August 27, 2001

Folbots on the Columbia River

Thursday, August 23, five of us Folboters (one clothed in a hardshell) gathered at the boat ramp in Rainier, Oregon, dodging aggressive Chinook fishers and angry rain. After a long drive to set up a shuttle at the takeout at Aldrich Point, near Brownsmead, Oregon, the other four lunched in warm comfort in a local greasy spoon. I finished up tasks and stood guard over Peter's Aleut, Mike's Kodiak, John/Matt's sexy Super, and my heathen hardshell.

By the crack of one o'clock, we were on the water, streaming with the current, and soon under the Longview Bridge, Peter and the Super boys actually through one of the support structures! Favorable current and wind put us into a backwater channel on the Oregon side of our target island (Walker), and not long after we took the bottom of Walker around to the shipping channel side, shopping for the absolutely best campsite. No table appeared, so we had to settle for scenery and a nice, steep beach. An easy seven miles.

An hour or two later saw dinner in preparation as we lazed on damp forest litter, and Mike fished. By dark most of us were ready for beddie-bye, disturbed only by the racket (at 1 am) of a downbound paddlewheel steamer, and intense sodium vapor lights from Longview's mills.

Overnight a gentle mist spattered us (the only precipitation we had on this trip), making the morning packup a little slower.

The 24th was the money day, so we hit the water early, gunkholing the OR shore past a picturesque, rotting gillnet shed and several wing dams, some the nesting perches for osprey. Soon the upper end of Dead Wild Pig Island appeared, and we snared the upper end for a break. John counseled us into a slide down the WA shore of this island so we could check out the "backup" campsites. One good one was spotted, a hundred yards upstream from a pair of stranded damsels, to whom we nodded and went on. Our desired site on the Oregon side of this island was occupied, so we backtracked to the backup. A few hefty heaves from the five strong boys and two strong damsels, and their boat was afloat. Then we felt justified in making camp amongst the cottonwoods and willows where others had set up several tables of driftwood. About ten miles of river travel.

Tents up and gear stowed, the Aleut (Peter) and the Super (John/Matt) made the journey south, down Wallace Slough and up the Clatskanie River, to join the oncoming throng of nine: Rich (Folcraft/Featherbot) and Gia (Kodiak) from Corvallis OR, AnnC (Aleut) from MA, hardsheller Tina the Bentobabe from Portland OR, Andy and Jerry (G II) from Salem OR and Bakersfield CA, Brian (another hardsheller) from Seattle, and Rich and UnMi (G II) from Tacoma WA.

'Round four o'clock, the throng arrived at camp, just in time for a massive freighter wake thrash. Intensive tenting and food preparation ensued. Tina got her guacamole, I got my chips and salsa, and serious munching began. Tamales, instant chili, mexican rice, wow! this group can eat! and other delectables disappeared. More freighters and an upriver paddlewheeler livened the evening, some (Corvallis Rich in command) jabbering into the late hours.

The 25th, Dave the stern taskmaster banged on tent poles at 6:20 am, and by 9:15 we were on the water, pushing the last of a gentle morning fog away. Down the Washington shore past channel markers and vertical gardens (some, poison oak), all of us drifted, tailwind and current assisting, to aptly-named Cape Horn. Peter split off early so he could make a quick return to the Bay area. Gia and Corvallis Rich sprinted ahead, eventually sidetripping down an interior channel of Puget Island, while the main batch took a broader route (the Cathlamet Channel) in sun on flat water. Cathlamet WA the village passed by, and we all congregated some 11 miles later on the upriver shore of Tenasillahee Island, a broad expanse of dredge spoil sand salted with scotch broom, willows, and cottonwoods.

Most trudged to the distant treeline for its shelter and driftwood tables to camp, and a few took the river's edge for the scenery and its cool waters. Before dinner, most had swum in the river. Mike fished and fished, but did not catch. Heat descended on us, leavened by minute amounts of beer.

Eventually Tina produced more chicken and dumplings than we could eat, Brian divulged a salad, and Gia made curry on cous cous. Tina's nut bars filled the small gaps remaining while others stargazed. I had a lumpy night, the product of a poor choice of ground, but judging from the incredible snores, others had no problems.

Sunday the 26th we lazed and ate (I made pancakes), hoping a band of Tenasillahee fairies would haul our gear to the beach. None appeared, so it was not until 11 am that we departed. The vanguard took a longer route, eventually paralleling our island and the shipping channel for a couple miles, and cutting the next one downstream through the middle (nice, bayou-type banks), yielding a view of Quinn Island, the last one before our takeout. This larger bunch beat the wind on a hasty thrust down the Oregon side (Clifton Channel and Prairie Channel) to Aldrich Point. About seven miles, give or take one.

I joined the three who launched late for an incredible lunch on a muddy islet between Tenasillahee and Welch islands, at the downstream end of the Red Slough. Thanks to Gia, Rich (the Corvallis one), and Ann for the olives, smoked salmon, bread, chocolate, etc.! We four braved the now-howling winds outside, pushing slowly against the air, eventually gaining some lee against the Oregon side, dodging deadheads and rocks, to come up on a nearly vacant beach at Aldrich Point some two hours later.

John Haide soon had me shuttled back to my vehicle in Rainier, Oregon, and not long after four of us hit a nasty logger restaurant for sumptuous grilled oysters (somebody had a double order -- hope they all worked), coffee, and pie.

Our statistics: Thirty-five miles covered, two acres of skin sunburned, a couple cases of potables consumed, tons of fun, and a few dozen blisters acquired. Three hardshells, one folder of Canadian origin, two Aleuts, two Kodiaks, one Super, and two Greenland II's.

Ya shoulda been there!
---
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR

Copyright 2001 by Dave Kruger.
May not be reproduced or redistributed without author's permission.
Originally posted on Paddlewise mailing list on 8/27/2001.
Republished here with permission.