In springtime, when the waters of the Columbia River are high, you can kayak over what’s dry land in summer. This means squeezing between trees half-submerged trees and paddling over logs. Or, if that seems too hard to navigate, kayaking Scappoose can mean sticking to open water.

Kayaking between trees

Where to rent?

My first experience renting kayaks from Next Adventure’s Scappoose Bay Paddling Center happened during this high water. Since I wanted to go out on a Saturday, I called ahead to reserve two kayaks for my cousin and me. When we got there, the rental process was easy. We signed a waiver and left a driver’s license for collateral. My favorite part of the waiver was the stipulation that if they had to come looking for us they’d charge a minimum of $100. Not having the most reliable sense of direction, having my cousin as an escort might have saved me at least $100.

How’s the water?

The water was flat, the paddling easy. We saw a bunch of herons, one bald eagle, and heard the childlike screeches of peacocks on a nearby farm. Time passed so quickly. I could hardly believe we’d been out two hours. Scappoose is a peaceful place to paddle or just float, watch clouds and look for herons. The hardest part was getting out of the kayak and back onto the dock without tipping.

Our total cost for 2.25 hours was $33 each, which included the kayak, paddle and PFD. Kayaking Scappoose is a lovely, family-friendly outing from Portland. If you need instruction, Next Adventure offers group and private lessons, plus lots of outings. I’m hoping to join them for a nocturnal paddle this summer. They also rent SUPs and other types of watercraft.