rsmundell
Log Started:
Saturday January 2, 2021
Total Records: 42
This Year: 16
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Monday August 7, 2023
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Pine Point Youbou, Wingfoiling
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Monday August 7, 2023
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Conditions
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TOW
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Toys Used:
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Pine Point Youbou, Wingfoiling
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WNW 15 - 22
Chop with nice swell
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4.50 hours
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Takuma Wingfoil board 100
Ocean Rodeo HL Glide 5.0
Ocean Rodeo A-Series Glide 6.0
Takuma Carbon Mast 85cm
Takuma Wingfoil 1750/85/230
Takuma Wingfoil 980/85/220
Takuma Wingfoil 1210/85/220?
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Day trip to Nitinaht turned into another unicorn session at Cowichan Lake. When this is on, it's (IMO) the best place on the south island. Warm, clear, fresh water. Warm wind and the lake to yourself. Suprising good swell develops too!
Sorry, long report as I want to capture the various elements of the weather. Currently running at 50% (6 attempts) for Cowichan Lake as there's been days I thought for sure it would happen and it didn't. The three days it has have all been excellent. First successful time on the wing. Previous two successes were windfoiling.
Notes on conditions with the hope of hitting this again. If any of you climatologists out there have more ideas about when this clicks on, let me know. I do think it needs a cooler system to be further ashore out west and that it must be a bit like the Gorge where that has the wind further up the river - in this case futher up the valley and into Cowichan Lake.
- Warm dry period on east island was ending with a small system moving in on the west coast.
- Forecast temp difference between Bamfield and Cowichan lake was 6 degrees. Actual in Duncan when I went through was 27 vs 24 but that dropped to 24 in Youbou. Not sure what temp ended up being in Bamfield or Nitinaht.
- Wind was actually blowing from East when in West Duncan getting groceries. I've seen this before when I've scored (surprisingly) at Cowichan.
- Saw glimpses of whitecaps as I approached Youbou around 12:30. Stopped at Pine Point campground where turns out they have a few day parking spots which they didn't even charge for. Lauching from boat ramp is best launch there.
- Noted that Nitinaht was showing 10-13 when I last saw a report around 12:30
- Ultimately Nitinaht turned on. From what the graph shows, looks like it was 20+ in gusts but averaging less. Any actual reports could be helpful.
- Wind looked light but good enough as I rigged 6m and large foil. Headed out thinking it would build only to have it die when I fell on the far shore. Doh! Lot's of slogging/wallowing ensued as I made my way back to the other side. No pressure, it's a great place to be stuck out on the water!!
- From 1:30 to 3pm it was too light for anything I had but a 7m would have worked. Waves of pressure would roll through. Each wave slightly stronger than the last. By 3pm it was properly filled in with good pressure. I stuck with 6m and 1210 foil until well OP'd. Darker water up the lake. Came in to switch down to 5m and could have used a 4m with the 1210.
- By 3:30 it was amazing. Eventually dropped down to 980 foil (with 5M) and enjoyed that for the rest of the afternoon.
- It dropped for a bit around 5:30 (bit still foilable and would have been great with larger foil).
- When I left at 6:30 it was back up on full again.
There would have been more wind sooner up at the Maple Grove site. It's narrower up there and certainly looked darker. I think Pine Point is as low down the lake as I'd choose to sail from.
Once it's on, the long fetch creates excellent swell. Tonnes of fun carving up and down nice lines. Wind is good right across the lake and typically a little windier on the far side. Long tacks up the lake lead to awesome, long DW swell rides.
I'll definitely be trying to hit this again. It's outstanding when it's on!
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