VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Try Cadboro Bay - Gyro Park. I used to teach WS there and it was usually pretty good. Enough for learning anyway. The wind usually wraps in from the straight and blows onshore. It’s shallow and sandy too.

Is it gusty like Ross Bay or Elk Lake? Does the water warm up much?

It’s been a few years but from what I remember, it wasn’t nearly as gusty as Elk Lake. It’s a sandy bottom so it’s pretty warm. It blows onshore so you’re not out too far either. Best place in Vic I found for light wind lessons.

I'll have to give that a try with them this week. If its not too weedy I might foil a bit too.

You could try fort rodd or wittys too.

They will want wetsuits though if they are falling into saltchuck anywhere down south other than maybe Pat Bay (Ardmore etc. really warms up esp. on afternoon rising tide).

Has anyone ever tried kiting Cowichan lake from either the Pine Point or Maple Grove campgrounds? There's lots of beach space at pine point, good wind direction, and both provincial campsites so plenty of parking.

Thoughts?

Has anyone sailed Lambert Channel, between Hornby and Denman Islands? Straight reach for about 1.6 km between the Islands.
Summertime sees prevailing NW winds funnelling down the channel in the 12 - 20 knot range.

Bradsdadsland campsite on Hornby is close to Phipps point, for launching, and has vehicle access.
Shingle Spit, at the Hornby ferry terminal, looks great for launching too. Hike along the beach for a few hundred metres.

I saw a windsurfer sailing those waters about 7 years ago! Looked like big gear. Curious about the current through there.

I saw a windsurfer sailing those waters about 7 years ago! Looked like big gear. Curious about the current through there.

I think that the biggest winds come with an offshore high-pressure system, with some thermal activity generated by the mass of Hornby Island. And the current might be up to 2 - 3 knots max, so nothing like the Columbia River Gorge!

We visited Alice Lake and stayed at the Link River campground a couple of Summers ago. It had the feel of a thermal that came through both sunny days that we were there. Probably would be a great foil spot.

Looking at the lake on the old google maps, it is kind of similar to Nimpkish Lake.

Ecarey I think pine point could work big beach sideonshore wind just have to watch for swimmers and beachgoers definately windy in the afternoons I park our houseboat across the lake and windsurf most afternoons when thermals come up.

Windjunky wrote:Ecarey I think pine point could work big beach sideonshore wind just have to watch for swimmers and beachgoers definately windy in the afternoons I park our houseboat across the lake and windsurf most afternoons when thermals come up.

Thanks, Windjunky. Those are some of the exact reasons why I initially thought of the two locations. I have seen some windsurfers on the lake when it's blowing, but never a kiter. Maybe Pine Point will be a pseudo Nitinaht this year for me with fresh water. Bonus is 100% paved road to get there.

Thanks all for the thread, I have been following and decided to bring my kites out on a sailing trip. Managed to kite off the NE tip of Saltspring in Houston passage between Saltspring and Wallace Island. The beach I launched off had public access in the area. Winds were SE at about 12 kts and blew all day, great for foiling.

Maybe this will help someone else get a session this summer!

If you're into more of an adventure, we Just got back from Cougar Creek Rec site past gold river. Awesome spot, best maintained rec site I've seen. $15/night. I Kited right off the point downwind of the marina. Thermal wind starting around noon. 20 celcius water temps so not much wetsuit required. Lots of fishing boats to rescue you. Plus we landed a few chinooks in the morning. Gravel road out is 1/3 paved. 1/3 hi speed. 1/3 mid speed.