Elwha welcome canoes for final stop in journey

PORT ANGELES — With white caps on the sea, canoes battled strong currents to reach Elwha Beach on Thursday for the final landing of the 2025 Canoe Journey Paddle to Elwha.

An Elwha Klallam Tribe flag waved in the breeze as Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe members gathered to greet the incoming canoes while singing and beating drums.

Everyone cheered when the canoes reached the shore.

“We think there’s going to be over 100 canoes,” said Russell Hepfer, vice chair of the tribe. “It’s exciting. We have people from the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission who have never witnessed a canoe journey before.”

Although traditionally the canoes wait offshore to gain permission to land, the wind and the waves were so strong Thursday that the canoes landed and then asked for permission as a safety measure, he said.

“We have our youth leading because they’ll be leading in the future and they speak the language,” Hepfer said.

At about 10 a.m., the wind and waves were starting to pick up.

“We never know what to expect, but we were hoping it wouldn’t be this windy,” Hepfer said. “We’re just happy to celebrate and have fun.”

The canoes will stay until Tuesday. During the next several days, tribes will gather in the protocol tent set up at the Elwha River Casino for singing, dancing and gift giving.

“Usually the ones that traveled the farthest go first and then the Elwha will go last,” Hepfer said.

The waves were so strong that when the Nooksack canoe — the Spirit of the River — tried to approach shore, they had to go back out, turn around and try again.

Nooksack royalty Louanne Roberts said the journey was tough sometimes and the water was a bit hard.

“It’s beautiful, though,” she said. “It’s nice to be out on the water, traveling to all new places. It’s pretty awesome learning about your family.”

This was Roberts’ third canoe journey. She participated last year and also in 2019.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and learning my history,” Roberts said.

She said it’s important to keep culture alive.

“That’s the main thing, just try to learn as much as possible to keep the line going,” she said.

This marks the second time the Elwha Tribe has hosted the Canoe Journey. The first was in 2005. The theme of this year’s journey is to celebrate the removal of the dams on the Elwha River.

“The Canoe Journey is an annual celebration of Indigenous resilience, cultural revitalization and unity among Pacific Northwest Tribes,” according to a presentation given in July.

The first journey was in 1989 when Paddle to Seattle took place.

“We celebrate Canoe Journey to reclaim traditional knowledge and healing practices,” according to the presentation. “Educate youth and honor Elders. Rebuild cultural ties and assert tribal sovereignty. Welcome all relatives in the spirit of unity, culture and peace.”

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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.