VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Nice! Can't wait to meet up with you, Dave and others down there in a week. Hopefully my extra-curricular training helps me get out the back on the big days:

Tsawwassen wrote: See you guys there!

KUS wrote:where's that?

First stop Florence (Sunday). You?

Forecast is shaping up for the end of the week. Probably depart Thursday morning and maybe surf Seaside that evening.

I plan on heading down to Hood River Wed or Thursday AM for some windsurfing 101 before heading to the coast. On vacation till July 3.

S1 – SUP – Florence (June 19)


Father's Day Special. Drove as far as Salem after making the late-in-the-day decision to head for the coast after all based on the rebounding forecast. Overnighted in the Walmart `superstore` parking lot (felt like I was sleeping under the `bladder of lights` at a soccer stadium). Awoke early, drove out to the coast and met Michael at the south Jetty on Florence where M decided that he was hungry for a SUP, not brunch in town. Waves were VERY approachable for Florence (from what I have seen) – there was no huge swell pushing up the throat of the river today. Fun session with cleaner, softer, more open waves than the last time we SUP'd here together! Lots of rides, lots of smiles, and a few `surprize` waves rolling through. Beautifully clean water and a seal fishing in the break with us. Wind freshened, but waves were bunched really close to shore so we packed up and headed south looking for other options for windsurfing.

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S2 – windsurf – Bandon, Face Rock (June 19)


Seal (too). Quick lunch at the Sourdough Bakery north of Coos Bay, then off to Face Rock in Bandon to check out the conditions. Lots of wind in the harbour, but looked a little lighter ocean side. There were modest waves on offer, but we decided to take it as M has not sailed here before. Just as we were rigging Kus and Jelly showed up to join in the fun. I mentioned to Kus that Bandon can feel a lot like Long Beach and after the session he thought that was a pretty good comparison. Kus seemed to like Bandon. M then treated us to Mexican food in “old town” Bandon (nice, fresh food and a close second to the burritos in Bingen according to Kus) – thanks M - before we headed to camp at Floras Lake (the polar opposite of the Walmart parking lot). Beautiful sunset and warm tea to cap the day! So far so good! With a little luck the wind and waves will keep coming!

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S3 – windsurf – Cape (June 20)


Hate. Awoke at Floras Lake to marine layer and light NW flow. Hood River Mike said that the Cape had been small and gusty the day before, but the occasional chest-high+ south swell would fill the bay. So that was our next stop (after breakfast and uploading session logs from the day before in Gold Beach). Trudy Lary showed me some shots of Ben banging aerial off the lips from the day before and said today held more promise for steadier wind. It was sailable upon arrival so M and I got busy and took to the water on big gear (5.3/115 for me and 5.2/102 for M). Mini-DTL action, and jumping. But too much from the first ride in the gusts and it kept building. Kus and Pat joined in. Ben took a splash but then headed off to the Rock with TrudyL. Finally gave in and came in to get 4.5/92. Lit at first building to painful – full hate with very little love (really hard to spot the mini ground swell in the growing chop). Thanks to Pat who helped me carry my big gear back down the beach. DMH arrived and took to the water just everyone else headed for ‘the rock’ – it looked a touch uncomfortable.

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S4 – windsurf – Pistol River (June 20)


Love. Arrived at Pistol River to steadier and gentler wind (4.5) – this is where the love had gone! After a quick chat with Leo and Dana, walked down to the beach to watch the Ben show. The Boss was also ripping. Kus and M took to the water and I followed. The water was pretty forgiving for Pistol River and even the slope of the beach seems to have leveled reducing the shore break. Easy out, ramps and smooth front side rides. My 4.5 and larger fins were feeling a little big, but some more downhaul and two doses of outhaul helped to put my gear in the right range. Kus was in a groove ripping around. Fun shadowing Kus on a few inbound rides (consecutive waves) and watching M hit a big-push-loop-come-freakshow! At one point Kus, M and I were the only three out. Looked like M was sailing off to Japan a couple of times. Funny hearing M describe his 'accidential' taka attempt. Fun session that!

Got the gate unlocked for the first night at the campo!

Quote of the day
Leo (after talking about the forecast for the week): “You guys choose a good week to come, first wind, then swell!”

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S5 – windsurf – Cape (June 21)


SUP-sailing (sort of). Early morning SUP-sail using my 5.2/FreeWave 115. Word has it that although I was able to impress some with light-air balance and tacking none of them joined in they all went off ‘the rock’ to play. M and Pat joined in and Kus arriving late to the party likely got the best waves. Then we all packed up and headed to ‘the rock’ too. I joked with M that maybe we would return back to the Cape at the end of the day for an evening ‘glass-off’ session and he looked at me like I was crazy and said, “I don’t have enough energy for three sessions today!”

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S6 – windsurf – Pistol River (June 21)


Larger. Second session of the day. Arrived at Pistol River to what seemed like a similar, but gentler version of yesterday (with playful, clean riding wind swell and slightly lighter wind). M was not impressed in the parking lot and shared that he was only here because ‘I wanted to be here’ (despite even ‘CaptainCape’ (Dana) being at ‘the rock’ too) . We watched the ‘Ben and Jerry (the Boss)’ show for a bit, then we all rigged same gear as yesterday, except Kus who took a smaller board when he saw the wind ramp up. Unfortunately, M and I only realized the conditions had changed gears after we launched and we found ourselves scrambling to make it to the outside (I just barely made it out the first time as I was so focused on managing the shore break that it was only after I jumped on my board and accelerated that I looked up and thought, “Oh crap!!!” at the sight of what seemed like set waves bearing down on me). The rolling swell on the outside was BIGGER than yesterday and the wind was just as strong. Today the ‘real’ Pistol River showed up and treated us to a glimpse of the fear factor associated with the ‘haunted house’.

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S7 – windsurf – Cape (June 21)


Trifecta. Third session of the day and it was a gem. Funny part was after two not-the-best-ever sessions for M this one lit a fire in him and he was scrambling to get out on the water. After some humming and hawing from the lawn chairs on the cliff Kus and I joined in the fun and what fun it was. When I took to the water it was a bit of trial. Launched up the beach at the sandbar: fail (the waves wedge there and stopped me dead in my tracks). First outside gybe: fail (rag dolled right out of my straps as soon as I thought about it). Second outside gybe: fail (runaway train that ended badly). Things improved with two more outhauls of the sail and some settling in. The waves just kept getting cleaner and larger! Shared a party wave with Kus and last ride in was one to remember! Nice to have the Cape all to ourselves! Kus was ripping and just wouldn`t stop until he suffered an overpowered backwinded jump that was hard to watch from the cliffs. The good news is although uncomfortable, the injury was not serious. Back on the beach Kus said, “…best condition of the trip, so far.”

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S8 – windsurf – Cape (June 22)


More mini-DTL practice. The morning session was very similar to the day before – start off light air slog and waveride, then enough power to sail, then too much wind! M, Pat and I took a break for lunch and Kus sized down to smaller gear. M continued to sail the Cape while I went off to check out `the Rock`.

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S8 – windsurf – Pistol River (June 22)


Playful. Pistol River was in a playful mood. Smooth timid wind swell with the exception of the high tide shorebreak. After watching for a few minutes and chatting to Leo it looked like enough for 4.5/92. By the time I got rigged and got out on the water it had backed a little. Still enough wind to power off the shore, but came off plane went crossing the moat of disturbed air. Once to the outside was able to get planing again. A few stalled gybes on the outside and working gear onto plane inbound on the rolling swell. Was able to stay above the rock. Lots of small clean waves to choose from and one really memorable clean wave the allowed for frontside hit and a backside hit. The wind then turned a little spooky and seemed to be shutting down so headed in and called the session short. Once back on the beach I could see Leo walking up the beach on a rather long hike. Under gunned, but still a fun little cool-down.

Mr and Mrs Shaggy arrived today to the group is starting to grow in number. 8-)

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Leaving tomorrow morning. Surf Seaside then head south. I think I'm BC ferrying... $72 with no dents vs $94 with dents. Extra 100 km but maybe worth it?

Rest day today with three SUP sessions!

S10 – SUP – Pistol River (June 23)


No wind forecast for today so got up early to check out the South Jetty for surf – there was an interesting small wave in the mouth of the river and some small waves at the south Jetty. Met M for breakfast (he wanted to eat before taking to the water – something about being hungry). Then off to Pistol River to see what the low tide waves looked like. I said to M that “Let’s go and look at Pistol, but will likely end up at the Cape.” Arrived at Pistol River to see a big macker closing out from the parking lot but some nice clean waves too. Walked down to the beach and counted off a 13 second peeling surfers right. Surprize, surprize! Never thought I would see a glass wave surf (SUP) session at Pistol River, but today was the day. M and I took to the water as the tide started to flood and it seemed like the waves were building. There was the odd maker out there (one I had to look way up at on the outside – or what I thought was the outside – just before it took me out). There were some rides, but you had to work for them. M and I both caught NW swells and rode the peeling right we saw from the beach. As the south wind freshened it started to get choppy, I talked M into leaving Pistol River and going down to Meyers Creek next.

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S11 – SUP – Meyers Creek (June 23)


Perfectly sheltered from the wind with knee to waist-high clean lines of waves. This was playtime for me, but M wasn’t having as much fun (wanted larger waves). Got a ‘bonus tour’ of a camperized Ram van to boot. Next stop – the Cape.

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S12 – SUP – Cape Sebastien (June 23)


Arrived just in time to see Lisa take her brand new longboard out for its maiden voyage! Word was that she likes it! M joined Mr and Mrs Shaggy (Pete and Lise) and Pat for his third session of the day. I ended up taking to the water later once Udder had arrived. Ben (surf) took to the water too. This session put the other two together – large waves and clean waves. Some fun rides for sure!

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Pure pleasure!

S13 – SUP – Cape Sebastian (June 24)


Day started with a quick look-see at the South Jetty, but M said “Breakfast”. Headed to the Cape after eating to find the south swell calling for a morning surf/SUP. Udder had gotten there early and had completed his shark patrol and declared the area “open”. Lisa, M and myself took to the water. The freshening wind made positioning a challenge, but rides were had! I got a close-up view of Lisa charging down the face of a bomb, pumping the board up to the lip! Awesome!

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S14 – windsurf – Cape Sebastian (June 24)


Honey! Hood River Mike said he had checked the bouy readings and the south swell was pumping in pulses and when it does it can produce a great day. Wind filled in just as the road warriors (Windoctor, BWD, Nanmoo, TheLaw) were arriving, so it was time to rig. The training appears to have paid off as BWD noticed how much M’s sailing had improved as we watched his first ride from the cliff (nice crisp pivot gybe onto the wave and then a multi-turn frontside ride)! Nicely done! As the session wore on the wind ramped up. It was a busy day at the Cape – clearly a reflection of the quality of the conditions. The combination of south swell and steady wind (for the Cape) early on made for a sweet session!

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S15 – windsurf – Cape Sebastian (June 24)


Sunset session. BWD surf campers hung around for the evening cool-down session. Mark was first out, then most of the rest followed. More fun, this time on smaller gear (4.0/74 for me)!

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Wow Dave! Thanks for the great shot...great Day 1!

Great stuff