Besson Day Use Area to Benham Falls, Deschutes River

July 17, 2011
Length: 7 Miles
Time on Water: 2 Hours, 50 Minutes
Flow: 2076 CFS
Class 1-2: The entire section is slow moving water.
Highlight: The part half way through the run where it gorges up a little bit and everything was super calm. The water was like glass and there was no wind.
For Next Time: Bring my fishing rod.
Flora & Fauna: Two huge Osprey nests, Great Blue Herons, and Deer.
Boat Traffic: Lots of tourists and canoeists near the Sunriver Marina. We also saw over five motor boats with fisherman downstream. This seems to be a very high use section of river.

Farewell Bend Park Fireworks Float

July 4, 2011
Length: 1 mile
Time on Water: 2.5 Hours
Class 1 - slow moving water, able to row upstream
Highlight: watching fireworks from the boat that reflected on the river surface
For Next Time: Do it again, plan for the fireworks to go off at 10:00 p.m.
Flora & Fauna: Ducks, geese, two beavers, and the sound of frogs.
Boat Traffic: only one other boat on the river.

Warm Springs to Trout Creek, Deschutes River

July 2, 2011
Length: 9.5 Miles
Time on Water: 2 Hours
Class 1-2, mostly flat with a couple of class two rapids. Perfect for kids!
Highlight: Sarah rowing her first class two rapids! Also, this is where we lost Kila's Telluride hat.
For Next Time: Plan to do an overnight. It would also be possible to camp at the take out campground.
Flora & Fauna: Lots of Osprey, Great Blue Herons, one River Otter, Hawks, Ducks and Geese.
Boat Traffic: Just a handful of fisherman.

Aspen to Lava Island (Big Eddy Section), Deschutes River

June 26, 2011
Length: 2 Miles
Time on Water: Just under an hour
Class 2-3, Mostly flat water with a fun rapid section at the end
Highlight: Falling into the back of the boat and losing an oar just above Sous hole. We recovered fine!
Flora & Fauna: Columbines in bloom
Boat Traffic: Lots of commercial boats.

Big River Campground to Harper Bridge, Deschutes River

June 24, 2011

Length: 7.5 Miles

Time on Water: 3 Hours

Class: 2, slow meandering water, great for kids.

Highlight: The “Real Estate” river tour. Take out watching Kila throw rocks into the river and play in the Iris flowers that were in full bloom.

For Next Time: Start at Harper Bridge, then float down to the Marina, dock, and then eat lunch or dinner at Olah. The next take out would be above Benham Falls (18.3 Miles).

Flora & Fauna: A few ducks.

Boat Traffic: We saw a couple of motorboats cruising upstream.

The Beginning

June 28, 2011
Today with the help of my Dad, we purchased a 1990 14 foot Avon Bucket Boat which will be referred to from here on out as the Otter Boat. We found the ad on Craigslist and ended up paying $1100.00 in addition to an additional $400 for an aluminum frame. The boat is in fairly good shape with a few patches. Along with the boat came two wooden oars, two old beat up coolers and a few worthless straps.