Vanessa Howard, a graduate student and research assistant at Portland State University-Center for Lakes and Reservoirs will be paddling with us to educate and teach us.  Most likely a member of the South Slough Interpretive Center will be paddling with us also.

We will put-in at the Troller Road dock facility.  Plan to arrive sometime near 0900.  We will need to take some of our vehicles to the Hinch Road take-out.  We will leave the dock at 1000.  The tide will be high at 1325.  I expect that we will be paddling past the Hinch Road take-out to eat our lunches somewhere in the deep recesses of the estuary system (bring a lunch!) and then returning to the Hinch Road take-out sometime near 1400.

Cheryl and I will be in our recently acquired Tripper canoe with our recently acquired 6 year old Gold Retriever 'Misty'.  We call the canoe 'Misty's boat'.  Most paddlers will be in kayaks.  It is anticipated that the wind and tides will be behind us.

A Side Note:  At the Hinch Road take-out is a home brew memorial.  I asked at the Visitor Center about the memorial.  Apparently it is a 'faux memorial'.  Folks meet there to remember dogs, or humans, or whatever.  They leave little trinkets on the grave site (no one is buried there).

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South Slough is a great place to paddle. 
see map at bottom of page

Located just south of Charleston, Oregon, this area is rich with wildlife, especially birds.  Here are the three sections:

• Joe Ney Slough: a 3 mile paddle through calm waters.  Explore all the arms.  Put in at Troller Road.
   
• Winchester Arm: the west arm of South Slough.  Put-in either at Hinch Road or Troller Road.  If you put in at Troller be especially aware of the tides.  The instant that the tides start flowing out I suggest that you make your exit.
   
• Sengstacken Arm:  The east arm of South Slough.  This requires higher tides.  Again, the instant the tides start flowing out I suggest that you make your exit.  Suggested put-in is Troller Road.

 A FEW THINGS...

• Watch out for mud flats.  You don't want to get stuck on them.
• Be very aware of the tides.  Lack of tidal knowledge can get you into a lot of trouble.  You can easily see which direction the tide is flowing by looking down into the water.  Which way are the grasses leaning?
• Beware of afternoon winds.  The winds can make the return trip to Troller Road difficult for boats that aren't well suited to the wind.
• Be prepared for a long day.  4 plus hours usually.  Take layers and nutrition.
• Take binoculars and a camera.  There is a lot to observe.
• Don't disturb the oyster beds, they are private.
• Pick up a map from the Visitor Center if you have time.
• The tides are about one hour behind the tide charts.

South Slough, Charleston, Oregon