The Mighty Willamette

By Tanya

Growing up in Portland Oregon, I have always had a fondness for our beautiful bridges that span across the Willamette River connecting the east side of town to the west. As a child I lived closest to and would often cross the Ross Island Bridge.  Named for it's proximity to Ross Island, the largest of four small islands in the Willamette River just south of downtown Portland, it holds a special place in my heart.

A view of downtown Portland and Willamette from the east side

As we drove across the bridge I would often dream about what it would be like on the island, never really giving thought about how I would get out there. When I was a child the Willamette River had a bad reputation for being polluted.  The majority of Ross Island was owned by the Ross Island Sand and Gravel Company who used it as a quarry, so people were seldom in the water nearby.

Fast forward to 2014.  I still love Portland.  I still have a fondness for the bridges around the city and for Ross Island.  However, now I get to spend my summers training for a triathlons by swimming in the Willamette River and taking my kids in our kayak out to search for magic pebbles on the beaches of Ross Island!