Presidents Corner

Spring Equinox, Snow Pack, and OWA Safety Auction

By Scott Harvey

Scott Harvey.jpg

Greetings fellow club members,

Spring Equinox:

As the gloomy and dark months of winter are starting to become more distant in our rear view mirror, I find myself chomping at the bit for the brighter, sunnier, cheerier days of spring that’s just around the corner. As we spin towards daylight savings time and spring equinox, we have already gained 3 hours more daylight from winter solstice in December at our location at the 45 degree North latitude, with about 4 more hours of daylight still to gain. (Yay)!!

Snow Pack:

While the weather here in the Northwest during this later part of Winter has been colder than normal, the snow packs in Oregon, Washington and Idaho have been looking decent at around 100% of normal snow pack. With the Owyhee and Bruneau drainages having a bit higher snow pack of roughly 120% and some areas of the Washington Cascades a little less than 90% snow pack. So far, everything looks good for what would be considered a normal boating season in the Northwest.

Safety Auction:

Just a reminder that our OWA Safety Auction (which help support our safety training programs) will be coming up real soon and an email will be sent out to club members through H2Oaddicts when the Safety Auction is up and running towards later March or early April. Also, our River Safety Training will be happening again in April 2023 at Dodge Park. Some information and details are in the club’s calendar with further updates and signup to be added soon.

Wilderness First Aid:

OWA has an extensive Wilderness First Aid kit and an AED that goes on OWA club trips and is also available for club members to take on their private river trips as well. However, OWA club river trips take priority for the FA kit and AED usage, but it’s encouraged as members of OWA that you take both kits with you on your next private river trip. I have been on an extended river trip in the past, where we have utilized the Wilderness First Aid kit. It saved our trip and allowed us to continue safely with our river excursion. You can check them out by sending an email to firstaid(at)oregonwhitewater.org.

Newsletter Content:

Club members, we are always in need for newsletter content!! Whether it be an extended overnight river trip write-up, a day trip experience, personal review on boating gear, a safety concern or just photos to be included in our Newsletter. Photos can comprise of river trips, whitewater action shots, river scenery shots, river history and wildlife alongside the rivers or group campsite photos of club members.