Author Topic: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?  (Read 13207 times)

ValleyGirl

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Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« on: March 01, 2015, 09:44:10 PM »
I heard today that Nichols Basin parking and beach access at the Hood River waterfront will be closed soon and is in the process of being developed to connect with the rest of the waterfront complex. I'm sure it will be a great addition. Many of us have parked there and shuttled up for the Viento downwinders, some for many years.  It was nice to end up there close to your car with others around to help you load up and give advice.  I'm in the sport because of the great people I met there. I'm relatively new to the sport but the place seems worthy of at least a bonfire before it's covered with cement forever.  It's as close as it gets to sacred ground to me.

covesurfer

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2015, 09:53:51 PM »
I think I can safely say that if pono Bill and I were in town, we'd both be there. Lots of great memories of good times, great paddles and really awesome people.

PonoBill

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2015, 10:46:43 PM »
Wow, when does this happen? I won't be back until May, or I'd certainly be there and bring the beer.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

JP4

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2015, 11:55:12 PM »
Yup, I heard closed until June.  On the bright side, they put some big ramps in at the Hook, so that's a take out option now.

http://www.hoodrivernews.com/news/2015/feb/21/hook-project-provides-great-new-river-access/

JP

covesurfer

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2015, 12:41:03 AM »
The problem with using the Hook as a take out spot when it's windy is.....wait for it.....the WIND! Big boards and strong westerlies going up that bank and then trying to get tied on the roof is a recipe for disaster. That's why Nichols was so awesome, you could come in there, even when it was raging on the river, and be pretty much out of the wind. Made carrying the board and racking it a whole lot easier.

PonoBill

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2015, 09:04:04 AM »
Lots of people come in at the event center, especially right at the eastern corner. More carrying and more wind, but not bad.

I thought the ownership of Nichols was liked of cloudy--the port own some, the Naito family owns some, and there's another party. Wonder how that parses out. There are plans for a waterfront hotel at the end. Great piece of property, though anytime the Corps of Engineers gets involved it's messy, slow and expensive. I suspect they have jurisdiction over the sandbars.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

JP4

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2015, 10:16:08 AM »
My go to take out when I'm in a hurry and the Event Site/Nichols area is packed is the concrete steps at Waterfront Park.  I park in the Luhr Jensen gravel lot and it's not too windy to load boards there.  Super convenient. The only downside is there's usually a bunch of other old geezers standing in the shallow water in front of the steps taking a break from windsurfing.  I just point it at them and pretend I'm out of control (pretend?) and they usually shuffle out of the way.
JP

ValleyGirl

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2015, 10:16:23 AM »
I agree that the new landing is only an emergency bail out spot on windy days.  I wonder if there will be any free parking or if there will be an annual pass option.

PonoBill

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2015, 12:16:22 PM »
The steps is a tough go sometimes. There's almost always a bunch of people there. You'd think they'd make some space, but no. I've had a windsurfer blow past me as I was almost in, drop his sail and park. I may have misinterpreted the move, but it felt territorial, so I more or less ran him over.   As rocky as the exit is there's only a few decent spots to get out.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

CascadeSup

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2015, 12:22:48 PM »
I think the biggest loss at Nichols Basin will be the current gravel parking.   I think that area will be landscaped as part of the waterfront park, so there will still be beach/water access, but you will have to park up on the street or in the Event Site parking area.

starman

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2015, 12:57:11 PM »
Yep big bummer losing that exit spot. Biggest bummer will be not being able to head up to the deck for a cold beer after a run. The hook ramps look beautiful and a big improvement but its a pretty sketchy place to load SUP's on a vehicle in the wind. Sometimes its a job for 3.

JP4

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2015, 02:29:34 PM »
The initial rumors I heard about this project were that we wouldn't loose all the parking, just gain a path and some landscaping.  It looks like we are indeed loosing all the parking as far as I can tell from these documents (Attention: Coveplanner, your interpretation please).  Bummer.  I don't know how many cars it takes to fill up Nichols, but it was full plenty of times last summer, and you have to wonder where they were planning for all those people to go. 

http://portofhoodriver.com/PDFs/NBTrail_Drawings_111414.pdf

JP

gorgebob

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2015, 08:39:24 AM »
The new ramp is cool if the wind has died. You can paddle around the point a pull out on the other (lee) side if the wind was bad(still honking). Still your car would be on top of the bluff where the wind is the worst(best).
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JP4

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Re: Party at Nichols Basin - "Slackwater Beach" ?
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2015, 09:08:47 AM »
Good point Bob.  My kids still use the CGWA gear right there and we go up and down the inside bank of the Hook quite a bit.  There's also a clothes changing shelter right there.

As far as Nichols is concerned, I paddled around the basin yesterday (had to launch at the event site) to check my balance (just had leg surgery) and they are going full steam on construction.  They had just put down and rolled the gravel bed for the bike path and they imported an enormous pile of sand.  Looks like they're going to make a beach ;)

JP

 


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