paddling

Load up your canoe or kayak for a springtime paddle!  Paddler and naturalist staff will lead this group trip in search of birds, otters, turtles, and osprey.  $5 suggested donation, suitable for adults and teens 12, pre-registration requested.

You must bring your own canoe or kayak and lifejacket to participate in this paddle trip. NO equipment is available to borrow from the Council.

Join us in our mission to protect, enhance, restore and revitalize the Slough and its watershed by joining our Volunteer Paddle Team!

Each year the Columbia Slough Watershed Council hosts dozens of educational paddling events that expose adults and children to the wonders of the Columbia Slough. We're seeking novice to advanced paddlers who would like to volunteer to assist with our Twilight Paddles, Slough School kids' paddles and our summer festivals. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

*      Assist staff members with canoe and kayak-based educational and recreational activities

*      Monitor and lead volunteers in the paddling area at events

*      Facilitate safe, inclusive on-water activities with kids and adults

*      Perform routine maintenance on boats and paddling equipment

Minimum Qualifications

*      Novice to advanced canoeing and kayaking skills

*      Strong communication, teamwork and leadership skills

*      Able to work in variable outdoor conditions, sometimes cold and/or rainy and dark

*      Able to take direction and initiative, provide leadership when needed

*      Able to lift 30 pounds overhead

Details and Registration

View of the full position description for application information and for instructions on how to register for our April 11th and April 16th trainings.

The Council has a lot of other volunteer opportunities, too. Check 'em out!

Once again Tualatin Riverkeepers are hosting a canoe & kayak race for elected officials on the Tualatin River. Being an election year, we are opening up the event for candidates who are on the ballot. This is a fun event and spectators can rent a canoe or kayak after the race is over. Call your mayor, city councilor, school board member, county commissioner, governor, senator or representative and urge them to get in the race. Racers should arrive by 7:30am at the Cook Park Boat Ramp.

Birdfest and Bluegrass Nature Festival brings weekend of discovery Oct. 4th & 5th, invitation to explore the beauty of nature and wonders of our ecoregion.
RIDGEFIELD, WA - Again this year, on Saturday and Sunday, October 4th & 5th, 2014, Birdfest and Bluegrass offers the chance to discover nature right in the Portland metro area's own backyard, with a weekend packed with activities for visitors of all ages and interests. The annual festival is a celebration of the fall migration and opportunity to experience wildlife of the region and local history firsthand. Leading names in bluegrass provide musical accompaniment. Ridgefield with its small-town charm is a just a 25-minute drive from Portland. One of the festival's signature events is the opportunity to observe sandhill cranes fly in and out of their night roost in a special sanctuary that is otherwise closed to the public. Admission to the refuge is free during Birdfest and Bluegrass. Activities include guided bird and nature walks, live bird shows, tours of Cathlapotle Plankhouse, demonstrations of Native American life and traditions, and a salmon bake with samplings on Sunday. Children can learn about nature and have fun at the craft stations, storytelling tent and at the Audubon Society's live bird show. Special offerings on both days include guided kayak and canoe tours, Kiwa Trail tour and the spectacular sandhill crane tours at dawn and dusk. These tours are offered on a limited basis and fill quickly, with reservations and fees required. For more information and a schedule of events, go to www.ridgefieldfriends.org.

Join the Estuary Partnership for a family friendly evening paddle aboard a 34' canoe on the beautiful Columbia River. Paddlers will see several Columbia River islands and a host of native birds. Estuary Partnership staff will be on the canoe to steer, offer paddling advice, and share information about the Columbia River ecosystem.

Who can paddle?
Big Canoe trips are open to the public. Children ages 5 and up and adults are welcome. Previous paddling experience is not necessary. We can often accommodate paddlers with special needs with advance notice. Paddlers must be able to stepdown 2.5 feet into the canoe and sit on a wooden bench for over an hour.

Registration Required