VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

morewind wrote:Thanks for posting that Dave. They missed one spot: pogo point, it's in the rivermouth - a spot with a notable appetite for ezzy carbon tops. ...

I remember reading one of Dana's blog posts about "...hero gybes in the mouth of the river.." When I asked the BWD crew about this someone said (I think it was BWD), "Never tried that... ...with my luck I would hit a stump." So needless to say I opted to stay out of the river mouth ('pogo point').

I do remember looking at the broken tops of your masts when I arrived and it did make me wince (although I didn't realize at the time it had happened in the river). Hope your gear fairs better in 2012!

KUS wrote:...I have not heard of anyone using the "Safety" area as that nor have I noticed a difference is rinsing potential or size of waves and there is in fact a sandbar you will run into and have a nasty surprise at low tide if you're not aware of it

Since Dana was given the by-line as the author I took it at face value, but in my little time there, I did not notice a huge difference in wave size - except the first day (which was the smallest wind swell anyway).

On June 24 (my last day there) I wrote this in my journal, "Waves were very tightly spaced at times as it was all wind swell again. The BWD crew(BWD, Fish and Morewind) were enjoying the deep pockets just to the south of the two islands (north of ‘the rock’). During the low tide reaching the outside proved a challenge at times. Personally I was batting just over 500. It was a tough session."

The "safety zone" (June 21st)



The "safety zone" (June 23)

KUS wrote:...The big rock is good for really swirling sand into every orifice while you THINK it is a great sand block...

I hear you on the swirling sand beind "the rock" I only put my stuff in the lee of that thing once (and had to dig it out).

This picture shows the sand filling in the dimples in the deck pads on my Goya One (the mast box was also FILLED too).


Sand drift on the windward side of "the rock"

this place looks way too gnarly, im out.

Come on Dave.... this is the year to make it happen!

downwind dave wrote:this place looks way too gnarly, im out.

Yeah I was afraid of that - leaving the wrong impression.

Pistol River is one of the greatest windsurfing spots I have ever been to.

You get to sail in the sun, with small gear, in the waves, in a truly beautiful spot, with great people - it just does get any better!

For a coastal spot the rocks to the north block the shoreline current, making it WAY easier to get going and keep going. This makes jumping WAY easier and getting to outside much easier (than say Newport).

The shore break is managable - you can stand in waist deep water and 'wait' for your time to 'go'.

The break is managable even with tightly spaced wind swell and from what I hear, if you are lucky and get a south swell things really open up. And if you do get rejected you get washed back to the beach (not raked over a reef, not washed up on rocks, or not swept out to sea).

Here, watch couple of these videos from the contest last year - conditions look pretty doable. no? I love watching these because they really have the feel of the place. (sorry I couldn't get the videos to embed)

Pistol River Wave Bash - Day 1

Pistol River Wave Bash - Day 2

Pistol River Wave Bash - Day 3

Pistol River Wave Bash - Super Final

Pistol River - Jump Off (2010)

This place is the real deal - its a long way to go, but its worth it for sure IMHO. I learned more in the five days I was there last year than in the other 50+ other sessions I got in last year. Somehow the Gorge just doesn't have the gravity it used to.

DownWindDave's humour, learn to chuckle & ignore His issue is booking envy, not skill set

KUS wrote:DownWindDave's humour, learn to chuckle & ignore His issue is booking envy, not skill set

Thanks Kus. I figure out the skill set part when I saw the post below on the message board. Not knowing all the characters over there, I just wanted to make sure some poor soul wasn't going to miss out on a trip-of-a-lifetime because of a little blowing sand and a few waves.

Downwind Dave: hey, cool link! there's a sweet backloop by me on page 4.. im on the old JP -dating that about 2004. - Monday February 13, 11:51AM

just stirrin the pot.
and i am going this year

All you really need DWD is a solid water start and the ability to through a inverted granny and you will be fine. Sounds like gay-code if I ever heard it

We should talk about how a car pool could work.

-Mark

TheLaw wrote:All you really need DWD is a solid water start and the ability to through a inverted granny and you will be fine. Sounds like gay-code if I ever heard it

We should talk about how a car pool could work.

-Mark

I think you both would fit in the back of the Delica quite nicely. The question is: who is big spoon and who is little?

For those mainlanders wanting to prep for Oregon, might wanna get on a ferry for the next 2 days of practice sessions out west bring yer woolies and a pfd

Just my luck I'm stuck in Fort St. John until Friday...

For those mainlanders wanting to prep for Oregon, might wanna get on a ferry for the next 2 days of practice sessions out west bring yer woolies and a pfd

well, that is about as good as a wavesailing newbie/ intro session gets......
4-6', perfect tide, no current, ramps, large period, knee deep inside with no shore break, waist to shoulder deep right to the river mouth, relatively warm, Steady Eddie moderate wind, total smoothness between waves, absolutely endless consistent predictable sets, gybe on any wave you want and catch it, 10 hits per wave no problemo, no penalty for screwing up anywhere, doing anything

..................................and you missed it

Tomorrow is day 2, you may have to catch up a little because the waves will be bigger, maybe a little windier....but I know you can do it DING DING

KUS wrote:

For those mainlanders wanting to prep for Oregon, might wanna get on a ferry for the next 2 days of practice sessions out west bring yer woolies and a pfd

well, that is about as good as a wavesailing newbie/ intro session gets......
4-6', perfect tide, no current, ramps, large period, knee deep inside with no shore break, waist to shoulder deep right to the river mouth, relatively warm, Steady Eddie moderate wind, total smoothness between waves, absolutely endless consistent predictable sets, gybe on any wave you want and catch it, 10 hits per wave no problemo, no penalty for screwing up anywhere, doing anything

..................................and you missed it

Tomorrow is day 2, you may have to catch up a little because the waves will be bigger, maybe a little windier....but I know you can do it DING DING

Thanks for the 'heads-up' Kus - schedule would not allow a 2-day trip mid-week. But it sounds like you were having a lot of fun!

C36 wrote:Thanks for the 'heads-up' Kus - schedule would not allow a 2-day trip mid-week. But it sounds like you were having a lot of fun!

This place usually doesn't announce itself ahead of time....as for the mid week thing, sometimes you just need to take some mental health days....Life balance and all that

nanmoo wrote:Just my luck I'm stuck in Fort St. John until Friday...

speaking of mental health, FSJ has not a single redeeming quality I can think of, get out of there dood