Downwinder

[freetobeme]

Have a blast boys. We expect a full report.

[supthecreek]

Me too... you know Stoney is just like a kid on Christmas Eve....

[stoneaxe]

LOL...can't sleep or anything....

This should be good tomorrow...just came in from 4 hours of dancing with Mrs Stoneaxe......married 32 years yesterday....luckiest guy in the world.

[supthecreek]

It is about an hour till you guys launch... I am watching the radar... looks like all the heavy thunder boomers are breaking up.... you may get bits of steady rain... but looks reasonable.

I wish I was there, but I'm getting my yaya's looking at this DW setup... it is amazing for the prevailing SW winds.

addapost... you have absolutely nailed this......what a perfect set up

1 - The S/SW swells will run right into the deep Sakonnet River mouth and roll up river with the wind.
2 - launch from a protected harbor and blow straight off the beach into the river
3 - Multiple and well spaced take out spots where you can run straight onto the sand with   
     open parking right along the beach:
     - 6.8 miler landing on Fogland Beach
     - 8.5 miler landing on Sapowet Cove Beach
     - 11.5 miler landing on Grinnel's Beach
     - 17 miler landing on a Club street Park
4 - All the takeout beaches are just off a waterfront road that runs the length of the river.
5 - Safe emergency takeouts all along the route
6 - Within an hour's drive for lots of NE Zoners (1.5 hrs for me)

I see this becoming the Miliko East (minus the big open ocean swells)

Not trying to butt into this thread... but I'm excited to do this with you folks...and I like pictures... here are details of addapost's genus setup.... plus a few options I found along the river

[kayadogg]

Well, bad news... addapost called me just as I was getting to the Newport bridge, thick heavy fog to the point of not being able to see more than 50 yards ahead. Threat of more lightning coming up too. Played it safe and called it off, total bummer. I met up with the 3 guys from sup50.com who are paddling 50 states in 50 days and we had an awesome paddle in Providence, through the city, under the mall and out the hurricane barrier. They loved it. Driving south now to blue skies and hopefully some surf. Not a total bust of a day but I do need to do that dw run soon.

[PDLSFR]

That's a bummer I was looking forward to hearing how it went !!

I just left 1st and 2nd in Newport, waves were shoulder to occasional head high but very disorganized and choppy. Some decent rides and only a handful of proners and couple of SUS, might be getting better now as weather appears to be clearing up. I'll be there again tomorrow early hoping for better cleaner waves.

[addapost]

Went to the meet-up spot an hour early and found 400-500 yard visibility. Listened to NOAA weather on the VHF, Looked at Weather Underground forecast and live radar. All bad news. Fog throughout the morning, more rain coming, possible T storms. BLAH!! I decided to call the guys and save them the trip. Too bad, the wind was pretty good. Drove down to the launch at Sakonnet harbor and the Vis was even worse.

WE WILL GET THIS!!!

[addapost]

It is about an hour till you guys launch... I am watching the radar... looks like all the heavy thunder boomers are breaking up.... you may get bits of steady rain... but looks reasonable.

I wish I was there, but I'm getting my yaya's looking at this DW setup... it is amazing for the prevailing SW winds.

addapost... you have absolutely nailed this......what a perfect set up

1 - The S/SW swells will run right into the deep Sakonnet River mouth and roll up river with the wind.
2 - launch from a protected harbor and blow straight off the beach into the river
3 - Multiple and well spaced take out spots where you can run straight onto the sand with   
     open parking right along the beach:
     - 6.8 miler landing on Fogland Beach
     - 8.5 miler landing on Sapowet Cove Beach
     - 11.5 miler landing on Grinnel's Beach
     - 17 miler landing on a Club street Park
4 - All the takeout beaches are just off a waterfront road that runs the length of the river.
5 - Safe emergency takeouts all along the route
6 - Within an hour's drive for lots of NE Zoners (1.5 hrs for me)

I see this becoming the Miliko East (minus the big open ocean swells)

Not trying to butt into this thread... but I'm excited to do this with you folks...and I like pictures... here are details of addapost's genus setup.... plus a few options I found along the river

Wow this is a nice description here Rick. Yes the Sakonnet River is great for this type of paddle. Legit, free parking/access is like gold here in MA/RI and this has it. The winds are usually right up the river in the summer (and right down the river in the winter). All you need is to be able to friggin see  The wind forecast looks the same for the next 4 or 5 days. I can do any day except tomorrow.

[freetobeme]

Bummer for the crew today. Looks like a sweet spot.  I'm game for this some day. What's the general boat traffic like?

[stoneaxe]

Nicely done creek...good thing is...you didn't miss it...

I'm glad you called it Jim. I would have been toast in that fog, balance all but disappears. Sounds like you had a nice paddle kaya, glad they had fun. I should have called you but I just went local. Fog wasn't bad here, grey skies, a little off and on rain. Gusty, shifty winds, SW, W, even some slightly NW 10-15 mph. In typical fashion I fought into the SW for a mile and then turned to ride DW just about when the wind went full W and blowing harder, instead of my ride back I had side on chop for 3 miles and paddled pretty much exclusively on my right. Did a zig zag route to get some fun little glides along the way. Back into the harbor through the gap in the breakwall...current was ripping. It gave me an idea...good spot to video for stroke analysis. Just like a treadmill.

[headmount]

Does the SW blow with blue skies?  Run looks great.  Thanks creek for the lay-out. 

[supthecreek]

hm - The weather is usually good when the wind is SW...  There will be plenty of days for that track.

And in winter... it really blows out of the North... it will funnel down that ally like a wind tunnel. Just reverse the launch/pickup spots and you still launch straight off the beach with the wind at your back and blow straight into the pick up beach at the end... how cool is that?

I got to battle into a strong side shore wind for a 2 hour mid morning surf session. 4' semi off/cross shore. Challenging but fun.... and a great workout