Brendan Wells's Page

I woke up Saturday morning to my phone ringing and a groggy ten second conversation. “We’re going to Skook, I’ll pick you up in a half hour,” said a voice that I couldn’t quite put a face to. I knew it had to be one of the young local Bellingham paddlers and without thinking replied, “I’m in, see you in thirty.” Impulse decisions have always led to the most exciting adventures of my life and I knew this weekend was going to be one to remember. On Friday, my plans to fly to the Homathko River…

The summer of 2011 has treated both coasts to epic storms and unheard of amounts of water. The Pacific Northwest hasn’t experienced any dramatic flooding, but any local paddler knows that it has been a great year for boating. My favorite local runs including the White Salmon, Cispus, and Lewis River have all kept stable flows late into the summer and still have healthy amounts of water. 

The highlight of my summer has undoubtedly been the significant amount of time I’ve been able to…

My fears of public school  vanished as I arrived to yet another rainy day in Portland, OR. Every drainage in the pacific northwest was flooding beyond belief, with my favorite local runs more than double the average flow. My arrival back home marked the end to a glorious four months traveling with World Class Kayak Academy across the East Coast of the U.S. and Canada, and to Zambia and Uganda. (…

If you don’t want to get out of your boat and hike or don’t own a jet ski, there’s an easy, affordable and relatively effortless way to surf the wave of your dreams. A rope tow is very similar to water skiing or wakeboarding except the rope is permanently fixed to a rock or tree. On the opposite end is a small handle, just wide enough for a single hand. Traditionally, attached to or near the handle is a second length of rope that is used to pull the rope back to shore. …