Puffin Cafe & Lady Island Circumnavigation L2

Full Name: Teresa George
Activity Title: Puffin Cafe & Lady Island Circumnavigation L2
Date of Activity: 3/30/2024
Narrative:
We’ll launch out of Chinook Landing Marine Park (off NE Marine Drive) and paddle across the Columbia River to Lady Island where we’ll head upriver to the east end of the island. From there we’ll wander up the Washington side of the Columbia just a bit further to the Washougal/Camas boat launch where we’ll paddle up to our dockside lunch spot! No pre-packed peanut butter and jelly sandwich needed for this paddle! On this day, we’ll visit the Puffin Cafe (on the docks!) and enjoy lunch at this cute little floating establishment! We can tie our boats up right next to the cafe and enjoy lunch in the marina! They have both indoor and outdoor seating and hopefully we can get there before the Saturday lunch rush. After our meal, we’ll head downriver and follow the Washington side of the Columbia as it goes under Highway 14. We’ll enjoy the lazy water of the Camas Slough as we paddle around the back side of Lady Island completing our circumnavigation. Our last section of the paddle will be a return crossing of the Columbia as we head back to Chinook Landing on the Oregon side.

If you want to preview the menu for the Puffin Cafe in advance you can look it up at www.puffincafe.com. The website indicates that they serve “Caribbean inspired cuisine” and they appear to have many excellent food choices on the menu. Please bring something to use to secure your boat to the dock at the marina while we enjoy our early lunch. There is limited dock space there so we’ll want to leave our boats in the water so they aren’t in the way or a trip hazard to other customers visiting the cafe. Oh, it’s easier to split the lunch bill using cash so please have some along.

We will meet at the west end of the parking lot nearest the restrooms at 8:30am so we can all be ready for the safety talk at 9:15am and on the water by 9:30am. There is a $5.00 parking fee at Chinook Landing Boat Ramp. You can either pay at the kiosk as you enter or there is another kiosk nearest the boat ramp. Port-a-potties are available near the boat launch as well. The boat ramp may be a busy place on Saturday morning so please try to park off to the side if you are unloading a kayak. The ramp on the left (as you are looking at the water) seems to be the least busy. Please be mindful of other boaters as they also try to access the ramp.

The weather forecast is predicting a sunny day, with a high of 67 degrees and light, variable winds. We’ll have a few different options to deal with winds and we can alter the route if needed so make sure you bring some snacks just in case we don’t stop for lunch. Our mileage for the day is expected to be around 8 - 10 (miles).
Meeting Time: 8:30:00 AM
Launch Time: 9:30:00 AM
Type of activity: Paddle Trip
Put in: Chinook Landing Marine Park, 5201 NE 223rd Ave, Fairview, OR
Take out: Same
Route Alternative for bad weather: Chinook Landing to Government Landing RT or TBD
Required equipment:
Minimum Immersion protection: Drysuit
Primary Organizer: Teresa George
Co-Organizer(s): Tom Waldron
Has organizer paddled here before? Yes
Has organizer led an OOPS paddle here before? Yes
Organizer's first aid and CPR current? Yes
First Aid /CPR Person:
Maximum number of paddlers: 8
I certify that I understand and will conduct this activity in accordance with the OOPS Activity Policy: Yes
Estimated Air Temperature: 67
Estimated Water Temperature: 45
Estimated Water Time (including breaks/lunch): 4-5 hours
Tide times & heights: Low @ 4:36am 0.7, high @ 9:49am 3.0, low @ 6:17pm 0.8
Current information: 2 knots
Hazards: Shipping traffic
Wind strength: Level 2: 7-12 knots (14 mph) – wind noticeably effects movement of paddle
Swell/Surf size: Level 2: Waves up to 2', no breaking waves
Sea state: Level 2: Waves up to armpit; light to moderate chop, scattered whitecaps
Landing types: Level 2: Frequent landing opportunities including docks or moderate sloping banks, brush or overhanging trees
Currents: Level 2: Mild currents (up to 2 knots): current increases / decreases group speed by half
Total distance: Level 2: 6 to 11 miles
Open crossing: Level 1: Less than 0.5 miles
Paddling Environment:
Overall rating: Level 2
Rating Comments: Wind is always an unpredictable factor on the Columbia River. While the forecast is for light and variable winds, be prepared for that to change without warning.
Location: Chinook Landing Marine Park, 5201 NE 223rd Ave, Fairview, OR
Photos (Optional):
COVID-19 Status of Trip: Participants of this trip may, or may not, be vaccinated for Covid-19
Tide Station: Washougal, WA