Headed to the PNW later this week, and will be in the Hood River area next week. I know it's been crazy hot lately, what's the water temp like in the river these days. What kind of wetsuits are most folks wearing? Spring suits? 3/2's? little of everything?
Also anyone want to join me on a few wing sessions? downwinders? I've get a general idea of most the spots, but would be nice to join a few of you if anyone is down.
Hopefully there is a little more wind next week.
Haven't been up there recently but this is still your best resource https://thegorgeismygym.com/forecast/
With 66 degree water and f'n hot weather I don't think much rubber is needed
I make sure to contribute each year whether I'm there or not. Waking up to the email forecast each day I'm in the Hood is completely worth the $
I find the ikitesurf pro forecast to be the most reliable. It is updated live 3 times a day. Many of us are still wearing 3/2 wetsuits though you definitely see people wearing less. As far as locations, there are a lot of options if you are able to stay upwind. The wind quality varies quite a bit on a given day and it helps to pay close attention to the lulls to find the best winds. For example, on a given day the Event Site could be averaging 20 but wth lulls/gusts of 7/35 while Viento a few miles away could be 20 but 16/24. If you are interested in waves, the best locations in the Corridor are Hatchery/Swell but the best waves are East on bigger days. (The Wall, Rufus and Arlington). The flattest water for a given wind speed is at Jensen/Hook followed by Viento and Stevenson if you are looking for a day to work on some maneuvers.
You will find a lot of wingers on the lawn at Jensen. My wife and I are there often.
yeah def more interested in waves and doing downwinders. plenty of windy flat days here on the north shore in the summer. no problems staying upwind, and I fell comfortable in any size waves... the wall/rufus/arlington are def on my list.
Heading up there with the Axis crew Sept 7-11 for the AWSI Board Sports Expo (https://windkitesup.org/).
Super excited...going for the sup downwinding I've heard so much of in the past, and staying for the wingding instruction that I'm hoping convinces me that my disdain for the sport so far is ill placed. :P ;D
Looking forward to seeing you guys. the last two days sucked but the wind is coming back and the temperature should be back to normal in a few days. By this time of the year, I'm usually wearing rash guard, boardies, and an impact vest, though we had a long spell of junuary weather that meant spring suit up until recently when someone shoved the thermostat to 11.
BigMT, ping me when you get here, I'll be glad to meet up and go play. If we could get folks a little more synched I'd be happy to fire up my big ass smoker and host a get together at the shop. Unfortunately, I have a couple of things on the calendar--good things like racing Peyote, my vintage car for probably the last time July 23-25. My brother Bob (Stoneaxe) is coming to town to hang out and come to the race. And I've got a motorcycle trip with friends and a date with the doc to get some basal cell cut out of my charming face and nose. No biggie, but it might keep me out of the water for a while.
Quote from: Califoilia on June 28, 2021, 07:30:32 PM
Heading up there with the Axis crew Sept 7-11 for the AWSI Board Sports Expo (https://windkitesup.org/).
Wow, AWSI making sure Surf Expo stays dead. Same dates.
Quote from: bigmtn on June 28, 2021, 07:00:21 PM
yeah def more interested in waves and doing downwinders. plenty of windy flat days here on the north shore in the summer. no problems staying upwind, and I fell comfortable in any size waves... the wall/rufus/arlington are def on my list.
I understand your level now. Look East first for a big day. They don't come that often but when they do, you want to be there. Otherwise, on most typical summer days, you will probably hit Swell/Hatchery/Cheap beach. That's where you will find the wave addicts. The current is pretty fast now so getting back up wind is effortless.
I hang out at Jensen because my wife can find some flattish water while I go play in the channel but the above is my preference when she is not going out.
There is a FB group that some of the more experienced locals are on.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/261798468350180
What are the best options for downwinders? Start/finish?
Viento is easy since the shuttle is a ten minute ride down the highway. No official shuttle right now, but it's easy to set one up. It's 8.5 miles as the crow flies but I generally cover 10+. But the options are essentially infinite. 300 mikes of river (1243 miles total) with highways on both sides.
What a difference a day makes. From dead calm to 25 gusting to 40. That's what we get for praying for wind. I was out on a 6.0 at the hatchery this morning and about killed myself, The wind came up at least 10MPH on the first reach. Came back in, pumped up the 4.2 and was still overpowered but it was silly fun chasing the HUGE bumps.
Went home to feed the dog, back out at the event center and I was grossly overpowered on a 3.5. The only other winger out was a young lady I see there all time--she's extremely good. There were quite a few kites with twin tips, some of them doing 300-yard jumps, all of them lit up, most of them HODLing. HODL isn't just for Cryptocurrency.
I stayed out for quite a while. Ripped the front strap off my board, pulled the velcro loose on my harness--I've never even come close to doing that before, and in a few of the gusts, I thought for sure my wing was going to come apart. Every time I fell my board flailed around on the end of the leash, flipping over half the time. I should have come in for the 2.8, but nah.
Pretty spicy, but it was fun.
nice! I just got a 2.8M, can't believe how tiny it looks. Hoping I get a chance to use it.
Quote from: PonoBill on June 29, 2021, 01:14:22 PM
Viento is easy since the shuttle is a ten minute ride down the highway. No official shuttle right now, but it's easy to set one up. It's 8.5 miles as the crow flies but I generally cover 10+. But the options are essentially infinite. 300 mikes of river (1243 miles total) with highways on both sides.
Is the shuttle not running this summer?
It might later, but probably not. There isn't as much interest in doing SUP downwinders, and that's what kept the shuttle full. I mostly do upwind/downwind. With a wing, a harness, and a favorable wind direction, it's fairly easy to go ten miles upwind, then turn around and chase bumps downwind.
gonna just put this here to make it easier to find
Gorge map: https://cgw2.org/local-info/
Got together with Big yesterday for a second session. The Gorge was passing out some spicy treats. In the morning I went out with my 6M--it felt more like a 5M day, but I could see lots of stripes and I fricken' love this 6M. I hooked in and rode up to the upper hatchery. The swell was substantial and particularly short-period considering the size. Knee size swell that looked like chop. It made for a bumpy ride. Fun to play in though, especially in the run of wide river between the Hatchery and Wells Island. The wind kept building way beyond all predictions, and eventually I couldn't go back upwind very well--too much force on the leading edge. And I was getting cramps in my back leg.
So I headed downwind--what fun. I didn't flag the wing because with the swells so close together I needed a little help with balance, but it was a quick ride back to the event center. When I arrived I saw this tall, skinny guy standing next to a DW board with Axis wing and KD tail. Yup, Bigmtn.
He was ready to go. I pumped up my 4.2 and went out, planning to take it easy and mow ze lawn. Big had other ideas. He yelled that he was going to find more swell and wind and headed for Swell City. I followed him, but just after the bridge on the Washington side I plowed into a mat of grass and blew off the board. I got back up and continued but couldn't get up. Jumped off, flipped the board, and found a bit of salad bar. I got back up, went to the tip of Wells Island and located another grass mat. More wing salad. By the time I got untangled, I could see Big well past the hatchery. He's got this bumpy, windy shit dialed. I continued past the hatchery but by that time all I could see of Big was a yellow dot, well past swell city. I wondered if he realized there's a dam once you get to Cascade Locks.
I was getting tired and blowing too many jibes. I still can't ride toeside, dammit, and in that much chop my switchfoot jibes almost always include a quick touchdown, which is always a good opportunity to fall. So I headed back downwind. Fun.
About the time I got changed Big showed up. He'd had a fun time but is looking for the bigger stuff. Go east young man. I guess learning to wing on the north shore of Oahu gets you ready for the tough stuff anywhere.
With two long upwind/downwinders running about from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM I slept like a baby last night. No, that doesn't mean I woke up and cried every hour and wet the bed.
Bigmtn, today is a big East day. Hope you are still around. Take your small wings and fastest foil.
Had a great session at Swell yesterday on PPC 2.8 and Armstrong 1125 HA. Unfortunately, didn't see you guys. Dialing in my hard cutbacks with some successes despite ventilating a few times.
Yup, that's where I'm headed. Rufus/the wall or should I go to Arlington?
Another great resource when planning your day: https://thegorgeismygym.com/forecast/. If Rufus looks good, stay, otherwise move on to Arlington. The corridor will most likely be good too, once the marine layer backs off.
Now I'm glad I didn't get to wing with him. I can only take so many beatings. 😂
I'm loving the reports. Big, get to posting if you're not too tired.
What a fun couple days! Yesterday met up with pono Bill, and had a great time playing around at the hatchery/swell city riding waves and dodging windsurfers. Did just shy of 25 miles in a little over 2 hours.
Today I went and checked out the wall. It looked really good when I got there with nobody in the water. But very quickly the windsurfers started piling in. The launches there either had a crazy amount of sea grass or fishing nets. So I drove down and to the other side at Rufus. I figured I'd rather start with an upwind, then when I'm tired I can downwind back to the car. Super easy launch, and upwind I went. The swells were super fun, probably chest high. Plenty of wind. I took a 2.8 out for the first time. I was worried it was gonna be too small, but I think I could have gone with a smaller wing. It was nuking at times! Super fun riding the waves, but wow is it hard to keep track of where everyone is around you while also riding the waves, turning, etc. Did about 28 miles in 2.5 hrs, went back to the car for water and snacks, then went back out for another hour. Wanted to go longer, but my legs quit working. Looking like one more session tomorrow, probably hatchery/swell city again. Thanks for all the help and info!