After coffee (at Dog River), and breakfast at the Hood River Hotel, and then much shopping.... (Rene is looking at a board...) we all agreed that Roosevelt would be the best sail.
We arrived at about noon, and all got great parking spots! Unfortunately there was no wind to speak of. It is a beautiful spot, and we enjoyed sitting around talking and reading for awhile.
When the wind didn't appear to be building by 3:00, we decided to head back west.
We stopped at Maryhill State Park, where some folks were out sailing on the water. The issue with Maryhill is the current, which is flowing incredibly fast. Decisions, decisions.... Jim, Jim, Andreas, Ross, Gerry, Cam, Cynthia, and I stayed to try our luck - and the rest headed to Rowena to try there.
We all rigged. Big Jim and I rigged our new 5.6 Huckers, anxious to try our new sails... Unfortunately, by the time we got to the water, the wind had backed off. Gerry was the first out. He managed four reaches and got back to the launch, but the current was extreme, and the wind was very light on the near side of the river (so he wasn't able to even get planing until about half way across). Even pointing almost straight downwind, he was barely able to make way against the current. Cam and Big Jim, also tried, but both lost a lot of ground in one reach in and out - ending up down by the campground - half way to the bridge.
When someone fell in the water, they were moving downstream very fast.
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| The three hero's - the only guys (from our group), to try to sail.... |
Ross said he had to stop looking at the shore because it was too "Weird". Andreas lost his board at one point, and had to body drag down wind to get it - which is very different because kiteboards always end up up wind.
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| Kiters.... |
The rest of the gang sailed at Rowena in gust conditions. Fun had by all.
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| Cynthia - Happy she didn't have to experience the current! |
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