Florence Downwinder

D Dawg · Since 24 Aug 2009 56 Posts Hood River Â

Recently we did a downwinder starting at the Florence South Jetty heading south. The conditions were perfect for a 10m kite. As soon as every one was launched up and riding, we gave hand signals to start the downwinder. This was to be about a 4-mile trip. Our exit point was a large sign on the beach saying “No vehicles past this point”.

About one mile down the beach the wind began to increase. With wind increasing we normally head back to the beach and switch to smaller kites. On a downwinder you are committed to the kite you started with. At Florence the wind can increase quickly. On this day the wind went from averaging 18 to averaging 36 in about 20 minutes. With 36 mile per hour winds, we should have been on 6m kites as the wind was going ballistic.

To ease the pull on my kite I rode straight down the beach looking to get to the takeout point as soon as possible. Getting to the takeout and with my kite fully loaded, I was the first out of the water. Normally I can find a place in the sand dunes where a wind shadow will be. This is where I can safely park my kite. The dunes on this end of the beach were vertical and did not offer any wind shadow options. With my kite fully lit and flying straight overhead, I walked up the top of the dunes to find a place to land. I got the top of the dunes only to realize I was on a ridge with another vertical drop on the backside. It was all I could do to pull my kite back towards the ocean and scramble back down the dunes.

On this day I was lucky to have one of my kiting buddies grab my kite and in turn I grabbed his. Always kite with a friend and at Florence be ready for quickly increasing winds.

Thanks Laird for the kite grab.

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

You don't have a safety leash mechanism to flag the kite in such situations? Can always hook the leash to a big log first if you're worried and then hope for the best. I've self-landed this way at Rooster when it was gusting mid 40s. Use at your own risk obviously, but best to have an exit strategy that doesn't rely on other people just in case.

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2624 Posts The 503 METAL

Nice recap! Yeah when Flo goes richter it can get dramatic!

Sailing at the coast a lot means accepting lots of solo sessions, or at least solo landings. I frequently use the safety leash to flag it out and hand-over-hand my way to the kite. In high winds and on hard sand there can still be lots of resistance and it's a bitch with cold slippery hands. Sometimes I will land it in shallow water area of the shoreline to help the kite stick. Such a good feeling when you finally get your hand on it!
Very Happy

Aeolus · Fri May 10, 13 2:12 pm

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

Did you guys see the sharks down there.

PDXF · Since 10 Sep 2008 116 Posts Stoked

There was a discussion about what some saw... be it Flipper or the Landlord

TWIN-FIN · Since 24 May 2006 805 Posts Portland, OR Hot Monkey

I saw him on Saturday.
He was about 50 to 75 yrds out from the end of the Jetty. All I saw was a Big Dark Fin.
One of my homies from Montana was out trolling on the outside for awhile. When he came in I told him that their is nothing out there but Tsunami debris and the Land Lord.
Needless to say, he did not go out there again.

That was one of my best sessions ever! I was lit and stomping everything. My boy Ian would have been proud.

SpaceRacer · Since 04 Nov 2007 434 Posts Obsessed

Thanks for sharing as I hope to hit Florence for my first time this summer. I know there is no perfect kite but all I kept thinking as I was reading is that this is one situation where I love my North Rebels. Kite just floats above the beach upside down. In stronger wind I can actually reel it in without it ever touching the ground. I hope North never stops making 5 lines.

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

when you see the mermaids thats when you know your in trouble.

or when the orcas come through and they are between you and the beach.

rule of thumb also is when the sea lions are in the real shallows thats a good time to not be hot doggin and swimming because something has got the sea creatures scared to the shallows.

The place that is really great for ocean kiting tho is ft stevens.

hands down the best place to kite and so close to the gorge and portland.

I have never flown my kites upside down over the beach, that sounds interesting and perfect for ft stevens.