KAYAKING THE OREGON COAST
The natural beauty of the Oregon coast continues to draw visitors from all over the world. Many are hoping to kayak amongst the natural beauty that the Oregon coast offers! In this post we will explore a few options. We will give you some tips on how to get started to safely kayak the many water way passages, bays and estuaries on the Oregon coast.
WHERE TO KAYAK
The Oregon coast has an abundance of bays, estuaries, and water way passages to explore that are great for kayaking. We recommend hiring a tour guide to help you learn how to safely navigate the area you will be kayaking in. Tour guides know the bays and estuaries and when and where they can safely kayak. Kayak tour guides also know how to navigate the tides, wind, and other hazards you may encounter. There are many kayak tour guides up and down the Oregon coast, but here’s a short list of popular options. Most of the tour guides provide all the equipment and transport it to and from the launch location so you don’t have to worry about bringing or renting your own kayak and gear.
- Northern Oregon Coast Kayak Tillamook…Tillamook County
- Central Oregon Coast Safari Town Surf Kayak Adventures
- Southern Oregon Coast South Coast Tours
The bays and estuaries provide lots of wildlife viewing opportunities as well as beautiful scenery. Exploring the Oregon coast by kayak is an adventure that you won’t soon forget. Many visitors come back again and again for the peace and tranquility.
Since most of the bays and estuary guided kayak tours are tide based, you will want to check the tour times with the tour guide you choose to make sure it works with your schedule. Often times there’s only one time slot available for tours, and that time changes daily.
Kayak tours are a great way to bond with family and friends, and it’s also a great team building activity for clubs and work parties.
OPEN OCEAN KAYAKING
The open ocean on the Oregon coast is often rough, dangerous, and not for the unexperienced. There are however some protected coves and headlands that may offer some protection from the wind and block some of the swell depending on the weather and swell direction. Experienced kayakers know about these places. They monitor the marine forecasts and take advantage of these areas when it’s safe to do so.
The open ocean is a different story! It’s often rough and unrelenting. The mariners report for combined seas and swell forecasts in the fall ,winter, and most of spring is typically in the ten to twenty foot range. That is not safe for kayaking!
There are days in the summer and early fall when the swells gets down to to the two to three foot range and with favorable winds experienced kayakers will venture out into the mighty pacific. If that’s something you wish to do you will need to get some training first!
We recommend getting trained and or certified for open ocean kayaking before attempting to kayak in the open ocean. Most open ocean kayakers wear wet suits, or dry suits. You will need to take classes to learn how to handle dangerous situations such as getting flipped upside down, so you will have the skills and confidence to handle difficult, and dangerous situations. All of this should be practiced before hand so it’s second nature while out in the ocean.
Most visitors are more than happy to kayak in the bays, rivers and estuaries. If you still think you’d like to venture out into the open ocean make sure to do so safely and get the training you’ll need to be safe! It’s a whole different world out there and it is incredible! You’ll just need to be willing to put the time in to learn when, where, and how to kayak out there safely.
Resources
Learn to read a NOAA Buoy Forecast for the area you will be kayaking so you can monitor when the conditions will be safe for your skill level. If in doubt, don’t go out! For open ocean kayak training and certification contact ACA (American Canoe Association). They will have a schedule of classes and instructors in the state of Oregon.
Pacific Coast Kayaking also offers classes and instruction for sea kayaking in Oregon.
