Hood River Sandbar Kiteboarding Guide

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

available at: http://www.nwkite.com/guides/hood_river_sandbar/

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

Same idea with this one as the Sauvie Island Guide guys. Post whatever suggestions, tips, comments and I will ammend the original post. Eventually I'd like to turn this into its own section, but for now this is easiest.

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2062 Posts PNW Bigfoot

Kiting below the sand bar island is like going into a black hole, its hard to get out of it once your in it. The wind is shaddowed from Wells island upwind and a back eddie exists at the tail end of this island from the Hood River draining into the Columbia. It is really hard to relaunch your kite in this area with the forces imposed upon the kite. I've seen many newbies tire to the point of needing help from others and or dumping there kite and swimming into shore.

Second, if one wants to go up wind with greater ease where there are less people and better quality wind, tack back and forth in the shipping channel (it increases your appearent wind speed). This is defined by the buoys and the swell. One knows they are out of the channel on the Washington side when the swell gets small and or is nonexistent. This is where another back eddie exists and your rather close to the rocky shore. Barges typically like to stay in the middle of the channel and when you see one you should get out of the channel and wait for it to go by. Mess with shipping commerse ie big $$$$, and we will all feel the pain of its power and might.

Lastly, the sand/real estate at the launching and landing point should only be used for launching and landing. When one hinders this access by placing all their stuff there or sets up there, it hurts that functionality of the beach. Please place your gear and do your setup far back from the ever-changing launch and land site (it changes due to water levels which is controlled by the upriver dams). This way we all can maximize our respective time on the water. Very Happy

Inept_Fun · Since 14 Apr 2005 1417 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

Also, right below the very edge of the outer sandbar there is that horrible place where the current of the Hood River meets the current of the columbia. That is the real black hole and if you get stuck there, you will be stuck you cannont swim outta that hole so watch out for that.

NaishUSA · Since 07 Jul 2005 53 Posts HR OR

Nice work Dax. I think the guide is great and have a couple of points that Id like to add:

1) The Marina sandbar is not a legitimate launching land landing zone and it is super important to be aware of the families utilizing that area if you end up down there (ie drop your kite in the water outside the kiddy zone rather than coming in hot to the beach and expecting someone to catch your kite when you end up downwind.

2) Because of the ever present downwind kite traffic, downwind families, sailboats, barges, bridge, jetties, etc a leash of some sort is mandatory. With the many spinning, 5th line, and sucide leashes available there is no excuse for losing your kite downwind.

3) Its important to be courteous to the windsurfers upwind of the sandbar and keep in mind that like the sandbar, there is a wide range of skills in the windsurfing crowd riding at the event site- many of whom dont really know how to handle a kiteboarder on an opposite tack. Always be ready to yield right of way.

4) I think you handled "better riding upwind" well. It is really a more advanced riding area (more difficult getting rescued if something goes wrong, no good landing spots, much larger swell, frequently higher winds than the sandbar, narrower channel, etc etc) and as such those that can make it up there and be able to ride safely will without directions and hints and those that cant hopefully will stay around the sandbar.

5)Keeping gear on the beach in as small of an area as possible and not leaving lines laid out on the beach- if you arent actively rigging, launching, or landing lines need to be wrapped up.

6) Be helpful to other riders, give launches, catch kites, know the now well recognized signal for "catch my kite please" (tapping head), know who has right of way on the water.

Hopefully these thoughts help out a bit.

~Matt

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

Thanks for all of the info so far. I added much of it back into the original text as well as appending some of it to the end in a sort of "Rider Tips" section. I think this format works pretty good but let me know if there is a better way.

Thanks again and if you got anything else to say, post!

brokenlizard · Thu Jan 12, 06 11:13 pm

Several people have mentioned "black hole areas" near the sand bar to avoid. Could someone point out the locations on a map or picture? Google earth maybe? Thanks

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

J.P. · Since 10 Mar 2005 638 Posts Addicted

If you show up to the Sandbar without proper knowledge and experience of how to kiteboard safely, you will be asked to leave.

Who is the proposed enforcment body?

Said another way, who will be the Kook Police?

cheers,

jp

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

NaishUSA · Since 07 Jul 2005 53 Posts HR OR

/vote to bring Utah "aka scary" Jerry back as official Sandbar Enforcer!

Inept_Fun · Since 14 Apr 2005 1417 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

The kook police is gonna be INEPT FILMS!!! The tru kooks!

azazello · Since 11 Jun 2005 60 Posts Seattle

If you're intermediate/advanced beginner level or simply don't like the hassle of dealing with problems out in the channel, IMHO the best spot to ride is either between the paddleboat and the first bouy, or somewhat upwind from most of the windsurfers. The wind is not the most consistent, but you get blown back in to where you took off if something goes not as planned (like the wind picking up frm 20mph to 35 in about 5 seconds, which happens).

Also, nobody said anything about beginner/lessons area. I think it's both safer and actually quite polite not to be around beginners taking lessons in the shallows. They just get scared and loose it if you ride past them creating trouble for others and not enjoying their time on the water as much as they could. I've seen many a good rider do just that and this is just not nice.

Also, the advice about the "black hole area" just downwind from the bar should be in bold imho. It takes just 15 minutes to be swept out into the channel if you go down in cold water. I don't really know of any good way to deal with it, the best seems to be to just give up as soon as possible and walk back from marina. Or wait a little and around the closest bouy try to self-rescue a bit upwind hoping to end up back on the sand bar.

And teach your dog not to mess up kite lines.

Oh yea, if the wind is below 25 make sure you have a plan for when it picks up to 35 in a few minutes.