Help

• This is by design. The private messages are put in your outbox until the recipient reads the message. This is done so you can edit/delete the message after it has been sent and is still unread. It will move from Outbox to Sent once the recipient reads the message.

• Go into the Forum User Profile settings here.

• There are now two types of PMs: forum and website. They are independent and not linked to each other (messages in one don't show in the other). The forum PMs are the same as before and can be found here. There is also website PMs that can be used as "quick PMs" here. These will show a hard-to-miss banner indicator on every page for the recipient, as long as they are logged in.

• Try going to the forum and logging in: https://bigwavedave.ca/forums.html
• Then visit a few pages on the site, then go to the homepage. You should be logged in now, hopefully, and you should be able to login normally on the next visit.

• If you are using an ad blocker and have not donated (or are not logged in) you will see a popup. Without the sponsor ads, google ads and donations, this site would not exist. Please consider donating, or at least pause your Adblocker on this site.
• Do you have AdBlock installed on Chrome? You can check it here and pause it for the bigwavedave.ca website. For desktop, when on the bigwavedave.ca website, click on the toolbar red hand for AdBlock and Pause > Always.

• Model-1 (UW) = University of Washington WRF-GFS 4km model updated 2x/day at ~1010am/1010pm. https://a.atmos.washington.edu/mm5rt/rt/gfsinit.4km.html
• Model-2 (EC) = 2.5km HRDPS Continental Model from Environment Canada updated 4x/day ~5am/11am/5pm/11pm. https://weather.gc.ca/grib/grib2_HRDPS_HR_e.html

• elevationkiteboarding
• strongkiteboarding

• Latest reports table: click on each row to see site details.
• Forecast table model 1 and model 2: click on the wind speed to show a popup of the model plot.
• The wind prediction tables show the wind speed in knots.
• Right hand sidebar modules: hover over each line to show details.
• City forecasts: Click the site (eg. Victoria) to popup the detailed EC forecast. Click on the day (eg. Friday or Tonight) to show hourly details.
• Marine forecasts: Click the EnvCanada text link to popup the EC marine forecast for all Pacific regions.

• Do your sailing log first. That way the sailing log info will be loaded into the track summary.
• You need a GPX or KML format file. You can convert formats using GPS Babel. There is a how to upload guide here.
• Log in to the website, go to Logs > Submit a GPS Track. Choose a unique track title, choose a category, select I have a GPX/KML file, and choose the file.
• It may take 30sec or so to generate the stats depending on the track length. If you get an empty page, or if it sends you back to the page showing all tracks, then go to Logs > Latest Tracks, select your track then choose Edit and Save to redo the stats. Sometimes generating the stats will time-out.
• For multiple tracks and sailing logs in a day: there is a way to make it work but it's not automatic since there are no times in a Sailing Log (only dates). When you upload a track, there is now a "SailingLog ID" tab at the top right. If you have multiple tracks and logs, enter the sailing log ID (a 5 digit number at the end of the URL shown when you view/edit your Sailing Log, 35735 for the example below). You have to enter this number for each of the tracks on the same day. You need to enter this number, then the other track info then Save&Close. Then go back to the track, Edit then Save to get it to update to the new sailing log.
• The GPS track info is automatically inserted into your Sailing Log entry, for example: /forums/sailinglog/rec/view/35735

• Latest in Wetsuits
• Winter Wetsuits

• Winter Sailing

It has become apparent to me that we are going to see an increase in the number of kite surfers on the Lake this year. Many of our members (including myself) have taken up kite surfing. Some of us will use it as a low wind alternative and some will take up kite surfing exclusively. The sport will also attract new individuals to that don’t have a windsurfing or sailing background. We should take the time to learn how both groups of sailors operate so as to limit or negate any negative interaction.

Here is the outline of a "Kite Surfing/Windsurfer User Guide" that we are developing for Nitinat. Hopefully it will evolve as required to meet the needs of both user groups. The suggestions are a result of talking to kite surfers, my own personal experiences and the experiences of other local windsurfers that have taken up kite surfing. Ross Harrington and I have worked together to developed the "User Guide" Ross represented the kite surfers’ interests in the development process and I represented the windsurfers’ interests. If these guidelines are followed, both groups should easily be able to co-exist on Nitinat Lake. Both Ross and I would like to strongly urge both windsurfers and kite surfers to adopt these guidelines.

ON THE BEACH

ON THE WATER

FOR KITE BOARDERS IN GENERAL

Comments or suggestions are welcome. Please direct them to Paul Betts at or talk to Ross. You can usually find him kite boarding down at Cook St.

Paul Betts/Ross Harrington April 2001.

• Redbaron's history lesson

Learnings from a debrief with Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria regarding a Nanaimo windsurfing incident where a windsurfer was left to drift from Pipers to Gabriola.

It was useful to go through the incident and see it from the eyes of JRCC. What it came down to was that, besides the windsurfer on the beach who called it in, there had been another person who reported a windsurfer in distress who later reported that the person was under way again and doing fine. In addition, they received confirmations from two other sources, a dive boat and the light keeper that they could not see anyone in distress and that the windsurfers they could see were all doing fine.

My own learnings:

1. Make the call to JRCC regardless of how many other people might have called. In fact, if another guy calls, make a point of calling yourself. The more calls they get the more likely they are to conclude that there is someone in distress.
2. Do not rely on relaying information through anyone. There is no better way to convey information than talking directly as possible with JRCC and give them as exact information as possible, as shown below.

Information to include:

• your name and phone number
• as precise a location as possible of the person in distress and what direction they are heading
• what the person is doing, wearing, describe their gear. Remind them that in distress a person might leave the sail behind and may not be able to stand on the board.
• how long they have been struggling
• the location for other sailors who are out there so they are not confused with the one in distress. This is important! Don't let them mistake those who are doing fine with those who are not!
• make sure you convey your experience level and if you had been out sailing yourself so that they can appropriately gauge the veracity of your information. Remember, they get all kinds of folks calling for non-events.
• the conditions including wind, current and sea state
• anything about the sailor: name, vehicle, phone, from where, skill level,
• if anyone else had tried to reach or rescue the sailor

Many sails have similar colours so be as specific on this point as possible. If there are other similar coloured sails on the water, let them know that. The other concerned citizen thought they saw the person in trouble get up again however I believe that it was one of us with a "blue and red" sail who tried to go out to find the sailor in distress. If there seems to be any confusion about the situation you will need to take some action. Get others to corroborate your information, be as precise as possible in your details. Call again. Be willing to be stubborn. If they get details from someone they trust more that you (lighthouse keeper) saying the guy is okay, you are going to need to convince them otherwise. The only proof that the person is rescued is someone talking to them. If your spidey senses are going off, insist on some proof that the person is fine.

We talked about precautionary measures including cellphones, VHFs, PLBs and flares. I will leave you to discuss and decide on these yourselves.

My hope is that next time JRCC might now have some background/knowledge/sensitivity to better judge information being provided from a fellow windsurfer who is in a position to provide very dependable information.

Other Learnings:

• Take heed of Kus' suggestions for playing safe. If this guy had needed serious help it would have arrived too late.
• phone numbers for JRCC in Victoria: #727 (cell), 250-413-8933, 800-567-5111
• A forceful intervention on the beach is better than a drift to Gabe any day.

• Kiteboarding Accidents and Safety Tips
• Landing Kites at Cook Street
• Keep it Safe

• Superdave's top 10 wing foiling tips
• Winddoc's Wing Rescue Technique
• Learn to wing resources
• Pump Safety