up. I plan on getting something a bit sleeker next summer… and a skirt and a pump etc.



I had not thought about the tides and the mud flat problem.



Denise wrote: ”I kayak alone too and am not waiting for anyone to show up to go with me. They never want to try anything fun so I go alone. I just take every precaution I can. I’m sure you know all this:)”



Thank You…My feelings exactly.



I have a feeling that the adventures have just begun,

check out Sea Kayaker magazine’s
"Deep Trouble", a compendium of all that can go wrong with post mortem. Some of the incidents are set in similar settings.



http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Kayakers-Deep-Trouble-Magazine/dp/0070084998