Favorite places to score swell while winging?

[Sup44]

Hi folks,

It's been years since I've been on the forum, and I'm stoked to see all the excitement around foiling! I'm new(ish) to wingfoiling, and holy shit....what a blast! I'm totally hooked.

My GF and I are searching for wingfoiling destinations for January. Particularly with fun bumps or waves to ride. Anyone willing to share a few favorite locations? You never do this in surfing, but I've always found wind enthusiasts to be much friendlier than surfers lol.

I'll go first:

1. Grenadier Island on Lake Ontario this last August: Far and away the best downwind swell I've had yet. Head high to occasional 2 feet overhead, and you don't have to worry about sharks ;-). Wind only nuked 2 out of 6 days of our trip, but those 2 days were *epic*.

2. 7 Sisters, Baja. Everyone talks about La Ventana (I've yet to go), but the Wall at the 7 sisters *howls* and has plenty of swell. The other sisters do too, but some are wind-protected and it takes a serious 4x4 vehicle to move around.

3. Ka'a in Maui: Hardly a secret, but this place gets epic for wind + waves.

Would love to hear where y'all have found the magical cross-section of swell bumps + wind.

[PonoBill]

My favorites: Ka'a, Kanaha, and North Kihei for the long reaches, but not much swell. The Hatchery, Swell City, The Wall, Arlington, Rufus in the Gorge, and Rooster Rock on east wind days. SoCal kind of sucks for wind, though the swell is pretty good. Oregon Coast--Manzanita, Pacific City, various Astoria spots. Pistol River for crazy shit.

[Hdip]

SoCal kind of sucks for wind, though the swell is pretty good. Oregon Coast--Manzanita, Pacific City, various Astoria spots. Pistol River for crazy shit.

Looks like my buddy just confirmed this statement perfectly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH7mxEdlc_A

[B-Walnut]

My favorites: Ka'a, Kanaha, and North Kihei for the long reaches, but not much swell. The Hatchery, Swell City, The Wall, Arlington, Rufus in the Gorge, and Rooster Rock on east wind days. SoCal kind of sucks for wind, though the swell is pretty good. Oregon Coast--Manzanita, Pacific City, various Astoria spots. Pistol River for crazy shit.

Rooster? Not sure I've ever seen swell there. Is it upwind to the east or something? Usually pretty flat to me, even when it's 40 knots.

[PonoBill]

Rooster? Not sure I've ever seen swell there. Is it upwind to the east or something? Usually pretty flat to me, even when it's 40 knots.

No, you're right, after I wrote it I thought it didn't belong, though Rooster Rock on an east wind day when the whole river is blown flat as a board but the spindrift is waist high is just magical. As long as you're really good at going upwind (my single claim to fame). Otherwise, it's a long walk back to your rig.

[Sup44]

SoCal kind of sucks for wind, though the swell is pretty good. Oregon Coast--Manzanita, Pacific City, various Astoria spots. Pistol River for crazy shit.

Looks like my buddy just confirmed this statement perfectly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH7mxEdlc_A

I met him at 3rd ave. He rips!

[Sup44]

My favorites: Ka'a, Kanaha, and North Kihei for the long reaches, but not much swell. The Hatchery, Swell City, The Wall, Arlington, Rufus in the Gorge, and Rooster Rock on east wind days. SoCal kind of sucks for wind, though the swell is pretty good. Oregon Coast--Manzanita, Pacific City, various Astoria spots. Pistol River for crazy shit.

Super cool, thanks! I'm pumped to get up to Oregon some day. The videos that came out of the recent event at the Gorge were incredible.

Have you traveled to South America at all?

[Caribsurf]

I am partial to the Grenadines where I have a home.  Even if I didn't, I'd still go there for the consistent trade winds, amazing beautiful water and swells and breaking surf offered around the island chain.  Fly Miami to St.Vincent to begin your trip, then take island ferries to visit the different islands. 

[StellaBlu]

I did Grenadines (Union) last winter and loved it.  Very consistent wind, nice swell in the channels between the islands, and some proper waves breaking on a few of the reefs (the reef wrapping the lee of Palm Island was particularly good, and also low consequence). Most of the conditions were knee to chest high, but I know it gets bigger sometimes.

You can find plenty of wind in the Caribbean, but finding swell and avoiding Sargassum (although not really an issue until late winter/spring) is more challenging.

Ive found good waves in the Bahamas, but the wind is more inconsistent and the conditions were much higher consequence with punchier shore break, currents, reefs, etc...

[B-Walnut]

Rooster? Not sure I've ever seen swell there. Is it upwind to the east or something? Usually pretty flat to me, even when it's 40 knots.

No, you're right, after I wrote it I thought it didn't belong, though Rooster Rock on an east wind day when the whole river is blown flat as a board but the spindrift is waist high is just magical. As long as you're really good at going upwind (my single claim to fame). Otherwise, it's a long walk back to your rig.

I totally ate my words at rooster the other day. Nice rolling swell with 25-30 knots of east wind. Went again in west winds and it was dead flat. I'm guessing when it nukes those 40 knot days it kills the swell.