kennedy lake

juandesooka · Post by **juandesooka** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 9:17 am

On a windless, day, dreaming of kiting tofino ... I am stoked to try a downwinder from lovekin to wick. Some day.

Looking at google maps, http://goo.gl/maps/E7QiO, I wonder about possibilities for thermals on Kennedy Lake, on days that are fogged in on long beach and otherwise windless. I recall driving up, on those hot days in Port Alberni, that the tofino chill sets in just after kennedy lake....so being on the edge of temp differential, is that where a thermal might happen?

Does anyone have any intel on exploring Kennedy Lake for kiting? Launches?

If I drive the 5 hours I want to kite waves not a lake! But it was surprisingly non windy last summer for the week I spent there ... as a surfer, my recollection was that it is always windy and blown out. And as a kiter realize...windy enough to wreck the surf, not windy enough to kite.

thankgodiatepastafobreaky · Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:08 pm

I windsurfed across the lake 15 years ago. I was planing on maybe a 5.5 sail and 95 litre board? When I worked out there years ago there was always a slight thermal wind. There is a pulloff right beside the highway on the lake 10 min before the main T junction. The beach there is big enough to launch. That would be fun on a 12M but don't be rusty on your light wind self-rescue! It's a couple of kms to cross the lake.

If you drive down the highway a bit further there is a main logging road heading north and you will eventually get to a bridge 20 minuted down, crossing it to the east you will be at a beach/campsite Rainbow beach near the head of the lake, famous for the Clauquot protests. The wind might be side off there but not sure.

SmallWaveSteve · Post by **SmallWaveSteve** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 9:36 am

thankgodiatepastafobreaky wrote:you will eventually get to a bridge 20 minuted down, crossing it to the east you will be at a beach/campsite Rainbow beach near the head of the lake, famous for the Clauquot protests. The wind might be side off there but not sure.

If you're camping out there be cougar aware! (and methed out Ukee Kid aware for that matter)

thankgodiatepastafobreaky · Mon Jun 24, 2013 10:46 am

I saw a cougar (very large!) in the middle of the road on the way back from nitinat last weeekend. It looked at my truck and in 2 leaps just bounded across the road and disappeared. It had a very large tail with puffy dark fur at the end. Crazy!! The hair on my back stood up, and I was in my truck! It was in the section of road that used to be one-way and now is 2 way, just at the top of the hill going south a minute past the first-nations mill/sort.

SmallWaveSteve · Post by **SmallWaveSteve** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 11:02 am

The one we saw up there wasn't timid at all. We were camping just below the bridge, another vehicle came along, skidded to a stop and they yelled from the safety of their vehicle that a cougar was above us. Might have been 12 feet away.
There was a group of us and we attempting to chase it across the bridge with axes/big sticks/rocks in hand, it just sauntered away slowly. (we could get within ~10 feet of it no problem)

Moral of the story: don't leave small children or pets on the beach unattended there, the kitties are not afraid of a group of axe wielding 6' males attempting to look aggressive (while secretly almost pooping their pants).

[/thread hijack]

mortontoemike · Post by **mortontoemike** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 11:05 am

Back to the original post.

My impression is that the daytime thermals are more complex than wind blowing from cold--> warm at a junction. The gradient is initiated at upper levels and the lower level wind is the result of equilibration. I've been trying to understand why Nitinat (and also bug infested Nimpkish) is so special and it probably also has something to do with the local topology. Like in this diagram. I gather that heating of the valley sides can contribute to the thermal.

juandesooka · Post by **juandesooka** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 11:50 am

hey, that's pretty cool MM....have had the impression too that a valley helps funnel the wind, like venturi effect in a carburetor (or something like that, so says this wind kook).

Port Renfrew's harbour has a similar effect too I suspect.

cougars...yikes. A beach not far from there we dubbed Cougar Beach, as I had two different friends stalked there....1 pregnant, another a big guy, with them on seashore and cat up the beach, both waded into waist deep ocean to try and put some distance, cat was only scared away when their husband/brother appeared, yelled, threw rocks...and again, not scared, just sauntered away slowly, appearing to be assessing risk and deciding not worth the effort.

Wavos Rancheros · Post by **Wavos Rancheros** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 3:38 pm

I was told Nitinaht, as an example, is Katabatic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katabatic_wind

thankgodiatepastafobreaky · Mon Jun 24, 2013 3:40 pm

I think an outflow is katabatic but an inflow is anabatic.

mortontoemike · Post by **mortontoemike** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:06 pm

I believe that the primary driver is a "Thermal Circulation".

This is a good video that explains it in simple terms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAmbH5fZkU4

I don't know why he uses cities for points A and B in the video.

GWIND · Post by **GWIND** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:50 pm

That's how -city guys think MTM. They don't think Ocean to valley.
Good thing U R movin to the country.

KUS · Post by **KUS** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 6:12 pm

thankgodiatepastafobreaky wrote:I think an outflow is katabatic but an inflow is anabatic.

well, as long as it's not anaphylactic

I have seen light and shifty wind on this lake only, go big

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 11:13 am

Not kennedy, but there was a guy planing with an old triangle sail at the east end of Cameron lake yesterday. Looked to be at least 20 knots. Kennedy was maybe 12-15.

juandesooka · Post by **juandesooka** » Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:24 pm

nanmoo wrote:Not kennedy, but there was a guy planing with an old triangle sail at the east end of Cameron lake yesterday. Looked to be at least 20 knots. Kennedy was maybe 12-15.

As a non wind chasing surfer.....seemed to always be Whitecaps on cameron lake!

For all the weird and wonderful oddball spots kiting. ....need to learn how to drift launch I reckon

jhans · Post by **jhans** » Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:16 am

i drive by cameron lake quite regularly for work and it is definitely a spot that is windy in the afternoon, not the morning which makes me think its similar to the thermals around the island. the main kink is that its not windy every day. It would be a fun one to try, but bring a good wetsuit as that lake doesn't warm up much at all through the summer.

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katabatic?

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