While we love to focus attention on local California waters, we are equally excited when Cali Paddlers breach the borders of other states and explore. Thank you Maggie Adams of Blue Paddle SUP for sharing with us your recent experience paddling the Gorge on the Columbia River! time to add this experience to our bucket list!
Is the Wind Blowing?
Is it going to be windy tomorrow? That seems to be the question of the day when you are in Hood River, OR. On our first trek down to the river it was blowing, or “nuking.” Nuking = A very windy day! There were at least a 100 kiteboarders & windsurfers on the water. Usually when I paddle board, I don’t want it to be windy. It makes the water choppy, and I get tired when I have to paddle against it. But we were at the Columbia River to learn how to downwind on our stand up paddle boards, and compete in the Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge. For a downwinder on the Columbia River you need a West wind. Conditions are best when wind gusts are 20-30 kts.
