Loading up near Makah Bay. PHOTO: BRYAN SMITH
Makah Bay to Cape Alava
NEAH BAY, WASHINGTON 3 DAYS
Launching through the surf at Makah Bay is just the start of this coastal journey on Washington’s rugged coast. Good weather and small swell during summer months open up landings at Shi Shi Beach and further south. Part of the Olympic National Seashore, this stretch of coast is home to some of the most impressive sea stacks and rock gardens anywhere. —Bryan Smith
Cape Horn in the
Columbia River Gorge PHOTO: NEIL SCHULMAN
The Lower
Columbia River NORTHERN OREGON AND SOUTHERN WASHINGTON 1 TO 10 DAYS
Cruise 144 downstream miles from Bonneville Dam to the sea in the paddle strokes of Lewis and Clark. Or, pick a smaller section: The grassy, bird-filled wildlife refuges near Skamokawa, the cliffs of Cape Horn or the ocean-like training ground of swell, wind and currents closer to the Pacific. Watch out for big ships and big winds. Paddling this varied is hard to come by. Build street cred by “crossing the bar” where the Columbia’s current dissipates into the Pacific causing large standing waves. —Neil Schulman
Long Island
WILLAPA BAY, WASHINGTON 2 TO 4 DAYS
At Willapa Bay on Washington’s south coast, find 1,000-year-old cedars, great hiking
36 ADVENTURE KAYAK | SPRING 2011
trails and relaxed camping with a hunter- gatherer feel. Elk, bear and birds flourish on the island and at nearby river mouths. The bay dries out at low tide, revealing a feast of oysters and clams. If you’re there before April when shellfish beds close, bring your friends and your shellfish permits and have a seafood cook-off.—NS
Three Arch Rocks
TILLAMOOK, OREGON 1 DAY
There’s pretty, and then there’s stunning. Three Arch Rocks is stunning. It’s well worth learning the surf and rock garden skills you’ll need to play amongst giant arches, caves and tunnels. Paddle north to Maxwell Point and Cape Meares for a second helping. Head out early in the season, or better yet, look for a calm day in the fall. Three Arch Rocks is closed from May 1 to September 15 to protect wildlife, but Maxwell Point and Cape Meares are fair game. —NS
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