Alternative riding spots
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Alternative riding spots
Hey all,
Just curious whether anyone has any experience riding either Witty's Lagoon, Sooke Basin or the Esquimalt Lagoon?? (wind direction allowing and all) Sooke Basin seems decent if you're proficient at self-launching/wet launching nice open bay with minimal traffic, not a ton of tidal action and it seems to get a nice consistent thermal on sunny afternoons.
Let's hear your thoughts on these spots!
Just curious whether anyone has any experience riding either Witty's Lagoon, Sooke Basin or the Esquimalt Lagoon?? (wind direction allowing and all) Sooke Basin seems decent if you're proficient at self-launching/wet launching nice open bay with minimal traffic, not a ton of tidal action and it seems to get a nice consistent thermal on sunny afternoons.
Let's hear your thoughts on these spots!
- JL
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Here is a great start: http://www.bigwavedave.ca/wiki/index.php/Sailing_Guide & Sooke Basin DOES have a lot of current & is tidal.
Thermals are good.
- thankgodiatepastafobreaky
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Wittys and Esquimalt lagoons are both too gusty as the prevailing westerly is coming across high land first. If you catch a rare SW then they are great. But as Adrian said that is usually the winter.
I have windsurfed the Sooke basin and it was fabulous, but that was about 15 years ago and I can't even remember the wind direction. Normally people don't kite there.
Just go to the open ocean spots where everyone else is. If you are looking for a safer place then those lagoons are not since they are full of gusts that will pick you up and then drop you and your kite will fall out of the sky.
I have windsurfed the Sooke basin and it was fabulous, but that was about 15 years ago and I can't even remember the wind direction. Normally people don't kite there.
Just go to the open ocean spots where everyone else is. If you are looking for a safer place then those lagoons are not since they are full of gusts that will pick you up and then drop you and your kite will fall out of the sky.
curses - foiled again!
- Atomic-Chomik
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spots
Speaking form experience. those spots are all unreasonably gusty. Not like 15-20 gusty, more like 4-25 gusty. There is the odd day at the lagoon, on a SE but that is a rare thing. Plus the fecal count in there is off the charts. Stick with the pack, there is a reason we all go to the established spots.
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- juandesooka
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I live about 300m from Whiffin Spit and after 10 years of dog walking there, am super keen to kite it. However, after many tries, partial successes, the occasional win, and a lot of fails, I've come to realize why people don't kite there. The wind just isn't very good or reliable. But especially when Gordons is a 10 minute drive away, with its steady westerly.
I spent a few years thinking all these old kiters are so conservative, too jaded to explore, etc. Now realize it was more about maximizing probabilities. And when we are attached with all these string to a floating engine in the sky, you want as many factors in your favour you can get. Really not ideal to have it fall out of the sky in a 0kt lull then re engage in a 30kt gust.
x2 on advice above....stick with the crowd, there's a reason they are at the spots they are. And if you must explore the lesser spots, especially solo.....take extra precautions and stay safe!
I spent a few years thinking all these old kiters are so conservative, too jaded to explore, etc. Now realize it was more about maximizing probabilities. And when we are attached with all these string to a floating engine in the sky, you want as many factors in your favour you can get. Really not ideal to have it fall out of the sky in a 0kt lull then re engage in a 30kt gust.
x2 on advice above....stick with the crowd, there's a reason they are at the spots they are. And if you must explore the lesser spots, especially solo.....take extra precautions and stay safe!
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- JL
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As long as your ready for a self launch & can self rescue give Tugwell a try http://www.bigwavedave.ca/wiki/index.php/Gordons_Beach
Thermals are good.
- SmallWaveSteve
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