Five families set out in six canoes from Cook Park in Tigard for the Tualatin Riverkeepers’ (TRK) Family Paddle event August 9, 2014. The paddlers were greeted with sunny skies and pleasant temperatures as they paddled their way up to the Highway 99W Bridge boat launch.
Originally, there was supposed to have been an afternoon paddle, but lack of interest forced Margot Fervia-Neamtzu to cancel the event. She suspects the lack of interest in the afternoon paddle was the result of TRK’s successful canoe and kayak rental business at Cook Park.
There were momentary struggles with paddlers trying to steer their canoes in the proper direction, but all managed to make the trip without any major mishaps except for one canoe high-centering on a stump just upstream from Cook Park on the return trip. With a shift of their weight, the paddlers were finally able to free themselves from a sticking situation.
All reported having a wonderful time and would do it again.