Underused Lower Columbia kiting locations

4Stringer/KipWinger · Since 27 Apr 2005 541 Posts Hood River Addicted

WOODLAND:
I've been surprised how much more popular Sauvies Island is for kiting relative to Woodland over on the Washington side. Woodland is probably just as close for many Portlanders and it's a great place to kite. Fact is, I've never kited there with anyone else. To get there, you take the Woodland dike exit, keep going until you get to the river, the road goes left (South) along the river, then you turn right at...I think it's called 'Lion's Gate' Park. The wind is generally better at Woodland than at Kalama (which seems to get a lot more use by kiters) and is probably comparable to the wind at Sauvies.

JONES BEACH...ISLAND:
I grew up in Rainier, so I've had the chance to check-out some promising spots near Clatskanie. A short kayak paddle from Jones Beach around to the channel side of Wallace Island (it's the island upriver or downwind from Jones), there's a nice sandy and shallow cove which is absolutely perfect for teaching or making some buttery smooth turns-in yourself. I've imagined camping there; steelhead fishing in the a.m., then teachin' the Ms. in the early afternoon, then gettin' my kite going later.

SKAMOKOWA:
Take highway 4 west out of Longview and past Cathlamet. There's a cool park right on the river which offers camping. The wind is generally a bit lighter than at Jones Beach, but that is often a good thing. Check it out.

SEWER TREATMENT PLANT CHURN IN RAINIER:
...Just kidding

Anybody else have any other spots to add?

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Prescott Beach:
About halfway inbetween Sauvies turn off and Jones Beach. Its good when it gets too hot for Sauvies to go. Sandy launch, though not as much room as Sauvies. Also there's usually a bit of a wind shadow on the inside.

I have been powered on a 12m there when Sauvies was glassy. Watch the Jones sensor for some indicator of how well its going.

http://www.kitebeaches.com/kitebeaches/viewspot.php?id=1475

kt · Since 16 Mar 2005 761 Posts Portland, Or Opinionated

a couple of friends and i were out at jones last year and noticed that some guys were kiting on the washington side, up wind(down river) of us. not sure how they got to the spot but, anything would be better than those bozos on the quads running around.

kt

4Stringer/KipWinger · Since 27 Apr 2005 541 Posts Hood River Addicted

I used to windsurf a lot at what was called 'Nuclear Alley' between the eastern tip of Puget Island and the Washington shore. There used to be decent parking in a grassy area off of Hwy 4. There isn't much parking left. The bigger problem would be to lay-out kite lines in tall river grass with huge drift logs and other items and then try to launch relatively close to power lines and the roadway. I'll have to take a closer look at the area, but if my memory serves me, launching a kite there wouldn't be a good idea.
There is a sandy beach across from Jones on the Washington side, but as far as I can tell, the only access to the beach is through private property. Bummer, because it would be a great place to launch.

Nice call on Prescott. I forgot about that beach. It's a good spring salmon producing beach too. Fish on!

Jim

kt · Since 16 Mar 2005 761 Posts Portland, Or Opinionated

hey j,

ok, they must have been of of someones house. the beach you describe does not sound fun for kiting, don't think i will bother to hunt around for it.

the one time i went to prescott, it was really bad. gusty shifty wind and a big shadow on the inside made launching tough. not in to much of a hurry to head back.

kt