kayaks in the way

rwright · Joined: 01 Oct 2000 Posts: 2

This last Sunday, a few friends and I decided to do a downwind paddle from Viento to the Marina in our sea kayaks. Like everybody else on the river, we were enjoying the extra boost to the swells size that the strong currents this year are creating. As we made our way up river, we were greeted enthusiastically by many sailors who seemed to appreciate seeing other folks out on the river having fun with them. As a long time windsurfer (22 years so far), I was pleased and proud of the reception we were getting on the water. Until we got to the hatchery. There, we had to tolerate several hecklers yelling at us to get out of ‘their’ way, or to get off of ‘their’ river.

To the vast majority of sailors who so graciously represented the best of windsurfing while we worked our way upstream, thanks for being cool while our path on the river crossed your path on the river.

To the few bad apples who think they own any piece of our public waterways here in the great northwest, grow up, or go home. People who were raised here know that there is a long history and culture of public access to our waterways, which gives you and me the privilege to enjoy the river with all the other users who chose to join us. If your idea of windsurfing is to exert your dominance over some section of river, then you are missing the whole point of windsurfing.

Other than that, what a great day to be on the water!!!

jsampiero · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 677

I'm not a fan of localism by any means, but kayaking directly through the point at the Hatch could cause some serious hazards to you and the sailors. in a sit-downk kayak, you could be entirely invisible in between swells... it's more than feasible for a sailor to boost off a huge swell, and land squat on your head.

Share and enjoy the river, but at a known and established spot for high-performance sailing, I'd encourage kayakers to go wide. there's plenty of swell in other places.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I agree; one's "right" to be in a venue must be tempered with practical reality. In addition to Josh's observations, WSers simply aren't used to watching right and left while blasting forward. Bicycles may have a legal right to mix it up with rush-hour urban traffic, but it still ain't smart.

The PWC we used to see in Hatchery swell were being very careful, but the Sheriff still chased them away from the prime swell largely because of their mass and counter-grain direction of travel.

\m/

River-Lizard · Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Posts: 188

[quote="rwright" Until we got to the hatchery. There, we had to tolerate several hecklers yelling at us to get out of ‘their’ way, or to get off of ‘their’ river.
[/quote]

That sucks, but, uhh.... you didn't seriously paddle right through the main swell section just by the Hatch, did you? I mean, that would force the people windsurfing there to stop, and wait for you to clear out of the way, which kind of goes against your whole sharing the river in a blissful Nirvana scenerio. If you were close to the Oregon shore, then those windsurfers need to chill out. If you ran the gauntlet on the Hatchery side, well, what do you expect?

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Look at the bright side, a new thrill at Da Hatch: kayak jumping. Beats jumping the same old swell day after day after day.

Playing soccer or croquet in the Astrodome is fine, but I wouldn't try either during third quarter of the Superbowl any more than I would do a WFO downwinder from the tunnels to the HR sandbar on a windy Fourth of July on the north half of the river ... legal, but not real smart.

\m/

westender · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 1288 Location: Portland / Gorge

Too bad the lawn mowers can't figure out how to sail around you without getting their panties in a wad??? Reminds me of the people who get pissed off at bicyclists for the few seconds of inconvenience it causes them.

At Stevenson they have Canoe and Sailboat races cruising through the area and it hasn't been a problem.

trburl · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 196

Rolling en masse with a group of kayakers through the Hatchery on a busy day?

"OK, everyone at The Hatch, lets stop sailing while the kayakers come through".

Its not localism when you are poaching the local's wave, dropping in on them, and generally not obeying established, unwritten rules of the water.

Be happy you were windsurfing where the worst thing that will happen is a heckling. Try that at Seaside, Pipeline or Rincon and you would be wishing you just got heckled.

Its a big river, why cruize the spot where the best sailors are doing their thing? Thats bordering on being disrespectful and self-absorbed.

It is without question not very polite.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

srich · Joined: 19 May 2000 Posts: 22

I was one of the sailors that sailed around you quietly. You had every right to pass through and your yellow outfits were easy to see. It is nice to see other river users enjoying the water. I appreciated the spacing you left between the lead and trailing Kayackers. For me you were easyer than the kiters who were passing through but they were really no trouble either, just take more room than you guys. If a windsurfer can't see a kayaker in the water how will they see a down'ed sailer. Hope you had a nice paddle. I was out paddling with my kid at Drano a few hours later Sunday.

See you on the water!