I started the trip at Cedar Park’s boat ramp on the Willamette River in West Linn, Oregon. My plan was to paddle by and visit a friend aboard his fishing yawl “Prospector” to see if he had left for Astoria for his summer moorage at Skpiannon.

My Yak - Cedar and Plywood frame mounted to a Northwest Seascape Point 5 – Limo tandem sea kayak and then covered it with marine canvass covering converting it to a long-range Sea Kayak capable of caring a full size guitar, laptop, dog, large Ice chest, folding lawn chase, latrine (marine head), and good food and drink I think you get the idea everything you would need at home.

Under sail in light morning breeze in the lagoon.

Quick lunch brake at Mary S. Young Park on a mud and sand beach it was a beautiful sunny day. There are many unimproved parks with beaches that dot the Lower Willamette River between Willamette Falls in Oregon City and Portland.

The “Contraption” as my wife fondly calls my sailing yak and the Captain me.

Oops dropped the camera in the water.

Diesel powered Chinook war canoe used to educate students about the area and its history.

Friends fishing yawl at the dock and way in the distance is Willamette Falls and the historic Oregon City bridge is in between. The bridge is finished in gahnite so the acidy fumes from the paper plant will not corrode the metal supports. Only one commercial truck or bus can pass over the bridge at a time.

My friend Link on the deck of his fishing yawl “Prospector” getting ready to take her down to Astoria for fishing season if there is one.

Willamette Falls Locks is the oldest navigational locks in the United States built in 1873 so large vessels could pass around the mighty Willamette Falls. There are plans to close the leaky and outdated lock system completely.

Willamette Fall’s was the most upward domain of the Chinooks Indians who fished along these falls for over ten thousend years. It is still popular with Sports Fisherman today.

I wonder if the Chinook Indians would recognize Willamette Falls today.
(Distant Photo matching above photo)

Are old friends at the jet boat company showing out of town tourist the best scenic views of the Portland Metropolitan area.

Sportcraft is conveniently located on the water at the base of the I-205 Bridge they have cold beverages, snacks, and Kayak/Canoe rentals. Sportcraft is easy to find the famed late sculptor Jerry Joslin’s Chinese Junk sailboat he painstakingly restored and used as an art studio is moored right out front.

Clackamas River Park is just down stream and offers sportsman’s a place to camp and do some fishing within an urban city.

Apparently the fishing is good I wish I could say the same for the Lower Columbia and coastal runs.

The backside of Goat Island is a great place to view wildlife like this Blue Heron Rookery.

I only reached an average speed of 1.9 knots over the seven mile round trip and 2.5 last trip I may need to retire this barge of a Yak it has been a long, long hot day.
Happy Paddling!

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