Re: [Paddlewise] Indian Country

The difficulties I had launching in the area of the confluence of the Lewis
River and the Columbia River in SW Washington State have been confirmed by
at least one other paddler. However I did manage to contact the Port of
Woodland, Washington this morning and the kind lady on the phone said that
the permit needed to use the nice sandy beach only costs $5 and lasts for
two years. The downside is that they want you to come in and fill out a
form. However, since I live 300 miles away she allowed as how they would
work with me over the mail.

If you do paddle this area be sure to have a printout of the journals kept
by the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition. These are all available
from http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu and make fascinating reading. They
are annotated with clarifying remarks to help correlate the journal entries
with present day geographical features and include not just the journal
writings of Lewis and Clark but other members of the expedition as well.
These other entries often provide interesting viewpoints.

I'd like to add that combining paddling with historic investigations is an
excellent way to keep your mind and body active at the same time. That there
are often interesting birds and animals to look at simply adds to the mix.
For me the combination of the family ties to the Chinook Nation, the fact
that the native Americans in this area used the water extensively, and the
knowledge of what was to follow makes traveling by kayak in this area
compelling. Having a State Park with utility campsites makes it easier by
giving me a comfortable base from which to move out and explore.

It's also interesting that few people who live in the area are familiar with
the historical aspects of the area. They take it for granted that the
geography they see is the same as it's always been. Even people living right
on the water in floating homes had little inkling that a Chinook village of
14 plankhouses existed only a mile away from where they live now. Or that
there were thousands of natives living within a few miles.

I highly recommend reading the journals if you live close to the route the
Lewis and Clark expedition took. The web site has all of them and some of
the illustrations (but not all, due to some sort of legal issue) from the
start of the expedition through the encampment in Oregon and on to the
finish. These guys really knew how to paddle!!!


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
www.nwkayaking.net
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