2012 Spring Gorge Trip: 2012-06-20 Blowing Easterly

Easterly Wind!

Usually in the Gorge, if it's going to blow easterly, it is a "Dawn Patrol" session, starting early and ending before noon. The forecast, however, was to start at 10:00, peaking at noon, and continuing to blow until about 3:00.

Andreas, and Ross, not believing that it was going to blow at all, headed to the coast for a couple of days of stand-up paddle boarding. They texted to say they were in Newport.

Handre and Lazelle, decided to take a day off from windsurfing to relax, and headed out on a 92km bike ride up to the top of a mountain 3400 foot climb. Trout Lake Loop. Nice view - but wow. Lazelle said she was a bit tired afterwards - no kidding!!!

Mike, the smartest of our group missed coffee and breakfast, and headed straight out to Bob's Beach at Stevenson, where he immediately got on the water on his 5.6 sail.

Windsurfing King for a day!
Mike called it right, and make the most miles on the water!

For the rest of us, the morning started as usual at Dog River, and then Bette's. At this point, half of us headed to Stevenson, while the other half, decided that more shopping was in order.... I hear that Rene, is still negotiating on that Naish board....

I arrived at Bob's Beach around 10:00 and was in the water by 10:30 on my big board and new 5.6 Hucker. Mike was already sailing, and Harold and Gerry hit the water about the same time as me - followed by Blaine, Brad and Al a short time later. We had a great hour - fully powered. It is very interesting sailing an Easterly wind (blowing from the east to the west), with a fast current, also flowing from the east to the west. You have to be pinching hard, (heading up wind), all the time, just to stay even with the beach.

I came in for a break around 11:30. While near shore, and talking to Big Jim, who had been watching from shore, and waiting for Big Air Jim to bring the van with his equipment, I pointed out Al, who was struggling a bit, and looked like he would end up walking.....

I headed out again, and noticed that the wind was a bit lighter. I got planing, but when I got to the other side and jibed, I noticed that I had lost ground to the current. By the time I got back, I was a few hundred meters down stream. Not wanting to walk, and sure that I could catch a gust, I headed back out..... MISTAKE!!! Now I was down at the rocks..... I stood on the sandbar for a while and thought "This has to be enough wind for me to get back..." - so I went out again, and lost more ground.....
I ended up at the Island. The only good part was that Harold and Blaine were even further down... I had forgotten that you have to subtract the current speed from the wind speed so your effective wind speed is not as strong as it looks when sailing in an Easterly.

At this point, Al looked like a hero, and had the shortest walk of the bunch of us. Only Mike, Brad and Gerry had made it back.

Blaine and Harold dragged their gear up over the rocks to the railway tracks, where Kent rescued them. Al and I walked back to the beach....

Big Air Jim finally arrived with Cam and Cynthia, and Big Jim's gear. Against the advice of Big Air Jim, Cam and Cynthia decided to head out. They made a valiant effort, but between the easterly wind, the fishing nets, and the current, it just didn't work. After a short slog out and back, they were forced back to shore.