Salmon to Sea Awareness Trip

Slideshow Time!

2008-01-03T21:49:00.000-07:00

Salmon to Sea Slideshow
(Free)

What: If you haven't heard of the Salmon to Sea trip and don't want to read the last two years worth of blogs here it is. Man likes water. Salmon like water. Man tries to imitate salmon. Man suffers like salmon. Come check out the photographic journey, attempting 900-miles on the Salmon, Snake and Columbia Rivers.

When: Thursday, January 17th, 2008 starting at 7pm.

Where: The slideshow will be at the Alder Creek Boathouse at 1515 SE Water Ave, SE Portland.

How: You can help Save Our Wild Salmon and Idaho Rivers United, by purchasing raffle tickets (1 for $5 or 3 for $10) for the chance to win a Ronin PFD from Kokatat, a pair of X-1 Control shoes from Teva (M or F), a David James Duncan Autographed Lost River print, a copy of Paul Johnson's beautiful hardcover cookbook Fish Forever, a bunch of T-Shirts, hats, and much more! Raffle tickets will be available in Portland Alder Creek stores and the night of the slideshow, need not be present to win, but why not, it is more fun that way!

Surgeries Update

2007-12-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

Things are interesting these days. I had my first (right) shoulder surgery the end of September. It went well, the doctor tightened things up to say the least. Physical Therapy has been challenging, Allison helps me nearly every night stretching the arm and shoulder to regain the the range of motion lost. Three months later most of the range of motion is back and really pushing the strength building. It is coming along well, I noticed progress every couple of days, feeling stronger the more I use it.

My second surgery was the day after Christmas, planned from the beginning to squeeze it in before the new years deductible came into play. Might have pushed it a little quickly but I think it was the right decision for me. Ask me again in 6 months.

Here is a little video of Allison removing the tubing from my pain pump after my most recent surgery. A little on the gross side, no bodily fluids though.

Final Tally

2007-01-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay okay. I know that I should have done this a couple of months ago. It is a little difficult knowing that after 2 years of planning, somethings just can't be planned for. My shoulder is recovering, only time will tell. I am currently living in Germany with my wife who is a Fulbright receipent. Taking Germany lessons and enjoying living in a slightly different culture is stimulating my mind enough to keep the cobwebs out. I am doing a little bit of web/blog work for O.A.R.S. making a blog available to guides as an educational tool.

So the Salmon to Sea trip did not make it to the ocean. I did make it downstream to be present for the big gathering in Portland with David James Duncan, among others, speaking.

The auction of the gear donated was on November 18th in Boise in conjunction with Idaho Rivers United. It was an exciting, tense evening, with bids flying everywhere. I was happily surprise with some items and sorely disappointed with others.

The grand total monies raised by the auction, the O.A.R.S. Main Salmon trip and private donations was over $11,000! I think that the premature end of the trip affected the end result but I don't think that it is anything to snub our noses at.

Check out the "Lost River" campaign that Save Our Wild Salmon has put together. This poster is being sold and myself and several O.A.R.S. guides were a part of this amazing production.

Thank you everyone for supporting me, this trip and the salmon for the past 2 years, it has been an amazing ride. I am working on putting together a photo book that I will be able to take on river trips and show guests what this trip was about, for years to come. Let me know if you are interested in a copy, I only ask that you cover the cost of the book. Please email me offline and I will let you know the time line on it.

Thanks again for all the press coverage and getting the message of the salmon out there to the masses:
NPR/NWPR (Elizabeth Wynne Johnson) - Radio Story, March 2006
Fly Rod and Reel Magazine – Magazine article, June 2006
Idaho Mountain Express - Newspaper article, August and September, 2006
Huron Daily Plainsman (Roger Larsen) – Newspaper article, March and August 2006
Boise Weekly – Newspaper Article, August 2006
Challis Newspaper (Todd Andrews) – Newspaper article, August 2006
Lewiston Morning Tribune (Eric Barker) – Newspaper article, August 2006
Idaho Statesman – Newspaper article, August 2006
Salt Lake Tribune (Brett Prettyman) – Newspaper articles, August 2006
KSRA Radio (Salmon, ID) – Live Radio Interview August 2006
Paddler Magazine – Hot or Not Column, September/October 2006
KSL Radio - Utah Outdoors, August-September 2006 (Every Saturday)
KBOO (Portland, OR) – Radio Interview September 2006
Fin Fest Salmon Awareness Event (Portland, OR) – Recognition (September 2006)
Syndication - Amazing Outdoors Show August-September 2006
Kayak Session Magazine – Article talking about STS, November 2006
ABC World News w/ Charles Gibson (cut)
Several thousand unique visitors to the Salmon to Sea Website/Blog

Also last but certainly not least the sponsors who without their support this trip would not have happened.

Successful Event and Fox News Video

2006-10-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

The "Extinction Stops Here" Salmon Rally in Portland, Oregon with author, conservationist,
and fisherman David James Duncan. On September. 19, more than 700 people rallied at a
riverside park to call for action and leadership to restore our legendary fish and revitalize our
commercial, recreational, and tribal fishing communities.

Go to Save Our Wild Salmon to read about the event and see photos of the speakers and the
crowds. The rally was a huge success and a huge amount of fun too! The rally received lots of
television and radio coverage, which SOS will post on their website in the next few days. You
can also go here, to read the speech that David James Duncan gave that evening.

Fox-News story on the failing, but oh-so-expensive federal salmon efforts in the Columbia
Basin. $8 billion and counting - but we aren't stemming the decline of our endangered wild
salmon and steelhead.

Note on the Fox-News story:
The story is running this weekend on TV, and can be viewed online at: Fox NEWS look for the
video link to the "salmon plan under fire."

Some corrections offered by Joseph Bogaard from Save Our Wild Salmon:
Correcting the Record #1: Northwest electrical ratepayers pay an additional 5% on their
monthly bill - not 30%. Fox got this wrong. U.S. taxpayers and Northwest ratepayers are in
fact spending about $700 million dollars on a host of programs that scientists tell us will never
restore our endangered runs of Snake River salmon and steelhead.
Correcting the Record #2: In the story, a federal government official baldly claims that their
efforts are working, and it simply is not true. (a) Today, there are 13 unique runs of salmon
and steelhead that are officially endangered or threatened. To date, no Columbia River salmon
listed under the ESA has recovered to a healthy population. (b) All Snake River salmon runs
are in danger of extinction. Just 3 Snake River sockeye survived the dams to return to their
spawning grounds in the Idaho wilderness. Three fish! The amazing salmon migrate 900 miles
upriver and 6,500 feet in elevation.

The science is clear - we need to remove the costly 4 Lower Snake River dams to protect and
restore our wild salmon and steelhead.

So what's it going to take to generate the leadership that we need in Congress to truly solve
this problem? The public support expressed in the letters and phone calls to legislators, 700
people rallyingfor recovery, and national news stories on the waste and failure of the feds'
status quo efforts are exactly the types of things to move politicians to action.

Take Action!

2006-09-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

I have copied a portion of a letter that I just mailed to my Congressional representative Rick Renzi of Arizona and I am asking you to do the same. Only send it to your Congressman! I encourage you to make a personal statement as to why salmon are important to you and you can even mention my trip and how it paralleled that of young juvenile salmon. Don't let this moment of action pass you by.

To find your Congressman all you have to do is go here and type in your zip code. Find the area where you can send an email to them paste this in the message, along with your personal additions.

Here is the text:

Wild salmon are a vital natural resource, providing jobs and economic opportunities for thousands of communities and businesses. Unfortunately, this national treasure is threatened with extinction. Please sponsor the Salmon Planning Act today!

Scientists tell us that the four lower Snake River dams are the primary cause of plummeting salmon and steelhead populations, as well as the main obstacle to their recovery. However, in salmon plan after salmon plan, federal agencies have steadfastly refused to even study the possibility of removing these four outdated, highly-subsidized dams - despite overwhelming scientific and economic evidence that doing so is the best and least expensive way to recover Snake River salmon and steelhead.

Billions of dollars have already been wasted on ineffective programs such as trucking and barging young salmon around these salmon-killing dams. I believe American taxpayers and the people who depend on healthy salmon runs deserve a real recovery plan. That's why I encourage you to support the bi-partisan Salmon Planning Act (HR 1615).

The Salmon Planning Act would require independent scientific and economic analyses of the existing and potential salmon recovery efforts. And the Salmon Planning Act would authorize dam removal on the lower Snake River if and only if key federal agencies determine that it is necessary to obey federal laws and treaties. Further, the Salmon Planning Act would also determine how to best protect affected communities, maintain clean energy supplies, and improve the transportation infrastructure to move goods throughout the region.

We cannot afford to continue the expensive failures of the past thirty years. Please help restore this valuable fishery resource and national icon by co-sponsoring the Salmon Planning Act (HR 1615) today.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

NOT YET

2006-09-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

We are still waiting for the word on the ABC World News piece, Stay Tuned! Maybe tomorrow!

Salmon to Sea and ABC World News

2006-09-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

Word on the street is that the piece that was filmed on August 31st and September 1st will air on Friday September 15. There are a couple of ways that you can see it. Of course you can watch it on your television, ABC World News with Charles Gibson. Another way is to subscribe to the ABC World News Videocast via ITunes. Check your local listings.
Thank you all for your support and well wishes after this trip came to a premature end.

Decision Time

2006-09-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

Once I reached Lewiston I took several, much needed, days to rest my body. My right shoulder was in pain and was having trouble raising my arm. My back was extremely sore and making it difficult to even get out of my boat. I had originally penciled these days in just for this reason, to recover. I got a massage and an adjustment to get me back in alignment for the duration of the trip and was feeling recovered.

Leaving Lewiston the weather was cooperating with a downstream breeze. Often a downstream breeze is an indicator of pending weather changes. As we rounded the corner near Chief Timothy State Park the wind changed directions and was now in our face. The wind blew off the 'Columbia Queen,' and announced they were having breakfast. It smelled like bacon, eggs and possibly a hint of french toast.

After stopping at a protected boat ramp for a brief lunch, we got back on the water. Turning back onto the river we were immediately reminded that the wind was still blowing, only harder. With sustained 30 mph winds and gusts of 40+ mph the waves were building. After a couple of hours the waves were in the 3-4 foot range. By the time we pulled off the river at Blyton Landing the waves were over 4 feet and crashing over our bows and heads. Sleep was hard to come by as the winds blew all night and my body was aching from the grueling day from Lewiston.

Went to bed with the wind and woke up with the wind. Trying to beat the wind we woke up at 5:15 and were on the water around 6. We pushed away from shore with a strong wind in our faces. After a couple of hours we stopped to stretch and get something to eat. I mentioned to Kiliii that I was having doubts that I would be able to keep up this pace and make it to the ocean in one piece. We had a great discussion, giving me more to think about.

We reached Lower Granite Dam only to find that I had a flat tire on my portage cart! It was going to be a long portage. Luckily Bob, a local, was passing by and we eventually asked him if he had an air compressor. He did and left to go and get it. Kiliii and I sat down in the parking lot and ate a lunch of bagels, peanut butter, jam, cheese and crackers.

Once we got the tire re-inflated all was good. I decided that we would stop and take a look at the fish viewing room, where you can see the fish going up the fish ladder. I also made a phone call to talk to someone about the pending decision I was going to be making, keep heading down river or calling the trip off.

We made it to camp after another 5 windy miles, sore and tired. We cooked a big dinner and crashed early so we could make our 4:30 wake up call.

Smooth as glass, the river was inviting us to an easier day. Pushing away from shore I had a sinking feeling in my gut, I was exhausted. My muscles and body were slow to react on the perfect river palette. We made several miles before the sun decided to bless us with her presence, but the wind stayed away and my body couldn't keep up.

The video crew from ABC arrived and we did some quick filming of me pulling out of the water and portaging my kayak to the campsite. Later that afternoon, the correspondent Jim Avila arrived to tape a couple of interviews. Jim and I talked first and he then talked with Sam Mace, Inland Northwest Project Director for Save Our Wild Salmon. We made plans for shooting the next day, deciding that the camera man would come down river with Kiliii and I. Sam and her husband Ken also kayaked with us. Conditions were challenging to say the least. We had a following wind, making it difficult to keep the boat straight.

After a short 11-mile day, bringing us to Little Goose Dam, we did a little more filming. After a lift from the Save Our Wild Salmon crew we took a break at Little Goose Dam and watched a gentleman pull in a nice sized Steelhead.

After getting a good nights rest, I woke up the next day unable to move my right shoulder. Decision made. I was right next to a road, not on the river downstream needing a boat to pick me up. My body just made the decision that I have been contemplating for the last couple of days.

I have decided that continuing downstream on the Salmon to Sea trip is not in the best interest of this trip, others or myself. As a professional river guide we are always on call. If an emergency arises you have to be ready to act. Keeping energy in reserve is how you take care of yourself and others. If you can't take care of yourself, you can't take care of others. I felt that I was very close to dipping into this reserve as the trip progressed. Each morning I woke up a little more tired and a little less prepared with whatever the day may bring. Twenty-one days, four hundred eighty-seven miles, done.

Seventh Report from the Field

2006-09-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

Sixth Report from the Field

2006-08-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

Kiliii Joins the Salmon to Sea trip

2006-08-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

Kiliii Yu, photojournalist, naturalist and kayaker, joins the Salmon to Sea trip. It will be great to have some company to hit the slackwater reseviors of the Lower Snake River. Kiliii is a great photographer, great skills and great energy.

Have some very big things in the works right now, will keep you informed via the audio updates. Stay tuned!

Fin Fest-Portland Event!

2006-08-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

Extinction's No Solution! Be there it should be a great event with lots of wonderful people speaking and teaching. I should arrive around 4 pm.

www.nsiafishing.org/ExtinctionsNoSolution.htm

Hitting the Wall

2006-08-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

After 17 days of paddling I have finally reached the slackwaters behind the first dam on the Snake River. I pulled into Lewiston on Friday August 25th, tired and ready for rejuvenation.

I left Salmon on a beautiful sunny morning, only getting a couple of odd looks from passers-by. Shortly after leaving the ramp I realized that I had forgotten to recharge my camera battery and it was running low. I was planning on passing North Fork and heading down river and just finding a place on the riverside to camp. I knew that there were a couple of campgrounds along the river so I pulled into one and paid for a place to put my tent for the evening. They let me recharge my batteries and got a good nights rest.

The next day I encountered the area where Lewis and Clark decided to take a different route to the West. Thus the sign noting "rapids ahead!" It was a fun filled and exciting day of rapids after going through an area aptly named "Deadwater." This area was full of Great Blue Herons fishing the shallow waters, waters that fisherman have not been able to fish since 1978 due to the lack of sustainable fish coming back to spawn.
On August 16th, I joined the OARS-Dories crew and guests/members of Idaho Rivers United and went down river on the section known as "The Main." We spent 6-days having a blast on the river, soaking in a hot springs on a chilly morning and having some really great discussions about salmon and the issues surrounding them.

I had a nice run down to Riggins spent the night in a bed with a pillow! Such a novelty at this point. I had 4 days of big miles and rapids to deal with so I rested up. From Riggins I paddled 34 miles to Hammer Creek and camped out for the night, just above the Lower Gorges of the Lower Salmon. I was given a wake up call in the form of a little Class II rapid flipping me over! Must have been tired. That day I ran into a trip with Sundog Expeditions and Save Our Wild Salmon, I ran Cougar Canyon with then and enjoyed a nice Bean Salad lunch, thanks guys. I paddled hard downstream and did a quick scout of Snowhole Rapid. Ran it with no issues and eventually caught up with a Oregon River Experiences trip. They feed me a wonderful dinner and an even better breakfast to go! Day three out was the big one from the top of the oxbow on the Salmon, around River Mile 21, I paddled all the way to Heller Bar on the Snake River, 41 Miles. It was an eventful day running the last rapids of the Salmon River and having to say goodbye. The confluence of the Salmon and Snake is a very amazing place, powerful. My friend Heather picked me up at Heller Bar and drove me into Lewiston.

Once in Lewiston, I had a nice dinner and crashed out early. The following day I took the sea kayak up to Heller Bar and ran the remaining 28 miles back to Lewiston. All was going well and then I hit Asotin, WA. This is where the current ends and the work begins. It is a long 5 miles into Lewiston. My shoulders are pretty hammered right now and have been taking advantage of the rest days I have scheduled here.

Today we had a nice BBQ and Boat Race, put on by Idaho Rivers United and Save Our Wild Salmon. Thanks to the OARS crew for pitching in and helping out.

Lewiston Event Details

2006-08-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry earlier I mentioned that this event would be on the 26th. My bad! I have been on the river and not keeping up with details like what day is it!

So this event will be on SUNDAY August 27th at 12 pm.

Bridge to Bridge-Tail of the Snake, Lewiston's historical boat race.

Race starts at 2 pm at Swallows Park in Clarkston, WA, after a 12 pm community BBQ.

Boats must be Human Powered! First prize winner recieves an NRS donated Bill's Bag. Race is by reservation only so please RSVP Shallan Dawson at 509.456.8400 or shallan@wildsalmon.org or you can email me via the button on the right.

Thanks and see you there.

Fifth Report from the Field

2006-08-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

Fourth Report from the Field

2006-08-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Third Report from the Field

2006-08-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

Second Report from the Field

2006-08-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

First Leg Complete

2006-08-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sunbeam Dam to Salmon, ID - 109 Miles and 2000'
On August 6th with the great folks of Idaho Rivers United, members of the press and concerned citizens, the Salmon to Sea trip was officially launched. Starting this trip at Sunbeam Dam was a very powerful way to start this trip. The Sunbeam Dam was in place in 1911, with no upstream fish passage available. With the help of locals actually carrying salmon up and over the dam so they could continue upstream the run survived. In 1934 the south side of the Sunbeam Dam was blown up with explosives, once again allowing salmon to continue migrating upstream to spawn. Once this obstacle was removed the runs upstream bounced back and thrived! So it is with this message, dam removal works, that I will be making my journey downstream.

It took me a couple of tries to figure out how to get everything that I need to fit into the Pyranha Burn. After pairing down the pile, all the essentials were covered. Some creature comforts were left behind. My gear list is: Pyranha Burn M kayak, AT2 Paddle 225, NRS Hustle PFD, NRS Sea Stow bags, NRS Hydrosilk top, Ridge 2 tent and LightYear 3D sleeping bag from Kelty, Kokatat Gore-Tex Drytop, sunshirts, shorts and pants, TEVA X-1/C shoe, Desert Mountain Medicine First Aid Kit, Personal Locator Beacon, Satellite Phone, Digital Camera, backpacking stove, water filter, titanium pot, sleeping pad, journal . And all that fits into my kayak!

The first day out was short one. I left the Sunbeam Dam and cheering crowd at 12:30. I was full of exciting energy and made really good time, 14 miles in 2 1/2 hours! This section is incredibly beautiful, starting in a narrow canyon and then several miles later it opens up to these incredible views (left). The geology of this area is seemingly changes around every corner. I spent the first night at Holman Campground, just upstream from the Command Center and Heliport for the Potato Fire, so there was a lot of helicopter and truck traffic with all the firefighters in the area. My wife Allison, was with me for the first night, before heading off on her own journey to Germany! She will spend the next 11 months in Germany on a Fulbright Award, we are all very proud of her, and I look forward to making it over there in December.

Before Allison left she helped me get my boat back to the river and pushed me off one last time. Good Luck and Safe travels Allison, see you in December! My intentions for this day were to go about 22 miles to Bayhorse Campground for the evening. Around noon I was starting to race a thunderstorm that was building and making lots of noise around me. I stopped for a really quick lunch and stretch before getting back in the boat and heading downstream. No sooner than shoving off did it unleash on me! It was pouring cats and dogs, it was a little chilly but my Gore-Tex drytop kept me dry as a bone. This kept up for a couple hours and then the hail started falling. Well I was very happy that I was wearing a helmet, the hail was dime sized so it had a little bite to it. I made it to Bayhorse at the tail end of the storm, hung out in the restrooms for about 15 minutes and decided rather than ending my day at 1:45 I would push it 12 more miles and end my day at the Challis Hot Springs. As I pushed off again the weather settled down the lightening and thunder was subsiding and just an occasional sprinkle would fall. I got to the Challis Hot Springs around 4:30 and got checked in and set up my camp so everything would be dry if it rained again. After a 34 mile day my body was a little fired up so I took the opportunity to take a dip. The hot springs were heavenly! I met a nice couple, Al and Joann, from Omaha, Nebraska that invited me over for dinner. We had a nice dinner of BLTs, Pasta Salad and Cherries, their hospitality was greatly appreciated after a long day.

I took another hot soak before shoving off on Day Three, what a great way to start the day! After talking with the Middle Fork crew in Salmon I decided to keep on pushing and reach Salmon a day early. This way I would have a ride to the OARS house and would be able to hang out with some really great people for the evening. This decision meant that I would have another 34 mile day and then a 27 mile day to get me to Salmon. The gradient and current in this section backs off, so it became a little more work for me to make the miles that I needed to make. Day Three consisted of lots of gravel islands to navigate and tons of wildlife. I saw: 12 Deer, 7 Osprey, 13 Great Blue Herons, 1 River Otter, 1 Immature Bald Eagle and 4 Red Tail Hawks. This was another really long day on the water. I got my hopes up by reading my home-made map wrong and thought I was making great time. A couple hours later I finally pulled onto the island that I thought was upstream. The island was great, providing me lots of shelter from the winds that were whipping all day long. There were lots of deer coming down to drink, as well as a Great Blue Heron nest across the river, better than TV any day! After a great dinner of Ginger Sesame Pasta, I passed out early.

I was paddling by 8 on the start of Day Four, trying to get to Salmon around 2, were an OARS guide would come pick me up and take me to our guide house. Again the gradient and current in this section is not very great so it is a lot of paddling. From Shoup Bridge into Salmon was a really beautiful section with lots of islands and eroded cliffs. I pushed a Bald Eagle downstream for about 8 miles this morning. It would fly off and find a new perch, I would come down and it would take off and find a new one. Nissa from OARS came and picked me up with a beer for me in hand, thanks!

Wildlife Count: 36 Deer, 30 Great Blue Herons, 5 Steelhead Smolt, 5 Osprey, 4 Red-Tailed Hawks, 2 Bald Eagles, 2 Turkey Vultures, 2 Carp, 1 Immature Bald Eagle, 1 River Otter and 3 Road Signs in the river!

I have spent the last couple of days dealing with my resupply, doing a couple of radio interviews (Utah Outdoors), relaxing and mentally preparing for the challenges that await me downstream. It would be great to hear from you guys, what would you like to know about, what would you like to see more of, what do you think of the audio posts? Leave suggestions and thoughts in the comment section here and I will do what I can.

To keep track of me you can check out my calendar here. I will be making some audio posts in the coming weeks, will not be able to update the website until the 26th or so.

First Report from the Field

2006-08-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

Kick-Off Planned and Great Articles

2006-08-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

Agenda for Salmon to Sea Launch
Sunday, August 6^th 2006
Sunbeam Dam Interpretive Site
10:30-11:30 Media arrive to do early interviews. Bill E. Tom, Bill S. and Amanda are available at the Sunbeam site.
11:30 Amanda welcomes audience, introduces Idaho Rivers United, introduces Tom, Bill E., Bill S. and Andy.

BILL E.: Emphasize how dams kill salmon, and how Bill will face the same difficulties in his journey downriver.

11:55 Why I’m making this trip--Idaho’s salmon are in trouble

-Highlight how dams kill salmon. Focus on the rapid decline of salmon in the 1960s and 1970s, directly following the construction of the lower Snake dams.

-Discuss sockeye issue (only 6 returned to redfish lake last year, etc.)

-Emphasize the need to remove the four high-cost, low-value dams on the lower Snake River.

-Highlight the need to act now, before Idaho’s sockeye lead the extinction wave.

-End by thanking everyone for coming, and noting that he will stick around for ten minutes for questions before launching down river.

12:15 Amanda will end. Thank audience for coming, allow room for questions.

12:30 Bill launches in his kayak, and begins his epic journey with a cheering crowd behind him!

Check out the great articles that have come out in the past week!

Salt Lake Tribune, Boise Weekly, Huron Daily Plainsman

I will be doing the Amazing Utah Outdoors radio show on Saturday morning around 7 am.

Great Gear and Great Food

2006-07-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

I have been spending the last two days finalizing a lot of details. The kickoff event is being hosted and put together by Idaho Rivers United. The event will be at the old Sunbeam dam. The Sunbeam dam was completed in 1911 and was dynamited in 1934, restoring salmon runs to Redfish Lake and the upper reaches of the Salmon river.

C urrrent Desi gns - Wenonah, MN has again stepped up their commitment to the Salmon to Sea trip. Having eight dams to get around on this trip, they have provided me with a portage cart. This heavy duty two-wheeled cart will fit into the sea kayak and will put it together at each dam and start walking.

Kokatat - Arcata, CA is providing me with the best watersports gear on the planet. There dry tops have kept me dry since I first started paddling, seven years ago.

MaryJanesFarm - Moscow, ID has given the Salmon to Sea trip a huge discount on their amazing organic foods. I will be carrying a small backpacking stove that I will use to prepare these easy to cook meals.

I went up to NRS yesterday and got some really great gear that will be essentially to this trip. Their Sea Stows are going to be lifesavers for me, keeping things organized and dry. NRS started out as a small business and now is one of the most recognized names in watersports outfitting.

It looks like we are going to have a very well known person speaking in Portland at our event while I am in town, can't wait to finalize this one! Donations are still being accepted to cover expenses (see Donations Accepted post).

Paddle On!

2006-07-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

Adventure Technology Paddles has graciously donated two paddles for the Salmon to Sea trip. After meeting one of the founders of AT Paddles before his Grand Canyon trip AT Paddles was immediately on board after hearing about the trip and its message. A company perched on the river side of the Columbia River, this partnership is very exciting. AT Paddles kicked off the ergonomic (bent shaft) paddle revolution, and has been the leader since its inception.

ATX 195 Whitewater Paddle for the 350 Miles of whitewater that will be encountered next month.
Xception SL Tour Carbon 225 for the 550 Miles of flatwater that will be tackled on the Snake and Columbia Rivers.

Going LIVE, Snacking Organic and Being Safe

2006-06-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Russ Smith of Skycall Communications, along with the Amazing Outdoors Radio Show and the Utah Outdoors Radio S how have become the official communications sponsors of the Salmon to Sea trip. I will be calling in on every Saturday of the trip and talking with the folks on the Utah Outdoors Radio Show. It will then be edited and aired on the Amazing Outdoors Radio Show. You will be able to listen on the internet or subscribe to their podcast and listen when you get a chance. You can subscribe to the podcast by linking here :

I like to eat and on this trip I will have to be eating a lot and keeping the mind right. Clif Bar has offered to supply the Salmon to Sea trip with healthy treats like the Nectar Bar. The Nectar Bar is 100% Organic and provides you with 2 servings of fruits and none of the multi-syllabic ingredients that so much of our food has theses days.

More sponsor news, a major paddle company has joined the fray and has donated two paddles for the Salmon to Sea trip. I can't share yet with you who it is, they are still in the Grand Canyon. Will update you around the second week of July. I have always wanted to use these paddles, they are light, strong and ergonomically amazing.

The great folks at Idaho Rivers United and Save Our Wild Salmon have been working hard on planning events and lining up media for this trip. We have some really cool ideas that are slowly coming to life.

Hot off the presses this afternoon....Personal Locator Beacon what is it? Check out PLB Rentals LLC. Wayne and the folks at PLB Rentals has partnered with the Salmon to Sea trip to help educate the public and providing me with a potentially life saving device. A Personal Locator Beacon is a device that allows people that are traveling in remote areas have a link to Search and Rescue teams, if the need should arise. Since I will be traveling solo for the majority of this trip and having a close eye on safety, I think this is a very natural fit with the Salmon to Sea trip. Just by carrying a PLB, this does not mean that I will be running every rapid or going out in severely windy conditions. A PLB does not take the place of good judgment and smart decision making. More about PLB Rentals and the PLB itself soon.

Crunch Time

2006-06-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

Between rowing on a 16-day Grand Canyon trip with Grand Canyon Dories and getting married, I haven't had much time. But here we are less than two months until I push off at Redfish Lake Creek and head to the ocean and things are shaping up. I will be heading up to Idaho to guide four trips for OARS before I start my trip August 6th near Stanley, ID. We are working on a kickoff event so if you are in the area, come on out.

I am still seeking tax-deductable donations for expenses that I will incur on this trip. Please go here to find out more about how you can help make this trip a success (and not put me in the poor house!).

There are still spaces available if you would like to join me on the Main Salmon River with OARS and Idaho Rivers United. This would be a great way to cap off the summer with a relaxing trip down the Main Salmon River. The snowpack has been wonderful in the Salmon River drainage this year so there will be plenty of river left for us.

The Association of NW Steelheaders is organizing their membership to join me in their respective boats and float from Bonneville to Astoria with me. This should prove to be a really cool partnership for the both of us, giving each other some perspective, they will be very helpful to me and getting me through the locks at Bonneville and with logistical assistance.

After a really late start the Spring Chinook are making their way up the river. Around 119,000 have made it past Bonneville, with 20,000 of those making it all the way past Lower Granite (last dam on Lower Snake River). So far less than 2,000 Sockeye have made it past Bonneville and none up into the Lower Snake area. You can check out the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website here to find the latest salmon counts and watch them come up the river.

Today a special package was delivered, a brand spanking new Pyranha Burn M, she is a beauty and I can't wait to get her on the river. I have named this boat Keta, after the species name of the Chum (Dog) Salmon. The Chum are known for their fierce looking teeth and humped back when the come home to spawn.

I have also named the Current Designs Solstice GTSH Sea Kayak, her name is Nerka, after the Sockeye Salmon. When Sockeye return to spawn they can turn vibrant red with a dark stripe down the side much like the color of the Solstice GTSH.

Blown Glass and Sunglasses

2006-04-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Grand Canyon Dory Boatman Roger Dale of Dale Studios has offered to make a custom piece for the auction. Roger and his wife Cindell make amazing pieces from huge Saturn bowl to incredible vases with hand-drawn designs. I will be joining Roger and Cindell in the Grand Canyon next week for a Grand Canyon Dories trip!

Smith Optics has joined the Salmon to Sea trip as an official sponsor. They have also commited to donating some awesome gear for the auction.

Growing List of Sponsors

2006-03-31T16:05:00.000-07:00

Kelty, Boulder, CO - With a donation of a Lightyear 3D sleeping bag and a Ridge 2 ultralight tent, Kelty has become the official sleeping bag and shelter sponsor.

Crazy Creek, Red Lodge, MT - Will be saving our behinds with the Original Crazy Creek chairs.

Thanks to our sponsors the auction on November 18th will be an even bigger success and making a difference in salmon recovery. Our list of sponsors is growing and is very impressive including:

Donations Accepted

2006-03-26T23:41:00.000-07:00

How can individuals and others assist the Salmon to Sea trip? Save Our Wild Salmon has graciously set up a place on their website that allows us to take TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donations. That is correct, you can help the Salmon to Sea journey by making a tax-deductible donation on Save Our Wild Salmons' website.

How do you make a tax-deductible donation to the Salmon to Sea trip? First you have to go to the Save Our Wild Salmon website here. Next you will make your way to the "Donate" page and click on the little yellow button like the one below. Click on the button of the amount you would like to donate. MAKE SURE THAT YOU CHECK THE BOX FOR THE "SALMON TO SEA." Otherwise the money will just go to the general fund. If you don't mind I would also appreciate an email directly to me, so I can keep track of this.

How will financial donations be used? There are several places along this trip where the options for camping are very limited. In these areas state, federal and private campgrounds will be used - while some of them are free of charge, others cost up to $20 per night. I am also asking for donations to cover my food costs for the 7 weeks. Lastly, donations will help make regular "live" updates via satellite phone possible for the entire duration of the trip. All money raised beyond these trip costs will go directly to Idaho Rivers United and Save Our Wild Salmon, the two non-profit groups benefiting from this trip, and will be used to help with the issues concerning wild salmon and steelhead levels. Any gift will be greatly appreciated and will help defer my personal costs during this undertaking.

TEVA and Pyranha join the team

2006-03-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

TEVA - Goleta, CA has come aboard to become the official footwear sponsor. TEVA is committed to increasing the outreach potential of the Salmon To Sea trip. The hand symbol part of the TEVA logo is the Hopi symbol for "Friendship" and "Water," making this a very fitting partnership.

Pyranha Kayaks - Asheville, NC has donated a whitewater kayak to the Salmon to Sea trip. This helps in making the trip possible as well as, raising money after the trip is over. There will be an auction in November, where all gear donated to this trip will be auctioned off. Money raised from this auction will be used to continue the fight of restoring wild salmon and steelhead runs to sustainable levels.

I look forward to the big things we can accomplish with the amazing assistance of companies like TEVA and Pyranha. We will never know unless we try!

Join me on the Salmon

2006-03-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

We are starting to promote a 6-Day Main Salmon River trip, on August 16-21, 2006. OARS-Dories has donated this trip to Idaho Rivers United, included in the trip price will be a $500 tax-deductible donation to IRU. I will be kayaking down to join this trip for its duration and will have ample time to talk about salmon issues, swim in the warm waters of the Salmon and hike high above the river, getting a different perspective on things. Any questions about this trip or to book a spot please contact OARS at 800.346.6277 and Azz will help you take care of all the details.

Hitting the Airwaves

2006-03-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

This morning I had another phone interview, this time with Elizabeth Wynn Johnson of Boise Public Radio. You can find the article here and the audio here.

Front Page!

2006-03-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

The interview that I had on Saturday, turned into a front page article in the Huron Daily Plainsman! Check out the article here. Roger did an excellent job and surprised me with the extent and placement of the article, thanks Roger.

I have gotten my logo from Mary Williams Design, and here it is making its internet debut....

Thanks a million Mary, it is awesome! What do you think? Awesome, that is correct!

I believe that Kevin Colburn, National Stewardship Director for American Whitewater, will be joining the Salmon To Sea trip. If only for a short time. He has expressed interest in paddling for a day or two with the trip and writing and article for the AW Journal. Kevin is a great paddler and an amazing force in river management, negotiation skills, natural resource law, and regulated river restoration.

Daily Plainsman Article

2006-03-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today I had another phone interview, this time with the Huron (SD) Daily Plainsman. After moving around a lot as a child, my family ended up settling in Huron, SD, at least long enough for my sister and I to graduate high school. Look for an article by Roger Larsen on Sunday, March 5, 2006. Roger mentioned possibly doing an article in August before the trip launches.

Fly Rod & Reel Magazine

2006-02-18T11:09:00.000-07:00

Keep your eyes peeled in the coming issues of Fly Rod & Reel Magazine. I did a phone interview this morning with Associate Editor Jim Reilly. Jim was very interested in the trip and wanted to help bring some visibility to this trip and the issues surrounding salmon and steelhead.

Other avenues of publicity are opening themselves up, hope to be able to share details soon.

Helping Hands

2006-01-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

So here we are in the new year. Only 8 months until launching on this adventure. Recently I have been working with outdoor companies, gaining their financial and logistical support for this trip. Here is what has been promised thus far.
OARS-Dories, Angels Camp, CA - Has donated space on the August 16, 2006 Main Salmon. This trip has been donated to IRU and will be sold through their office (208) 343-7481, ask for Jessica.
Northwest River Supply, Moscow, ID - Has donated $750 of their gear to be used on the trip and then auctioned off.
Alder Creek Canoe and Kayak, Portland, OR - Has donated use of sea-kayaks for our journey on all the flat-water, all 500 miles of it!
Current Designs, Winona, MN - Wenonah Canoe/Current Designs has donated a 2003 Solstice GTSH sea-kayak that will be auctioned off after the trip.
Sawyer Paddles, Talent, OR - Bruce Bergstrom has donated a Sea Feather Sea-Kayak paddle.
Desert Mountain Medicine, Breckenridge, CO - Nadia Kimmel has donated first-aid kits.
Mary Williams Design, Flagstaff, AZ - Mary Williams has donated logo/graphics work.

I am still working on Whitewater Kayaks, Paddles, Shelter and donations for camping and food.

Executive Summary

2005-10-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

Executive Summary
Salmon to Sea Awareness Trip

Goals: Raise public awareness…Bring national media attention…Raise money for Save Our Wild Salmon (SOS) and Idaho Rivers United (IRU)

The Salmon to Sea Awareness Trip is a 900-mile source-to-sea kayaking journey that will take place on the Salmon, Snake and Columbia River systems in August and September 2006. The trip will begin near the headwaters of the Salmon River in Stanley, Idaho.

All along this trip we plan on stopping in the towns along the river (i.e. Stanley, Challis, Salmon, Riggins, Lewiston, Tri-Cities, Hood River, Portland and Astoria). At these “Awareness” stops we will arrange to talk with local journalists and school groups and in several key cities we will have full-blown planned public rallies. The possibilities for the awareness stops are open to just about anything that we can come up with. We believe these educational stops will generate excitement about this trip and to the cause of wild salmon restoration.

On August 16, 2006 this trip will arrive at Corn Creek area of the Salmon River and will be joining an OARS-Dories commercial trip. This trip has been donated by OARS-Dories and sold by IRU as a fundraiser and as a way to talk with people in the environment in which we are trying to help. We would like to have someone join this trip to speak about wild salmon restoration and current environmental issues. We intend on having a national media presence on this trip for additional coverage.

As part of our fundraising for this trip, we will ask various outdoor companies and manufacturers to donate equipment (i.e. kayaks, paddles, tents, etc.) that will be used on this source to sea journey. The intention of this is to allow companies to show their support through a donation of their products. In December of 2006 there will be a charity auction of the donated gear with all proceeds going to IRU and SOS to assist in the wild salmon restoration fight. We also hope to raise money through private donations of those who are made aware of this issue through this trip and the publicity surrounding it.

This trip is important due to the sensitive nature of salmon migration. Our journey will retrace an ancient salmon migration path that is essentially extinct. There are many factors concerning the extinction of certain species of salmon, such as dams, fish hatcheries, and streamside erosion. In the 1950's there were an estimated 4,000 sockeye salmon returning to Redfish Lake each year. In 2004, 24 sockeye made it back on their 900-mile journey from the Pacific Ocean, up the Columbia, Snake and Salmon River systems, passing numerous dams along the way. Wild Salmon, especially Snake River Salmon are in dire need of additional support that they are not getting. Today 1/10 of 1% of salmon spawned in Idaho makes it back to spawn. Through this trip, as well as the photographs, magazine and newspaper articles that come from it we can raise awareness and money to educate the public, leading to political change. The potential implications could lead to policy change, dam removal and the return of wild salmon and steelhead to sustainable levels.

Dam Tough

2005-10-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, McNary, Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite

It looks like another grim year for the remaining Snake River Sockeye. Only 19 sockeye have made it past the eight dams on their journey home to spawn, certainly not sustainable numbers no matter how you count it. Can we do enough to make a difference? We will not know without trying, so let's get going.

Scouting Trip

2005-05-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

Spent the last couple of days tooling around the Salmon River Headwaters area. Drove to the end of the road trying to get as close as possible to the first trickle of the Salmon River. Didn't quite make it.
For me, this little corner of the world is very enchanting. Realizing that salmon have been on this earth for the better part of 25 million years, and they are still making their journey home, despite incredible odds.
When Lewis and Clark made their way to the Pacific Northwest, there were an estimated 16 million salmon and steelhead that would charge up the Columbia every year. In the last several years 2 million salmon and steelhead returning was a banner year!

Timing is Everything

2005-04-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

Well after spending several weeks contacting and speaking with various outdoor companies and manufacturers, I have decided to postpone this trip. Several marketing directors I talked to mentioned they would love to be able to help but their budgets were already allocated for the 2005 season. Well I am sure that this is a mixed blessing, will be taking a look at what I did that was good and rework other aspects of the process. So the trip will be taking off in early August 2006.

Making things more real

2005-01-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

After spending a week mulling over this idea and talking with Allison I decided to talk with Dave Berry, paddling partner and long time friend. I emailed Dave the idea that I had to give him a heads up on what I was thinking. I gave him a call the other night and we talked about the possibility of pulling this off. Initially I was thinking of trying to do this in August of 2006 but after talking with Dave we decided that it could be done this August. As long as the ball got rolling.
The ball is rolling, I picked up a couple books from the library. One, Voyage Into a Summer Sun, by Robin Cody, is about a man's journey from the source of the Columbia River in Canada to the Pacific Ocean on the Oregon/Washington border. The other is whitewater descriptions of the Salmon River. The Salmon river flows about 400 miles to the confluence of the Snake River. Our trip would actually start at river mile (RM) 379 in the town of Stanley, Idaho.
I wrote a couple emails to outfitters that run the whitewater sections that I have not run and asked for some information. Several got back to me and gave me lots of good information and told us to stop by at the beginning of the trip.
Have contacted Idaho Rivers United and Save Our Wild Salmon about giving support to this trip. Both organizations are non-profits that are working towards returning sustainable populations of salmon and steelhead to the Pacific Northwest. I am sure it will take some time to hammer out details.

So this is how it starts

2005-01-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

What once starts as a thought of something big and out of reach, it becomes more real once you share it with someone. I shared this thought with Allison (girlfriend) the other day. When I first arrived in Idaho last spring I was truly blown away, the Sawtooth Mountains made me breathless. So it was in this moment that I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to kayak the Salmon River from its source near Stanley, ID all the way to the ocean on the Oregon/Washington border. At the time I had no idea what that would entail.
I now know that after losing about 6,000 in elevation and nearly 900 miles of paddling, the trip would be in the books. WOW! Not your regular day trip down the French Broad, nor is it a quick 6 day trip on the Main Salmon. This is serious commitment.

I spent a couple weeks in British Columbia, at the end of the summer, on the Chilko River and it was there that I realized my respect for wild salmon. These fish are absolutely amazing their strength and courage is unmatched in the animal kingdom. Seeing a sockeye salmon upswimming a class V rapid is a sight to see and one to never be forgotten. Little did I know it then but this is when another idea spawned in my head.

I could do this trip and help raise money to restore wild salmon runs and hopefully make a difference before it is too late.

Why is this trip important and why salmon?
First off salmon are anadromous, meaning they are born in freshwater streams and lakes. When they have grown enough and genetics take over they go to the ocean, going tail first, allowing the spring-time snowmelt to rush them to the ocean. As they approach the ocean their bodies undergo a chemical and physical change so their bodies can deal with salt water instead of fresh. They spend from 1-7 years swimming the ocean currents fattening up for the eventual day, when something inside them tells them to go back 'home.' It is assumed that they have an acute sense of smell and can smell the river where they were born. Again they undergo a chemical and physical change back to freshwater. Making it back to where they were born, hopefully they find a mate and spawn, to bring on another generation of salmon. Steelhead are similar to salmon, except they are an anadromous trout.
This trip is important due to the sensitive nature of salmon migration. This journey will retrace an ancient salmon migration path that is on the verge of being extinct. There are many factors concerning the extinction of certain species of salmon and steelhead, such as dams, fish hatcheries, and streamside erosion. In the 1950's there were an estimated 4,000 sockeye salmon returning to Redfish Lake each year. In 2005, 6 sockeye made it back on their 900-mile journey from the Pacific Ocean, up the Columbia, Snake and Salmon River systems, passing numerous damns along the way. Wild Salmon, especially Snake River Salmon are in dire need of additional support that they are not getting. Today 1/10 of 1% of salmon spawned in Idaho makes it back to spawn. Through this trip, as well as the photographs, magazine and newspaper articles that come from it we can raise awareness and money to educate the public, leading to political change. The potential implications could lead to policy change, dam removal and the return of wild salmon and steelhead to sustainable levels.