Info on the navigable part of the Snake River and Columbia River from Lewiston

[cliffdwellers2]

We are starting a 5 month camping/kayaking/sailing trip with our 19' West Wight Potter (and kayaks) May 2nd. We are paddling the Colorado River by Moab, then heading to Lake Powell, then up to Flaming Gorge and Yellowstone.  After that we want to head to Lewiston and sail/motor downstream to Portland.  Does anyone have information, or sources where I can find dockage, good anchoring areas, fuel and pumpout stops along the way?  Also hazards to watch out for?? We would enjoy meeting up with others along the way!  After the Columbia, Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands finish our summer.... :)

[Frank]

Sounds like a great and varied adventure!!!

No info on the trip other than I've done the San Juans and you will love Friday Harbour!!  Cute lil town but it's the varied boats at the marina you'll enjoy. Every size, shape and type....as well as every budjet!  Easy to meet neat folks there....good place to 'dock walk' and socialize!
Beautiful area!!!
You'll have a hoot on your trip!
Post updates and PICTURES!!!

good luck

[Frank]

I just googled "columbia river dockage and marinas"

a good google map came up showing marina/fuel dock locations....

[S/V_Crotchcricket]

I can't help much with anything upstream of Bonneville Dam, but I spent most of last year puttering around between there and Gray's Harbor so I can  give you reasonably up-to-date info on most of the facilities between Bonneville and the Bar.

[cliffdwellers2]

Thanks so much for the help.  I was having problems getting the info even searching on the internet.  I found good info on the Snake River.  And some from Pasco to Portland.  I will take you up on Bonneville Dam to Portland info...what are your recommended anchorages/marinas?  And did you have any problems with the locks?  Thanks again! 

[S/V_Crotchcricket]

As you're coming downstream, you shouldn't have any problem with the locks, but be aware that there are *very* strong currents/eddies directly below the Bonneville dam- especially at this time of year. If you arrive in the area late in the day and want to overnight before going through, your best bet would be the marina at Cascade Locks, OR. Nice little marina with all of the usual amenities as well as several eateries and a couple of really cool art studios within easy walking distance from the marina.
A couple of miles below Bonneville is one of my favorite spots: Beacon Rock State Park on the WA side of the river. A large well-maintained and sheltered dock with a free pumpout on the float and restrooms at the top of the ramp (no fuel unless you can hitch a ride to the service station 1 1/2-2 miles west). Several trailheads in the park and the sloughs near the dock are a great place to kayak when conditions on the river get really nasty. Stick to the center of the channel and head straight for the dock or risk running aground (personal experience).
If you prefer hanging out on the hook, you can go a little farther downstream and anchor up behind Skamania Island.
From there, the next stop would be Camas/Washougal marina... which I would NOT recommend unless you are a committed masochist. No pumpout and getting to the filthy restrooms requires a 1/2 mile walk all the way around the marina from the guest dock. Even worse, there are wakeboaters coming and going 24/7- many of whom seem to be greatly amused by buzzing the guest float at full throttle. IMHO, it's best to pass this one by and continue on to Portland which only about an hour away.
Once you reach Portland, your choices are pretty much wide open. Right now, any one of the marinas on Hayden Island would be a good bet as a recent 4 alarm warehouse fire destroyed 350+ boats that would normally be filling up the available slips this time of year.
Moving downstream from Hayden Island, you have to pass under 2 bridges. The I5 bridge won't be a problem, but if your air draft is more than 30 ft the RR swing bridge approx. 1/4 downstream may be, as it's subject to frequent breakdowns. Call ahead on VHF 13 or 360-418-6320 for up-to-date info. If you get stuck waiting, there's a public dock a few yards past the I5 bridge on the Vancouver WA side where you can tie up until they get things sorted out.
Also, something else to be aware of is that when you reach the Willamette River mouth, you will see a very noticable increase in large commercial shipping traffic.

[S/V_Crotchcricket]

Info on passing through the locks:
http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Portals/24/docs/navigation/HowToLockThru.pdf

[cliffdwellers2]

Thanks so much for the great info! I had heard about the currents below Bonneville dam.

[ralay]

This might be stating the obvious, but have you checked/do you know about active captain?

[CharlieJ]

This might be stating the obvious, but have you checked/do you know about active captain?

Signed on to active captain some time ago gal, but really got put off with the constant "techie" slant, so I ignore now . Might want to re consider, but they just got so complex it's not easy anymore

[ralay]

Really?  I love active captain.  It's just a Google Street map or a nautical chart with pins you can zoom and click on.  You can also download the data set for offline access.  It has it's issues, but it's a pretty great resource for being free.  It's totally supplanted our use of guide books.

[cliffdwellers2]

I am on active captain, but I had a hard time figuring out the comparable maps to use with it. I use an iPad, and thought I'd try Navionics. Good idea or not?

[ralay]

Your just looking for charts?  We have a Linux and a Windows machine that both run OpenCpn wih free NOAA charts.  I just use Active Captain for research, not navigation.  Once I find an Anchorage/free dock I want to go to on Active Captain, I note the GPS coordinates and drop a point on our chart plotter/OpenCPN.  Navionics might be a good program, but I don't have personal experience with it or Apple products.

[Godot]

Active Captain is pretty much the best resource I've found and I use it constantly while cruising. I play around with Squidd.io as well as it interfaces with OpenCPN; but it isn't as nice and doesn't have nearly the same amount of information. Too bad, too, since ActiveCaptain's Jeff Siegel has begun to get a reputation not too different from Rocna's Peter Smith. Two great products. Two overbearing individuals. However, the product is what counts. I use both.

[stumpy]

Spent about half my adult life in the Columbia Basin...you'll enjoy it!  Lewiston has a nice marina below the Snake/Clearwater confluence...even has an alright restaurant.   About a mile or so downriver from the first dam you come to below Lewiston there's a marina, park and small store/restaurant (Boyer)...usually plenty of moorage available there.
Exercise caution when locking, of course, but particularly at the three dams on the Snake River.  At times ACE schedules draw-downs that you want to be aware of.  At the confluence of the Snake and Columbia (near Tri-Cities), anchor off or tie up at Sacajawea State Park...Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery spent some time at that very spot.

The next dam downriver is McNary.  There's a small marina just below the dam on the Oregon side (at Umatilla).  They used to usually have a transient slip or two.

Lots of stuff to see from there on downriver.  Winds can pick up quick down in the Gorge, so keep a weather eye out, particularly from the John Day Dam on west.

Plan to spend some time at Hood River...nifty little town with lots of small eateries and brew-pub type installations.  If you have time, get a ride the two or three miles to the Hood River aerofield and visit the WAAAM museum...aeroplanes, cars and motorcycles...nice people too.  It's one of the best collections and operations of it's kind in the west!

Cascade Locks could be a stop farther downriver as well. 

If your schedule allows running all the way to salt, there's several small marinas from Scappoose on down...very reasonable $$$-wise too.  The Maritime Museum at Astoria is worth a little time too.

I'll be in eastern WA next week.   Will be dropping in on a couple  "sagebrush sailors" while there. I'll see what kind of pukka gen can be had on what's up on the river and let you know.