New Canoe Enthusiast Ready to Learn and Share!

Hi everyone!

I’m excited to join this community after lurking for a while and soaking up all the incredible knowledge here. My name’s Daisy, and I’m based in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been paddling for about two years, mostly on calm lakes and slow-moving rivers, but I’m eager to expand my skills and explore more challenging waters.

I currently paddle a Old Town Discovery 158 and have been working on perfecting my J-stroke and solo maneuvering. My favorite trip so far was a 3-day excursion on the Willamette River last summer—though I’ll admit I capsized trying to navigate my first minor rapid (lesson learned: respect the current!).

I’m especially interested in learning more about reading river conditions and lightweight gear for overnight trips, and I’d love to hear your hard-earned wisdom. Also happy to share my own (mis)adventures if they’re helpful to others!

Looking forward to contributing and maybe even meeting some of you on the water someday. Thanks for having me!

Questions to spark discussion:

• What’s one piece of advice you wish you’d known as a beginner?
• Any must-visit paddling destinations in Oregon/Washington?

I used to live near Seattle and got into canoeing when my then girlfriend (now wife) got me to go on a trip with her to Ross Lake [1]. I'm still very much a beginner canoeist but it was was so much fun (despite some portage induced tears) that we went back for another trip shortly thereafter [2]. There's lots of backpacking in the area so use the canoe trip as a chance to visit the islands and boat-in sites on the lake's east side. The other particularly fun thing to do is exploring up the arms of the lake under those well known bridges. The scene is so different from down below.

[1] https://isaactakesahike.com/2021/06/10/ross-lake-by-canoe-may-29-june-1-2021/
[2] https://isaactakesahike.com/2021/10/18/return-to-ross-lake-july-2-5-2021/

Potholes Reservoir, Wenatchee Lake, Roosevelt Lake when you are ready.
Lower Skagit River. There are a few other West Side rivers that are canoeable for beginners in their lower reaches, Skykomish, Stillaguamish, Cowlitz, Kalama etc. Check guide books. You can paddle salt water in protected waters of Puget Sound. Just wear PFDs and dress for immersion due to cold water.

On the East Side lower Wenatchee, lower Methow, lower Yakima Rivers.
Find a canoe club.
Avoid places like Lake Chelan and Ross Lake with big afternoon winds and lots of rock faces with nowhere to get off the water.

Hi Daisy, I was pretty much self taught by reading two books. Bill Mason's "Path of The Paddle" and Cliff Jacobsons "Expedition Canoeing"

Daisy L. said:

I’ve been paddling for about two years, mostly on calm lakes and slow-moving rivers, but I’m eager to expand my skills and explore more challenging waters.

• What’s one piece of advice you wish you’d known as a beginner?
• Any must-visit paddling destinations in Oregon/Washington?

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Hi, Daisy,
My advice? Take canoeing lessons. I read books and watched videos, which helped, but it wasn't until I took a two-day canoeing lesson that I really felt comfortable and more confident paddling a canoe. I've been paddling for 35 years and still take lessons now and then.

Ppine gave you some good ideas for places to canoe but I'd be hesitant to canoe the lower Methow or Wenatchee Rivers until you're more confident. Paddlers have drowned on those stretches of river. But you might enjoy the lower Okanogan River, especially where it flows into Lake Pateros, a Columbia River reservoir.

Just like the others have said that water is cold so start saving for a dry suit. Probably plenty being sold on FB in your area.

Welcome! Waldo lake in Oregon is a must see. Ross/Diablo Lakes in the North Cascaes are great as well but as @ppine states, it can be dangerous. I have capsized in a windstorm on Ross.

The Yakima from Ellensburg to the Rosa dam is basically a slow float. Lots of tubes and rafts in the summer as well as fly fishing. The lower section from about Benton city to the Columbia River is known as the Tapteal Water Trail. You can google it for maps and information. The Yakima between these areas is not for beginners.

What part of the PNW are you from?

Welcome to the campfire Daisy. Pull up a stump and stay awhile.
Jim

Welcome, Daisy!

I don't have any input for the PNW, other than I want to visit BC and do the Bowron Lakes Circuit.

I really wish I would have known (believed) there is no one canoe that is truly great for all paddling.

I also wish I would have started building my gear stash from lightweight to heavy, not heavy to light.

Daisy L. said:

My name’s Daisy, and I’m based in the Pacific Northwest.

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Daisy, please carefully read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! Also, because canoeing is a geographic sport, please add your location to the Account Details page in your profile, which will cause it to show under your avatar as a clickable map link.

Daisy L. said:

My favorite trip so far was a 3-day excursion on the Willamette River last summer

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What section of the Willamette did you run?

Hi Daisy, welcome to the trip.
My recommendation is to learn slowly and safely. Work on one control stroke at a time of the many available to you, then combine or link strokes to control your canoe making it do your wishes on the water with precision. Stay on flat non moving water until you are comfortable with basic control skills before trying out your increasing ability on slow moving water.

I highly recommend that you view an excellent training video by Caleb Davis, canoe and paddle maker, and flat water instructor of solid basic skills for many years.

Welcome aboard Daisy.

I think you'll learn more quickly if you take some instruction or at least find an experienced mentor that you can paddle with occasionally. I recommend that you contact americancanoe.org and freestylecanoeing.com (.org?). Freestyle teaches the same strokes used in river paddling snd it's done on calm water so it's one great way to learn some basics. Americancanoe.org has a class schedule and I see some classes offered in Eugene. Just one or two classes go a long way.

I paddle almost exclusively on rivers. I hope you pay close attention to your safety plan...there are some good checklists on the americancanoe site. I'm no safety zealot but I'm amazed at how badly people underestimate the dangers of rivers. Personally I think you need enough confidence in your swimming skills that if you end up in the water you won't panic and potentially make a bad decision.

For river paddling I think you also need a good backstroke so you can just stop and even back up if you need to re-evaluate your path, and you need one or two steering strokes...the bow draw is especially effective since it both turns the boat and slows it down. I'm curious how you managed to fall out...and will just mention that if you hit an obstacle like a big rock you have to lean towards the obstacle or you can get knocked out of the boat.

If there is anything specific you want to know about reading a river please ask. I'll mention that the fastest, deepest, most dangerous water is usually on the outside of a bend and that's also where floating trees end up so you might get in the habit of staying towards the inside of bends to help avoid getting caught up in fast current that drives you towards sunken trees and may force you to panic.

Cheers!

In my experience, yes, I have tipped and "fallen out" of a canoe, mainly by breaking my own rules and by being stupid. I believe what happens is you lean badly, such as when trying to pick up something in the water, which may be aggravated by trying to turn in seat to look behind you, then you lose your balance and tip beyond primary and then beyond secondary stability of the canoe design. As you feel yourself losing balance and going over you may reach to grab the opposite gunwale and either pull it over with you, or you simply fall out overboard. You may be surprised, as you are flailing around in the water to see that your canoe remains dry and completely upright (or not, if you have grabbed the gunwale and taken it with you). Hitting an unexpected obstacle may similarly cause a loss of balance with concerquences if you are not prepared.

Even worse is if you do it with an audience, such when grabbing a blown off hat as you are with a group of Boy Scouts who you are supposedly training how to handle a canoe. Don't ask me how I know all of this.

On that note, Daisy, learn how to do a brace - the sooner the better.

And welcome. Since you mentioned the Willamette, I assume you would find the Soggy Sneakers paddler's guide to Oregon's rivers very useful.