Handling your boat in current is a core skill for anyone who expects to be paddling in open water around the Pacific Northwest. Starting or practicing in laminar, or straight-flow current is a good way to build skill and confidence toward handling turbulent current. Classic situations for turbulent current include around rocks, any water confluence, tide rips, or in Deception Pass flood/ebb. Not everyone finds these settings the best to practice their fundamental skills. The Skykomish Rive... More

Handling your boat in current is a core skill for anyone who expects to be paddling in open water around the Pacific Northwest. Starting or practicing in laminar, or straight-flow current is a good way to build skill and confidence toward handling turbulent current. Classic situations for turbulent current include around rocks, any water confluence, tide rips, or in Deception Pass flood/ebb. Not everyone finds these settings the best to practice their fundamental skills. The Skykomish River at moderate flow provides miles of opportunity to paddle in fairly predictable current, while the river does most of the work getting from launch to landing. Like any steady current, rivers offer their own hazards. But this stretch is easily manageable in any seaworthy kayak, so long as the paddler keeps their composure. Along the way is some decent river scenery, and perhaps an eagle or other raptor, so you might leave your salmon hat at home. Effective use of ferry angle requires building “muscle memory” to work with the moving water, rather than fighting against it. With that in mind, we will work on using ferry angle to maneuver in current, both when pointing upstream and downstream. Likewise edging is different in cross-current – very important in current but a bit different feel than in flat water. We will also practice some turns. While this seems basic, a sweep turn is a very different experience in cross-current. If you want to practice your roll, try broadside and 45 degrees to the current. This is the beginning of developing your “pool roll” into something you can rely on in conditions where there is potential for actually needing your roll – an unplanned capsize. A suitable water helmet is strongly recommended for roll practice in current, particularly in a river. And probably a hood under the helmet. Whitewater boats are welcome if you are up for a paddle workout, but the intent of this trip is to work on skills for the long boats (sea kayaks). Like Goldilocks, for this trip we need the Skykomish river flow to be “just right”. Measured on the Gold Bar river gauge, we are looking for river flow between 5000 and 14,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). This range is fairly common during spring snowmelt season. River flow in cfs can be read on the right side scale at: http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?lid=GLBW1 Unlike the balmy water of Puget Sound, river water during spring is day-old snowmelt. The water is extremely cold. Dress in appropriate immersion gear with adequate insulation. Remember we are mostly riding the current, rather than using 100% paddler power. Meet by 9:00am at the takeout, which is Lewis Street boat launch on the SE side of Monroe near the Hwy 203 bridge -- we will drop one or more vehicles there. Continue out Highway 2 to Sultan, where we will launch from Sportsmans Park (NW side of Hwy 2 bridge over Sultan River), at the confluence of the Sultan and Skykomish rivers.

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