01-04-08 Fern Ridge Storm Session!!

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

sorry guys, you should have been there, super powered on 7m and 9m all day long, even got sunburned a bit between the squalls.

FYI the ditch rocks, chest deep water on the entire lake

some pics for the skeptics:

Reaper356 · Since 10 Dec 2006 781 Posts Salem / LC Oregon Opinionated

That was totally awesome all day! The extra air temperature really helped!
Very nice session. Very Happy

Sol-flyer · Fri Jan 04, 08 6:04 pm

proper!

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

way to ride the storm, friggin windy in PDX

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Think the roof is going to go - way to charge Thumb's Up

Nak · Fri Jan 04, 08 8:49 pm

OK, was this the first session of 2008 in the NW? (I'm sure Mark got in an earlier session in the Bahamas!) Impressive. Thumb's Up

shastadogs2 · Since 28 Mar 2005 336 Posts Obsessed

man, tell us more.

the southern fetch on the ditch looks kinda sketch: trees, houses, roads and shit up wind. i've been by it often on the way out to newport. besides, nukin' southerlies, what is the 411?
thanks
jimmi

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

Well depending on where you launch from, fern ridge isn't bad at all. We've been launching form the Eugene Yacht club on the North-West corner of the reservoir (see map posted here http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-7165.html). Its good for anything between south and east winds.
There is another yacht club at the North-East end of the reservoir also, This would probably make for a good South-westerly wind launch location. Both launch locations have a big lawn you can use to set up on (launching will have to happen down by the water though). Since the Eugene Yacht club is a private club the owner might ask if you are a member, or belong the University of Oregon sailing club (their sailing club that sails form there). Be respectful to them, and they will let you kite, otherwise they might begin enforcing NO-KITING rules.

Since it is a reservoir, there are old tree stumps in the water as you can see in some pictures I posted earlier. Most seem to be along the shore-line (during the summer these are at least 10ft underwater) I haven't hit any on the water though, plus you can usually see them sticking up in the waves, and there don't seem to be very many at all in the middle of the lake.

As for the gusty conditions, they aren't bad at all (unless you are riding northerly winds, for some reason they are incredibly gusty). With southerly winds there is 3 miles of open water to mellow the gusts out to near steady conditions. Close to shore the wind gets a little weird if it's cross shore due to features on land. We figured the wind in the middle of the lake was about 5-10 mph stronger than at the shore, this made for easier launches and landings. Since it is such a shallow lake during the winter, the water temperature seems very dependent on the air temperature of the preceding few days. The brown water is not sewage as with Sauvie Island, it is simply the silty sediment that gets stirred up during high winds.

The rumors about the lake being a place that only champions can stay upwind is untrue. I think this comes from summer sessions where the variable direction gusty winds dies off instantly as soon as the sun goes down.

There is also a deeper channel that runs down the center of the lake towards the damn. This creates a nice swell during high-winds. To be honest last session I had there felt a lot like a summer afternoon at Stevenson or Hood river, aside from the temperature of course.

Wind forecasting I use is:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=PQR&llon=-123.673747&rlon=-122.538747&tlat=44.892084&blat=43.754584&smap=1&mp=0&map.x=77&map.y=175
http://www8.landings.com/cgi-bin/parse_wthr_script.pl?pass=12345&apt_id=KEUG&type=TAF
http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?Submit=Go&sta=KEUG&state=OR

Also, check this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern_Ridge_Reservoir

DROCK999 · Since 31 May 2007 852 Posts Left Coast Opinionated

orchard point isn't a bad place to launch either, a little tricky by yourself but not terrible. just don't wear white, the water is pretty friggin nasty.

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Jan 07, 08 10:52 am

its brown because there is poop in that water...

from oregon DEQ: (uncle tom and fern ridge water quality station)

Water quality is most frequently impacted during the fall, winter, and spring, when high concentrations of fecal coliforms, total phosphates, nitrate and ammonia nitrogens, total solids, and biochemical oxygen demand are present. This indicates the presence of untreated human or animal waste and other organic material in the river. These wastes enter the river as a result of runoff and erosion associated with precipitation and high river levels.

from Oregons DEQ 303d water quality impared water bodies:

Fern Ridge Reservoir ,Reservoir Turbidity
Fern Ridge Reservoir , Reservoir Water Contact Recreation (Fecal Coliform) - Fall through Spring

You got a session in and that's cool but you really might want to ask around a little about the water conditions (especially since your wearing a thick wetsuit and essentially just simmering yourself in water with documented levels of animal waste that are outside of "healthy" parameters.

But, on the bright side, your not kiting in the Columbia slough.. check out the documented nasties in this place. YIKES!!!!

Columbia Slough outh to Fairview Lake Chlorophyll a - Spring through Fall
Columbia Slough 22P-COLS0 Mouth to Fairview Lake Dissolved Oxygen - Cool Water Aquatic Life: Annual
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake pH - Spring through Fall
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake Phosphorus - Spring through Fall
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake Temperature - Spring through Fall
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake Toxics: Fish Tissue (DDE, DDT)
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake Toxics: Fish Tissue (PCBs)
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake Toxics: Fish Tissue - 2,3,7,8 TCDD
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake Toxics: Water Column (Lead)
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake Water Contact Recreation (Fecal Coliform) - Fall through Spring
Columbia Slough Mouth to Fairview Lake Water Contact Recreation (Fecal Coliform) - Summer

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

well, this is all very interesting. i have kited there about a dozen times - only a couple "easy upwind" sessions (unlike the ocean, where almost every session you're cranking upwind)

i've hit it twice in the winter. one time was really gusty the other ridiculously cold. i recall it being difficult to find a grassy launch with decent fetch on the n side.

i was thinking of cruising out there on fri to see for myself, but it looked so nasty with on and off rain that i was surprised to hear you hit it.

personally, i think there are sports more well suited to rain then kiting. I hate packing up a wet heavy kite and lugging it around.

still, you're stoking out and that's cool - keep posting and i will come check it out and at least work your camera for you.

Reaper356 · Since 10 Dec 2006 781 Posts Salem / LC Oregon Opinionated

Hey, I did actually develop some "reservoir nose" and i was wondering about that bacteria count. Figured it was from high count in the stirred up silt. All that said it was really a killer day and I'd do it again. I wonder how much the low water temp. suppresses that bacteria verses the spring or summer.

I also learned to roll my kayak in the Willamette. Very Happy

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Jan 07, 08 2:16 pm

when you need a fix, you need a fix, rivernose be damned. Us Sauvie Island kiters endure all kinds of mysterious things floating in the water.

In terms of the temperature affecting bacteria amounts; I would think its more a function of high precipitation causing poo laden runoff and the lower water levels in the winter that cause the water activity warnings.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

You could always take colloidal silver - I hear it does wonder for River nose...

Saw this guy on the news today Shocked

- may have to change my avatar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahihGKZC5Kk

Reaper356 · Since 10 Dec 2006 781 Posts Salem / LC Oregon Opinionated

rich · Since 30 Nov 2005 306 Posts portland Obsessed

smurfy