Columbia River Caves
Monday - September 8th, 2008by Jason Goldstein
As part of the LOCO ROUNDUP (the best kept secret kayak symposium around!) hoisted by Columbia River Kayaking we had plans to paddle the classic Oregon coast and explore the infamous Cape Falcon Sea Caves. At Slow Boat Farm the night before, the weather radio squelched out “ huge SW swells and gale force 30-45knot winds” - obviously a trip out on the exposed Oregon coast was out of the question, so a plan B was in order.
Sea caves at Rocky Point. Photo by Jason Goldstein
Sea Caves were on our minds so we decided to visit the Columbia Rivers version of these, found at Rocky Pt on the WA State shoreline. We would still have to deal with the strong gale force SW winds, but the shoreline would allow us to find some protection along the route.
Here is a zoomable NOAA chart of the area chart 18521. Our trip put-in was just west of the Astoria bridge and we traveled under the bridge east, and took-out up the Deep River at a boat ramp at the end of Oneida Rd. At high tide Rocky Pt, near trips end, allows several kayakers at a time to enter the cave. The small entrance is deceiving, as two boats can easily turnaround inside. Be sure to time your visit near a high tide to allow paddling access, or at lower tide, it’s a pleasant excuse to leave your vessel and explore. This was a fun Day paddle, one I’ll return to in the future when storms slam our coastline and paddlers have to resort to backup plans.
Inside looking toward the Astoria Bridge. Photo by Jason Goldstein
Future trip notes: The put-in is rather exposed to SW winds, expect a choppy start and a scramble over rocky boulders. A good lunch stop is just past Knappton. A $3.00 fee is required for take-out access, pay at a self register booth before you get to roads end. Setup a shuttle beforehand.
Tags: Caves, Columbia River, LOCO Roundup, Rocky Point
