Ride a personal watercraft on the Willamette River

Learn from our Sea-Doos and Sea-Don’ts for a wet adventure in Portland, Oregon

A man wearing sunglasses takes a selfie from the backseat of a personal watercraft with the the St. Johns Bridge in the background

The gray weather couldn’t hold us back.

Photo via PDXtoday

Hey there, City Editor Ben here. I’m not a daredevil by any means, but I had a blast seeing downtown Portland on the personal watercraft we rented from SK Rentals. The city looks much different from the Willamette River, and it was certainly a memorable experience to float beneath the bridges I’ve driven across so many times.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you’d like to take one for a whirl.

  • We paid $90 per hour with a hefty $2,000 security deposit on a card (which was returned right away). If you’re in it for exploration, two hours is plenty of time to venture a ways north and south.
  • Always wear layers. Even if it’s warm out, the spray and wind can cool you off quickly.
  • Be sure to stay up to date with notices related to algae. As long as you don’t ingest the water, you should be okay, but contact can cause skin irritation for some people.
  • Find a pair of sunglasses you would never wear on any other occasion, and rock them.
  • Have fun, but be sure to follow the rules.
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