We had a wonderful staff trip on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. The days were sunny and we had a wonderful time. Check out this short video of the canoe, kayak, and rafting trip. Wish you all could have gone with us!
Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe
is getting ready for Spring with our
Bigger than EVER!!!
Annual Warehouse SALE!
March 20 – 31
Experience world class entertainment for a great cause…
Once again, Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe is bringing the Reel Paddling Film Festival to Portland!
This international film tour features the world’s best whitewater, sea kayaking and canoeing action and lifestyle films of the year! Enjoy twisting river canyons surging with whitewater, sea kayakers exploring remote coastlines, coast-to-coast canoe expeditions, international river travel films, motivating environmental documentaries, and hilarious short films capturing the lighter side of paddling life.
All proceeds benefit Willamette Riverkeeper’s work to protect and restore our Willamette River.
Get there early to enjoy LIVE MUSIC from local favorite TapWater, the first and only World Twang ensemble!
When: Thursday, April 8th; doors open @ 6pm, live music @ 6:30pm, films begin @ 7pm
Where: McMenamins Bagdad Theater & Pub, SE 37th & Hawthorne
Cost: $5, tickets available at the Bagdad Theater only (21 & over)
A whale of a tale: By Dave Slover One morning we went out on the SUP's, just a bunch of kids dorking around and adults happy to be happy. Just off shore were a mother Whale and her new baby. The baby's have to stay at the surface to breathe much more often so the mom's hang out and support them to keep them from sinking. As we paddled closer we could hear the inhale/exhale of their breathing and see their backs at the surface. Then we saw a tail in the classic dive move and assumed the show was over and they were moving on. Much to our surprise the mother whale did a full breach just a couple seconds later only about 100 yards out from us. WOW!!! A school bus flying out of the water that close is quite spectacular. Just to make sure we saw the whole thing she did it again a couple minutes later. This was a morning we will always remember.I can't wait for the weather to improve a bit so I can get back out paddling. At Alder Creek we will be sponsoring assorted "Paddle With the People" clinics on SUP this spring and summer. We'll also have demo days and Intro to SUP classes during the summer and will be adding them to the mix at our 18th Annual Paddle Festival on April 24th and 25th. We have boards for sale and available to rent in stock and ready to go.Stand Up Paddle Board
Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe :: A Basic Stand Up Paddle Board Lesson
By Dave Slover
Here are some basic things we learned from the week. SUP boards have a lot in common
with kayaks as far as basic hull design.
Surfing on a stand up paddle board
#1 The board should be at least a few liters of volume higher than the weight of the
rider. I weigh 235 lbs and there are only a few boards that are big enough for my
weight. My wife Suzi weighs 122 lbs, she can paddle all of the boards and finds just
about all of them stable. Suzi and my 80 lbs son Joey could tandem ride my board and
still have plenty of buoyancy leftover.
#2 Longer thinner boards (27″ – 29″ wide) are faster for a given volume but not as
stable. Wide boards (30″ to 33″ wide) are stable but slow going forward. Just like
kayaks.
#3 Surf boards are different than cruising boards are different than touring boards
are different than inflatable boards.
#4 Rocker profile (the banana shape of the hull) is important. Wave boards need nose
rocker and a thin tail with three fins, cruisers or touring boards need a wider tail
for stability rocker is not as prolific.
Stand Up Paddle Board Surfing With Dave Slover
#5 It is important to pick the correct board for the projected use that is sized
right for the user. When I get on a small board I fall off and get frustrated. When
Joey is on an adult board with too long a paddle he is unable to maneuver well or
travel efficiently or catch any waves.
#6 The paddle should be light, strong and about 6″ taller than the paddler.
#7 This is a great family sport/activity.
#8 Core body exercise is at the heart of SUP.
Stand Up Paddle Camp Maui, Hawaii - Jan 29 to Feb 7, 2010 By Dave SloverLast month we took our annual family vacation and went to Maui. Hawaii. There is nothing bad when you are talking Sunny skies, 80 degree temps and unlimited water sports. The Pacific Northwest is a wonderful place but a week in the sun is a great way to get relief from the gray winter doldrums. We rendezvoused at a condominium complex called Puamana in Lahaina. Our group consisted of 7 adults in our 30's and 40's and 7 kids aged 6 to 10. Since Alder Creek has just started carrying Surftech Stand Up Boards and Werner Stand Up Paddles we thought it would be a good idea to develop and refine our skills a bit and to see what this new "boating" "Surfing" "Exercise" phenomenon is all about. We rented 4 boards of assorted sizes, each had a different length, width, thickness and rocker profile. Our buddy Jim Miller from Werner paddles brought over the highest quality carbon spanker SUP Paddles in adjustable lengths. In Hawaii people do not use PFD's, but if you were going very far offshore it seems like it would be a good idea. We did not have to worry about neoprene for warmth but we did wear NRS hydrosilk shirts to protect us from the sun. During the week our group lost more than one pair of sunglasses and multiple hats to the surf zone.
Each day at camp we would get up and paddle for an hour or so of primarily flat-water exercise, skills building and family fun. We would then go to the local beach park and practice surfing in knee high waves. Everyone enjoyed the Stand Up paddling and found it easy to master. The kids would either go with a parent or two on a board. They loved it! If we had rented smaller boards, they would have been paddling and surfing right next to us. We had a couple of amazing experiences with whales up close and turtles swimming under our boards. The water is so clear and beautiful that you can see 20-30 feet down. We also found plenty of time to fit in outrigger canoeing, a 'Rigid Inflatable Boat' ride to snorkel and whale watch, hikes in the rainforest and even a forest zip line tour. For a week after our return home we were still exhausted, surely a sign that we had a lot of fun!
Jackson White water kayaks are designed to create a safer white water river runner and creek kayak. Take a look at this short film by Eric Jackson as he talks about this injury preventing bulkhead system. This system makes running white water in a kayak safer and more fun. This bulkhead system can be found in the Hero Series and Rocker Series by Jackson Kayak.
What our customers and friends like the most about this whitewater bulk head system is the ease of use. Since the bulkhead is based on a simple adjustment, rope and jam cleat, this makes for a comfortable system that is very very easy to use. The Uni-Shock Bulkhead by Jackson kayak is one of the best systems on the market today. Come into Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe to Demo a Jackson White Water Boat today!
