RR is crazy - where else to launch?

pauls · Since 20 Jun 2005 562 Posts white salmon Addicted

RR is going nuts, further west the wind moderates anyone figured out any spots to launch? It looks like repeat performances tomorrow and Saturday would like to keep working on my kite skills but may just have to jump on my windsurf gear instead.

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

Hell yea it is... and this is just what iKitesurf is reading! Shocked

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

There is no good (sandy) launches until you get to the Airport spot. But if you drive along Marine Dr. you will see there are plenty of spots to climb down the rocks.

Last year on a day like this a few of us did a downwinder from the houseboats on the east end of Marine Dr. to just below the I205 bridge. Yes we ducked the bridge. Shocked

Spencer · Since 24 Jun 2005 29 Posts Portland

Some days when it's too windy at Rooster, the downwinder from Home Valley to Stevenson can be really fun. You can get an idea of how windy it is there by checking: http://www.saw.net/scenic/image.jpg

If you're willing to make a drive, a lot of days when it's nukin at Rooster and Stevenson, it will be incredibly steady 12-16m kiting at Viento state park, with really smooth water. Some days it's too light there, and some days it shuts off in the afternoon, but many times it's really good. The launch is rocky, not sandy. On an east wind, the launch is a little bit sheltered, so I have done some drift launches there. It's pretty shallow way out. Watch out for the big channel marker.

Another note about Viento. If you ever kite there on WESTERLIES, watch out for the psycho northerly gusts when launching. I got a pretty scary hot launch there in 2000, and have seen a few others there since then. A friend of mine was launching another friend when the northerly devil wind hit. This resulted in a very hot launch that yarded him up into the trees. He was very lucky to walk away with serious bruises. This isn't a problem on easterlies.

Spencer

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2575 Posts The 503 METAL

Amazing that the airport can be reading Calm when Corbett is clocking 50.

The gradient just starting trending down, but it's still huge. Mad

Mark · Thu Nov 17, 05 3:50 pm

Woodland looked good today. White caps and coming out of the north northwest. 18-20 but alittle gusty.

Rico · Since 13 Mar 2005 1219 Posts Vancouver Photographer

When Rooster is nuking a good spot is near Camas/Washougal. Sandy beach and good wind between washington side and island.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

Onad · Thu Nov 17, 05 8:05 pm

Drove to NSI in HR today to pick up some gear. The east wind was screaming through Rooster & was gusting close to 60mph at Dalton Point. Check out the smoking devil wind in the picture below (looking west toward RR)... Shocked

I swear I saw a small twister form out on the water. Needless to say, my kites stayed in the car Mad

~D

pauls · Since 20 Jun 2005 562 Posts white salmon Addicted

Is the site in Camas cottonwood beach or somewhere further west? I checked out Cottonwood recently but it was calm in a huge wind shadow created by Reed island. Last week i walked all the way east along the trail that starts at Cottonwood but after about a mile you hit a private property marker before reaching access to the main river channel. If anyone knows the land owners just east of Steigerwald NWR and could get them to grant access that would probably be a lot mellower than RR. On a nuker i once windsurfed by the mouth of the Washougal river - it was terrible!! If their is another spot with cleaner wind would be great to know. Mark - I thought Woodland / Kalama was blowing in the afternoon yesterday. Friends were golfing at Kelso and complaining how windy it was........

paul

Mark · Fri Nov 18, 05 8:03 am

Any of you long timers..... Where is the spot to be today? or Sat?
thanks in advance.

Yes Woodland and Kalama would have been great. Maybe thats the ticket today?

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

Looks like another east wind nuker tomorrow.

Mark · Fri Nov 18, 05 8:54 am

Phil,
Do u find that enviro model to be about 10-12 mph less than whats really going on? IF so, today looks pretty good at RR.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

pkh, what's the "program" you're using for wind above? Looks pretty cool, and more organized than iKitesurf...

Mark · Fri Nov 18, 05 2:42 pm

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

Awesome... Thanks Mark! Very Happy