My New Kayak!

In the Fall of 2008, we did a kayaking/mt. biking trip down in Moab, Utah on the White Rim and the Green River.  It was an epic adventure with lots of good paddling, biking and a 100 year flood that kept us camped in tents on the top of a mesa during the biggest thunderstorm I've ever been a part of.  One of the times in my life that I was really really afraid for my life.  I just knew that a lightening bolt was going to hit our tent.  The kayaking on the twisting Green River was so much fun! We survived and left Utah with a love of being on the river in a kayak.  

Mark bought a kayak from a friend about a year ago and has enjoyed a few forays out on the Willamette and other local waterways.  I've been a little slower to buy one, but we did this past week and christened it this week on a short evening ride on the Willamette.  I bought an Perception Essence 16.5 foot and I love it!  It glides through the water very nicely I must say.  It has a scag that pops out of the bottom of the boat and recesses when you are done.  Much nicer than the one on the exterior.

My maiden voyage was on a perfect warm late spring evening.  The sun had come out late in the day and there was no wind.  We rolled Mark's kayak out of the parking garage (where it is stored on a rented rack) and took mine off the top of the Suburban.  Mark pulled his on his new wheels and held one end of mine, while I held the other end of mine.  Quite a site.  We have a launch area at the river by our building.  It is steep and gravelly, so it was a little shaky getting the boats down the incline.  We launched in the cold water and glided across to Ross Island.  What an amazing feeling to be in the middle of a city of one million and feel so far away.  It was quiet all except for the songs of the birds on Ross Island.  We had a great rivers-eye view of our building and the others in the South Waterfront.  

We paddled along the Island and then crossed back to the other side of the river and made our way back up to the launch area.  We explored the pilings that are left from ship building operations from days gone by.  The creosote smell was strong!  Several Dragon Boat teams paddled by, including my good friend Kelly's team.

We wrangled the boats out and put them back in their rack snugged up against each other.  I see many more trips on this river out our window in our future!