hr sandbar

JoshSam · Since 01 Feb 2007 2 Posts New Member

Hey,

somebody named Kitezilla posted an aeriel pic of the new sandbar ...
does anyone know who he is, or how I can get a hold of an aerial pic in high resolution? I'm happy to pay for it.

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kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

Joshsam,

Someone emailed me that picture, right after the flood. I will try to contact that person, to see I can find out more about its origin. I will let you know what I find out.

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

JoshSam,

I got the picture from a friend who got it from BamBam. Wish I knew more...it's a great picture.

magicmaker · Since 29 Oct 2006 895 Posts da Hood Opinionated

here is the last picture taken by the gorge.net GorgeLive cam from the whitesalmon bluff. I know the date of the camera is off, but it was taken 1/31/07.

JoshSam · Since 01 Feb 2007 2 Posts New Member

Dude, I am calling Bam as you speak, mucho gracias!

wakeup · Since 11 Sep 2005 328 Posts always Obsessed

looks like that camera is on my house
that is the same view i see every morning

Airnsails · Since 22 Jun 2005 104 Posts Hood River, OR Stoked

As many of us need to attend the meeting as possible. It seems to me like the event site is better suited for kiteboarding now that the windsurfers cant get out safely. Let's get the Port to build a new windsurfing park upwind and we can take over the eventsite/sandbar. I bet it would cost the same amount of money to build another park as it would to dredge the sandbar. The county is already planning to build a park. This could work out great for everyone. Kiteboarders get the event site, schools get the sandbar, windsurfers get the new park and swimmers can have the marina. Just think- Bathrooms, showers, location for throwing local and national competitions. Now is our chance to get what we deserve.

sherrybohn · Since 16 Jun 2006 71 Posts

While I agree that it important that everyone who sails, kites, swims or what ever other uses you can think of for the sandbar attend the "special" Waterfront Recreation Committee meeting it is very important they we all understand the purpose of this meeting......This is a meeting to make everyone fully understand the ramifications that this situation will have on the 07' season as well as the future possible impacts as well. This meeting will also serve the purpose of opening the discussions for cooperation between all users.

Please take a moment to undestand that there isn't any money in the Army Corp's budget to do any dredging this season or perhaps ever and.... that the window for "in water work" ends in February so we will ALL have to cooperate inorder to have access to this area this season and in the furture depending on how "mother nature" works in the spring.

Further....it is the city that is working with the Park Development Committee to find the funds to build a "family" park on what is currently called Lot 6. It is my understanding that they (the Park Development Commmitee) needs to quickly raise $80,000 just to move forward with having design & enginering plans done so that they can begin the process of permitting and bidding. They also need to find the funds for operation and maintenace once the park is built.

The Marina beach is also impacted by this because from the photos you can see there is a deep drop off and that the Hood River now flows very quickly right in front of the beach ----Is that safe for swimming??

With that said I hope that everyone who attends this meeting comes with an open attitude of cooperation because the probabilibity of any new waterfront access is very limited

Garret · Since 07 Sep 2006 254 Posts Portland Obsessed

It seems like there are a lot of thoughts amongst the kiting community and some great resources like the last post. Perhaps a premeeting meeting to discuss ideas and realities for the kiters may help us present a united front. Any interest? Maybe a night this week. I will buy the first round-

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

Just a heads up! I just happened upon this article.
Regarding the Hood River flood and subsequest delta deposits.

http://www.skypilotkiteboarding.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=241&mode=nested

endoshred · Since 22 May 2006 232 Posts HR Stoked

thanks for locating this article. very interesting. it shows the ownership of the sandspit is the state and not the port. i wonder if the port controls use of this state owned property. it also shows the possible biases that may be guiding the thought processes of some port commission leaders.

the article identifies one windsurfer port board member:

McElwee said with the spread of the sand so far to the north, it will present safety issues for kiteboarders that might be tempted to launch from the delta.
“If they launch all the way to the north edge then they would be in the shipping channel right away,” he said.
McElwee and Schock both said it’s important that people remember that access to the area can be dangerous.
Part of that danger includes large logs and other debris embedded in the sand that are submerged when the level of the Bonneville Pool fluctuates between 5 and 6 feet.

actually it may be safer for the windsurfers to launch at the north end of the spit to get the deep water near the shipping lane (they of course would then have to do the long hike from the parking lot) and have the kiters take the shallow western edge near the event site.
there is alot to consider in light of this article. could it be that we kiters may now be able to park at the well manicured event site and just have a short walk out onto the state owned sandspit to launch? the port bans kiters launching from the event site, but they may have no control of who parks there and walks out to the spit.
[/u]

sherrybohn · Since 16 Jun 2006 71 Posts

The ownership of the "delta" is a question that is being addressed as we/the port prepares for the meeting on the 13th. Legal documents show that the port has owned and still owns what we all knew as "the spit" but it is being determined through survey and legalities who owns the "newest and ever changing sand deposits." It is very clear from the latest photos that the port had taken that a good portion of the "delta" lies in the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area which is another indenty itself.

The article quotes Michael Shock who sits on the waterfront recreation committee as a citizen member and I believe a member of CGWA. He is not a port commissioner.

I doubt that discussion of ownership of the "delta" drives any personal biases. What ever indentity that finally ends of owning it will have to take responsibility to assure safe access to all who use it.

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

I hope as many folks as possible can show up to the meeting... its too bad but I think too many stakeholders in the summertime kiteboarding at the spit are out of town for the winter.

it'd be good to hear just what the options are that are going to be discussed for those of us who can't make the meeting.

endoshred · Since 22 May 2006 232 Posts HR Stoked

thank you again for your input. you are again showing this to be a very complex issue which needs to be carefully examined. Hopefully there will be much constructive discussion at the upcoming meeting so that everyone in attendance can futher appreciate the needs of all waterfront users.

not meaning to say that the port is biased (i hope its not), but the comment in the article isnt nessessarily sounding great for kiters and the individual interviewed was a windsurfer. i probably took his comment the wrong way. just always hoping that kiting will be as equally politically represented as windsurfing, and given the same relative importance in terms of strategic waterfront planning. i also look forward to the meeting to see if both of these wind sports actually have strategic importance.

lets hope so.

wakeup · Since 11 Sep 2005 328 Posts always Obsessed

i sure am glad of 2 things
that i started this discussion
and that sherry bohn kiteboards

it is not everyday that a kiter sits as president of an entity that has basically not cared about kiters until two seasons ago, when they found out that kiters would pay to park at gravel lot with no trees or grass just to have a good launch area. then they cared

last year we got hosed
i think karma is coming back on some folks(mainly windsurfers) for not helping kiters last year with seeking and securing an alternate launch

now mother nature has blessed us, since we dealt with some of the absurd rules of the port
like not being able to launch at the marina during high water
these were clear safety issuues that no one cared about except kiters

i say let the windsurfers suffer as we did last year

i think that the reality of the whole situation is that:

1. kiters will never get the event site
the windsurfers built it and are not gonna give it up, especially to kiters

2. the city, the port, and the army corps can not afford to do anything short term, and with the spring salmon runs coming, i don't know if they could do anything, legally

3. this is just one more situation showing that we as kiters are not organized enough to get together and produce a spokesperson that is
capable of handling our best interests in a meeting of the minds such as this

4. there is no reason that the windsurfers can't still use the event site in its present state
they are just old, and lazy, and don't want to have to walk a little bit

5. HOOD RIVER ACTUALLY HAS A BEACH NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

as a resident, former instructor, and devout sandbar user, i think i'll attend the meeting to represent the local hood river riders.

i don't want some kiter from ptown(or somewhere other than hood river) who comes here 15 or 20 times a season to be speaking on my behalf. (no offense intended)

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

I don't think there is a lot that can be done. who has the money to dredge? And as we learned from dredging the lower columbia getting dredging aproved is a tough enviromental issue. I think the raceing windsurfers are just going to have to get shorter fins or walk.

Pepi · Mon Feb 05, 07 2:58 pm

Hey Wakeup :

Thanks for posting your comments.

I think your observations are pretty darn accurate.
It would be best to keep in mind all of these facts as we all go into this meeting next week.

It might be best for us to think of some game plans for how the kiters and windsurfers may better work with each other once the season kicks in.

I have spoken with a few local kiters about how it might be a very good idea for the CGKA and the CGWA to work on putting up some billboards at the Event Site and Sandbar that would display proper water safety and launching guidelines for us to all abide by.
Along with a list of safety guidelines, the billboard could also contain an aerial image of the two sites with suggested launch and sailing/kiting zones clearly marked for kiters and sailors to be aware of.

Considering the limited (if any at all) options available to both windsurfers and kiters, we thought that it would be best to attempt to be proactive with the two sports in communicating the obvious (but not always followed) safety rules and guidelines.
This is billboard, or sign, idea is something that is definitely posted at all kite/windsurf sites in Hatteras, Texas, Maui, etc... , but not in the Gorge.

Just wanted to put out this idea to the community as something to think about before the meeting next week.

Thanks
Pepi