4A ܂ WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018 ܂ APPEAL TRIBUNE Life in the Valley Dive on in Discover an new underwater world by snorkeling in Little North Santiam River The Little North Santiam River is a good place to visit because of the clear water and glorious deep pools for swimming. PHOTOS BY JEFF GREEN/DYNAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK The Little North Santiam River is one of Oregon’s most beautiful streams, with waterfalls, old-growth forest and mossy canyons. But that’s just the view from land. Dive below the surface with a snorkel and fins, and you’ll discover an entirely new side of the Little North. It’s an em- erald world teeming with wildlife, hid- den caverns and no shortage of sur- prises. River snorkeling is a somewhat un- der-the-radar form of outdoor recrea- tion in Oregon. But it does seem to be growing in popularity, said avid river snorkeler Conrad Gowell, who helps manage a Facebook and Instagram group that highlights pictures and trips. “It seems to be gaining momentum,” he said. “More and more people are reaching out for gear recommendations and trip reports.” I decided to get into river snorkeling after hearing the stories of wildlife biol- ogists, who use snorkels to count fish in Oregon’s rivers and creeks. Coming nose-to-nose with a steelhead or salmon seemed like a lot of fun. And, as a whitewater kayaker, I’ve long won- dered what lay below my boat. I purchased my first snorkel setup (mask, breathing tube and fins) from Salem Scuba in July and was ready for action. The Little North was the first place to visit, because I've always loved its clear water and glorious deep pools for swim- ming. But I knew there was more to see. And so, on one of those boiling hot days last week, I loaded the snorkel and fins into my backpack and headed out. I was joined by Salem adventure pho- tographer Jeff Green, a certified scuba diver. Our plan was to hike into some of the larger, less-traveled and more inter- esting pools along the Little North San- tiam Trail. Call it snorkel hiking, or snorking. I’m still working on the name. From the trailhead, Jeff and I carried our gear a little more than a mile before we found a hole worth exploring, right below a small waterfall. I’d practiced setting up the equip- ment beforehand, which was nice, be- cause it didn’t take much time or effort to get in the water. That's actually one of the things I've enjoyed about river snor- keling so far — it's pretty simple to get started. Jeff wore a wetsuit, and I wore my kayaking drysuit, but that isn’t neces- sary. In the heat of the day, the Little North swimming holes are the perfect mix of refreshingly cool without being frigid, and you could go in a swimming suit. From the first moment I dove into the water, I wondered why I didn’t pick it up sooner. My view below the surface was emer- ald glass, with numerous trout darting among giant boulders. The best part was below the waterfall, where I was en- veloped in so many bubbles it felt as though I was inside a freshly cracked can of soda. But that was just the beginning. After the first hole, we headed to a wider section of the river and swam out into a canyon filled with deep pools. Some of the holes were shockingly deep, as though a grand canyon was spread- ing out below the water. We continued up the canyon, climb- ing above waterfalls and jumping into the pool above, each new pool bringing something unique. Our favorite moment was swimming into a small cave, deep in the canyon. “You could take a picture of this place and tell somebody that it’s from Tahiti,” Jeff said. “But it’s right here in our back- yard.” The worst part was coming across trash at the bottom of what feels like a pristine river. Jeff picked up a long, plas- tic hose, and I nabbed a few beer cans. Gowell, also a conservationist with the Native Fish Society, said river snor- keling provides a real window into the health of a river system. “I've snorkeled some of the most de- graded watersheds in Oregon trying to figure out how to restore them,” he said. “And I've been fortunate enough to see fully functioning rivers complete with species some people have never heard of. “For me, it’s a way to go to the river without needing to extract something Jeff Green dives into a deep hole in the Little North Santiam River. from it, a way to figure out what’s below the water's surface and learn to coexist better within my environment.” Get snorkel gear Salem Scuba (1170 Vista Ave SE, Sa- lem) Hydrosports (3846 River Road North, Keizer) Learn more about river snorkeling River Snorkeling - Facebook @river_snorkeling - Instagram Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 10 years. He is the author of the book “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJour- nal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors. Protect your savings with FDIC coverage up to $1.5 million. Our Insured Bank Deposit program offers the assurance of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) protection. This interest-bearing savings solution gives you the convenience of having your savings and investments on one statement. Getting started is easy. Call your fi nancial advisor today to learn more. Deposits are FDIC-insured up to $1.5 million or $3 million for joint accounts of two or more people. More information about the Insured Bank Deposit program, including the program disclosure, is available from your fi nancial advisor or at www.edwardjones.com/bankdeposit. For more information about FDIC insurance, go to www.fdic.gov. 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