Waterfalls, Sea Lions, and a Piece of Oregon History: On the River with eNRG Kayaking
Here at the LifeBalance Program, we love to visit our vendors and take advantage of the exclusive savings they offer through the program! Our Senior VP of Operations Bill Bahrenburg took his son, William, on a kayaking excursion with LifeBalance Vendor eNRG Kayaking in Oregon City, OR. We asked Bill to share a little about his experience.
LifeBalance Program (LBP): What made you decide to go kayaking with eNRG?
Bill Bahrenburg (BB): In the past couple of years I have really gotten into flatwater kayaking, and eNRG provides a number of great opportunities to get out on the water easily. They are located right on the Willamette River near downtown Oregon City, which is a prime paddling destination in the Portland Metro area.
My 12 year old son, William, also loves the water, and I’ve been wanting to take him out paddling with me, but we only own one kayak. Going with eNRG was really easy, because they provide a boat, paddle, PFD (personal flotation device), and seasonally appropriate kayaking clothes. He’s pretty new to the sport, and our guide was able to help him hone in his paddling technique.
Finally, Oregon City, in particular, is a really interesting place to paddle. Willamette Falls provide a stunning backdrop and juxtaposition to the decaying industrial riverscape, and there is quite a lot of interesting wildlife co-existing with the old power plants, locks, and factories. The area is an important part of our state’s history, and you can really see why when paddling on the river.
Willamette Falls (photo by Adam Smith)
Exploring the Portland area from the river really gives me a perspective on why our cities are the way they are, as the river used to be the primary transportation channel for commerce and travel. I also find paddling to be deeply relaxing, and it provides a pretty good workout too. One of my personal goals is to paddle the entire length Willamette River sometime in the next ten years or so.
LBP: Can you share some of the highlights from your experience?
William on the water (photo by Bill Bahrenburg)
BB: We arrived at eNRG, which is on a dock in a marina on the Willamette, promptly at noon on a beautiful, red-letter spring afternoon. We checked in, met Kurt (our guide for the day), and got my son outfitted with gear and a boat. Kurt went over the basics and what to expect on our tour.
Prepping for our adventure (photo by Adam Smith)
After getting settled into our boats, we launched from the dock and slowly paddled upstream from the marina. The first thing of interest we saw were several sea lions, taking in some sun on the dock. Spring salmon was running at the time, and many sea lions had come up from the Oregon Coast to feed on a virtual smorgasbord of fish as they gather and work their way to the fish ladder by the falls. Kurt explained that they have tried relocating the sea lions to Newport, Oregon, but marine biologists have tracked them, and they regularly make the trip back to Oregon City in a few days.
Good to go! (Photo by Adam Smith)
We proceeded to paddle on towards the falls, pausing several times to take in a history lesson. Kurt talked about the first white settlers coming to Oregon City after hazarding the Oregon Trail. We then paddled towards the Willamette Falls locks, which were constructed in the 1870’s by masons brought in from Italy, and were the first set of locks with multiple doors / levels ever constructed. We also learned about the old hydroelectric power plant by the falls, which powered what was the first power grid ever built in the United States. The grid was constructed for the 1905 World’s Fair in Portland, with input from both Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.
From there, we took in the falls, which were roaring from all the rain and snowmelt from the spring. We listened to Kurt tell us a bit more about history, wildlife, and geology, then slowly began paddling back downstream towards the marina.
One of many sea lions we saw (Photo by Adam Smith)
Our group approaching the Willamette Locks (Photo by Adam Smith)
Heading towards the falls (Photo by Adam Smith)
BB: All in all, we had a fantastic afternoon. We got out on the water on a pristine day, learned a bit about the history of Oregon, saw some amazing wildlife, all while getting a good workout in. The folks at eNRG are really passionate about kayaking, and I am really excited to check out some of their other options later this summer, including some of their entry level whitewater kayaking trips.
LBP: Any recommendations for others who are excited to try kayaking, particularly with eNRG?
The water temperature was in the low 50’s, but I think it’s ideal to adhere to the “dress for immersion” adage when I’m out on the water. I have a trusty wet suit, and recommend wearing one if the water temperatures will be cool.
Parking at the marina can be a little tricky when the salmon are running, because of all the people fishing, so give yourself plenty of time before the tour to find a spot.
Be sure to bring a water bottle, sunscreen, sunglasses, and snacks. If you’ve got a waterproof camera, bringing it is a great idea! While many kayaks have dry storage hatches, it doesn’t hurt to bring a waterproof bag or case for your phone, in case you want to keep it within easy reach. Besides that? You’re good to go!
Obligatory LifeBalance water bottle shot (Photo by Bill Bahrenburg)
LifeBalance note: eNRG not only offers members 10% savings on fun and educational kayak/paddle board tours of the Willamette, but also on rentals, lessons, and classes for both youths and adults! Click here to view their listing and generate a discount voucher (please note that tours require advanced reservations).
