| Description: Before the big
flood in 1996 Joe Bob's used to be one the three features that made
the Bob's Hole Rapid a world class play spot. There used to be three
separate holes that were all in at different water levels. There
used to be something epic and retentive to surf from 1800 cfs all
the way up to 5000 cfs. These hole were stronger and much more
retentive than the relatively friendly Bob's Hole and the new Joe Bob's
Wave. Joe Bob's used to a meaty hole that was frequently the site of
swims and had a character similar to the pit in the second ledge at the
Washougal Play Spot only bigger and more retentive. For
seven years there was nothing but a few lesser waves across the river
from Bob's Hole at higher water until after a sustained week of high water in 2003.
That week of high water moved and rearranged the river bottom
perfectly to create a nice wide straight surf wave. At first most
Bob's Hole regulars cynically retired the idea that Joe Bob's might
be back. Then a few of them had a good session on the wave and word
began to spread that Joe Bob's was back as a wave. Since then Joe
Bob's has been drawing a good crowd, equal at least to Bob's Hole.
Joe Bob's has also been a place that many paddlers have to
experiment with surfing and spinning and learning the basics of play
boating on the smooth friendly wave.
Joe Bob's like the rest of Bob's Hole Rapid
continues to evolve every year and some believe with each high water
event. Subtle changes in feature on a regular
basis. Early in the Winter of 2003-2004, Joe Bob's seemed to be a
little less steep and retentive than during the previous winter.
These concerns about Joe Bob's not being as steep as before were
quickly mitigated when a new cartwheeling window emerged at lower
flows when the wave used to just quit breaking and fade away
to green. Now below 3200 cfs Joe Bob's is offers another place for
paddlers to practice their hole riding skills in a non-threatening
wave-hole. If you have a boat with sufficient volume you may even be
able to loop at lower flows at Joe Bob's. Many local paddlers continue to wonder if the waters of the
Clackamas will eventually remove enough debris and cobbles to make
Joe Bob's a strong hole again.
What is Joe Bob's like? Above 3300 cfs Joe Bob's is
usually a
moderately tall (three to four feet),
slightly breaking green wave with very smooth and flat incoming
water. The shoulders of the wave are weak and almost non-existent.
What does this mean to me? Joe Bob's is a fun wave to surf but it is
easy to carve or slide off of the sides since there is nothing
pushing or directing your boat back toward the core of the wave.
Blunts and backstabs and other more dynamic moves require that you
find your way to the top of the wave and take advantage of the
potential energy at hand by accelerating back into the trough of the
wave and then throwing a move. There are no shoulders to carve into
and blunt or spin with the grain of the water passing by. Joe Bob's
requires subtle and solid to technique to achieve vertical moves of
any kind. But why worry about vertical moves when you can spin and
green for extended periods if you can stay in front of steep
breaking part of the wave. |
| Eddy Service: Joe Bob's has great
eddy service. There is a slack water eddy that extends several
hundred yards below the wave. However tired paddlers or those with a
delay roll will have to paddle a lot further to re-attain the wave
as the current is quite fast. |
| Water Levels:
2200-2600 cfs: Another lesser wave
appears next to Joe Bob's. However this wave is very fickle and slow
compared to Joe Bob's and hardly worth more than a couple of rides.
Many people confuse this wave with Joe Bob's.
This Wave is not Joe Bob's. If
The Third Wave is still curling impressively than Joe Bob's really isn't in.
2700-3200 cfs:
This is the bottom end for Joe Bob's to be in. In 2003, there was
nothing worth surfing here at this flow. At this level Joe
Bob's now becomes a weak wave-hole, good for quick controlled
cartwheels either way. At this level if lose control, edge too hard,
or get too aggressive you will flush through the pile quickly.
Interestingly enough Joe Bob's as flushy as it is gives up some big
loops at these levels. Take into account
what the water levels is on Fish Creek. Often a winning ratio for
the low-end at Joe Bob's is Three Lynx
2700 cfs and Fish Creek 550 to 600 cfs. The closer the river level
gets to 2800 cfs the weaker Joe Bob's will be. The real bottom end
is when Three Lynx is 2700 cfs and Fish Creek is around 200 cfs.
3700 cfs: Most people consider this to
be the prime level for Joe Bob's. The wave
is generally well formed and the most retentive at this level. Be
aware of what Fish Creek is doing if Three Lynx is 3700 cfs and Fish
Creek is 1500 cfs the wave will be all but greened out. Three Lynx
at 3700 cfs and Fish Creek at 400 cfs deliver the ratio for the best
conditions.
4300 cfs:
This is generally about as high as you
would want to surf Joe Bob's at this level and above the wave
greens out completely and loses its break. Throwing blunts at this
levels takes a fine touch to stay on the wave. Take into account what Fish Creek is
doing if it is contributing more than ten percent of the flow at the
Three Lynx Gauge, expect higher even less optimal water levels.
|
| Gauge: Clackamas River at Three Lynx
Creek. The gauge at Three Lynx generally accurately predicts when
Joe Bob's will be in when the trend is fairly level or moving
downward. Be aware that if the gauge is spiking strongly (vertical
trend) during periods of heavy rain, you have more than likely
already missed the wave. The flow at Fish Creek also needs to be
taken into account if it is providing ten percent or more of the
flow of the Three Lynx Gauge then a higher flow at Joe Bob's should
be expected than the Three Lynx Gauge would indicate. |
| Season: October to early May most
years. |
| Difficulty: Anyone with a roll and
the ability to ferry onto the wave will be able to appreciate the
wave. Swims might result in a fairly lengthy trip down river below
the wave. |
| GPS Location:
45°11.386 N, 122°10.113 W - Parking | 45°11.377 N, 122°10.147 W
- Wave |
| Driving Directions: Joe Bob's is
located at 13 miles East of Estacada, OR on Highway 224 (road
mile 36.5). |
| Closest Town: Estacada, OR |
| Closest Services: If you need gas,
food or anything else Estacada is place to go. Paddlers are
especially fond of Rico Taco (in front of the Forum Food Market on
Highway 224) and the Harmony Bakery 2 block behind the Subway).
There is a pay phone at Promontory Park on North Fork Reservoir.
|
| Other Local Attractions if the play isn't
in: Fearless Brewery in Estacada has some good beer and food
from the grill. |
| Closest Camping: There are
campgrounds up and down river from Bob's Hole as well as camping a
Promontory Park on the reservoir in the Spring and during the Oregon
Cup. |
| Local's Tips: If the river is too
high for Joe Bob's to be in or if the eddy is too crowded for your
tastes head to the Lower Molalla's waves and holes. |
| Local Kayak Shops: Alder Creek and
Next Adventure are shops to hit in Portland. |
