By: Laura Groshans

Jack Hart, 74, prepares to launch his canoe from the Whitley Landing Boat Ramp in Eugene, Oregon. Hart is a Eugene native and has been an active canoe instructor for over twenty years. Additionally, Hart guided for Oregon Whitewater Adventures where he led raft trips on the upper McKenzie River.

Jack Hart demonstrates different canoe strokes on the Willamette River. In the background, blackberry bushes consume the river bank, making them one of the most invasive species in the Willamette River Basin.

 

Jack Hart pulls the canoe out of the water to get a closer look at a serious “strainer” on the Willamette River. A “Strainer” refers to a pile of debris that disrupts the flow of the river and can easily derail boats. This particular jam is home to several destroyed kayaks that have been swept in by the current.

Hart examines the strainer on a small pebble island in the middle of the Willamette River. These rocky shores require careful maneuvering because Killdeer birds are notorious for laying eggs between the stones.

Karen Hart, 74, assists Jack in removing his life vest at Marshall Island Boat Ramp. The couple resides in a beautiful boat house on the Willamette River, one of the few residential areas along the river in Eugene. Jack no longer guides whitewater trips, but still works for the Eugene Outdoor Program as a canoe instructor.