Welcome.  The club scene out here might not be to the extent you're used to coming from the East Coast.  However, we do have a good, local club - the Washington Kayak Club or "WKC" - that organizes trips, training, and puts for some efforts towards local access and conservation.  Their website is http://www.washingtonkayakclub.org/

The WKC is a good resource for trips up to the class III / III+ range, with the occasional IV tossed in here and there.  Those club trips are great for learning our local rivers, and they provide a good way to meet paddlers with similar interests.  While the overall club trip offerings might not be overwhelming, there is a (somewhat) hidden club-related social scene that resides more through social network / email generated communication than it does through club website posted trips.  Sign up for a few trips, be proactive in meeting and sharing contact info with fellow paddlers who share similar interests, and you'll likely find yourself looped into some of these weekly paddling communications. 

 

           

Tried to respond from my phone today but not sure it sent. Sound pretty much like our experience on the East Coast. We belong to a few clubs and do some club trips but over the years have developed a relationship with a large number of paddlers that we communicate with on social media. Already joined the WKC last night and reviewed some of their scheduled trips. When my wife and I get to the west coast we will join a few of the trips and begin developing relationships with folks that have similar paddling skills and desires.

Thanks again for the information. Hope to paddle with you sometime

You know a paddler named Andy Shirey or a guy named Dane by any chance? We are originally from Georgia and are good friends with those guys.

For some reason I thought you were from Birminham, Alabama. Whoops! When you get to town let us know. My husband and I are happy to show you down some rivers.