VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

My first visit to La Push and Forks was just prior to the Twilight mania about three years ago.It was a beautiful laid back experience. The grey whales were migrating north at the time and were coming in close to shore at La Push and causing quite a sensation.
There were waves and wind but the waves were all closing out making pretty messy conditions. Further south.... it was March.... we found some awesome clean waves just north of Westport providing some great surfing conditions.

Hoping to make another Oregon Coast trip first week of August. Would like to spend some more time in Florence if conditions look good.
Be great to have another big group of BC sailors!!!

KUS wrote: And no, you won't learn this at the Nat by "tuning", sorry. Who gives a shit about gybes, I actually blew a few today,

I know this thread is about Oregon wave sailing and I can't sail a wave worth shit, but .... I care about gybes!

It took me years to learn how to gybe properly and now I love making every single one of them. At age 60, and with failing joints, I don't see that my body has many forward loops or "douches" or "rinse cycles" in it. I'd like to try big waves once but I think my windsurfing future is in cruising Nat like places, wind in my face, sun overhead, making gybes.

mortontoemike wrote:

KUS wrote: And no, you won't learn this at the Nat by "tuning", sorry. Who gives a shit about gybes, I actually blew a few today,

I know this thread is about Oregon wave sailing and I can't sail a wave worth shit, but .... I care about gybes!

It took me years to learn how to gybe properly and now I love making every single one of them. At age 60, and with failing joints, I don't see that my body has many forward loops or "douches" or "rinse cycles" in it. I'd like to try big waves once but I think my windsurfing future is in cruising Nat like places, wind in my face, sun overhead, making gybes.

MTM, that comment was intended for wave sailing and this thread, good gybes and failing joints have little to do with wave sailing at a recreational level. If you can sail anywhere u can wavesail....but you do need to actually go once.... so the endless excuses of "well I would go but I can't quite gybe efficiently" get tiring.... Rinse cycles are typically much more gentle than going over the handlebars at the Nat....as long as your lungs can hold a breath for a few secs....and even this is not an issue on a smaller day. Forward loops are also not a requirement.
I would suggest for you to attend Florence, it has many gentle early time in the day times with 4' waves and you will see. If something goes wrong you gently get swept onto the sandy beach. Gybes are helpful in the sense so you don't have to fear stumpy..... too much....and to gybe on an incoming (easier to spot) wave to catch it so your surfer timing is not as stressed or needed ...that's all

Last year when I went to Oregon I hadn't even tried to learn Gybes yet, just crash and burn on the outside, in a nice water start position. I didn't find it to be much of a hinderance except for the reason Kus mentions - shark fear. But I agree with MTM, nowadays it is nice to nail gybe after gybe and stay dry especially last weekend in the Gorge without a wetsuit. But the thing is on the coast, in waves, even if you nail every gybe its not likely you'll stay dry with no wind in the impact zone, and growlers on the way out and in. Furthermore the largest stresses on your body are going to be heading up underpowered, out of the harness and climbing white water. With wave sailing if you aren't falling you aren't trying - except if you just straight ride the waves in, not quite the same sensation though as heading down the line.

For starters, 60 is not old, or it better not be. I'm almost there. I just started wave sailing a couple of years ago. The perfect learning play ground is Columbia Beach. Worse thing that could happen to you is getting swept down the beach there. Then try Long Beach on an SUP with a sail. As Kus says Florence is user friendly. You are in the lee of a big jetty. It has been fairly easy to get out past the break this week. Read the Oregon Surf Guide posted in this thread.

In a 3-4 foot swell you would do fine. Get a Peter Hart or Gem Hall DVD. You can practise clew first sailing and a bunch of other stuff at the Nat, Pipers or Gordons. We also have the luxury of a super skilled and approachable group who can answer questions. Just keep ripping and don't stop learning new stuff. Wave sailing is fun so try it

Thanks Eastside. I'm on the same page.

Re: Being 60. "If you didn't know how old you were, how old would you think you were?" - Saichel Paige

Not 60 that's for sure. I don't really fell that old, truthfully, and I would love to try some wave sailing before I get put out to pasture. I got a taste out on the reef in Cabarete. This summer, with the injured wing I don't think OR coast is in the cards. Can't afford another tear. We'll see.

Also, KUS I know I took you out of context. Sorry. I wasn't meaning to slag. I'm sorry if it came across that way. I'm accumulating all of the shared experience and appreciate it. It took me so long to nail gybes that I still get stoked on every single one. A thrill's a thrill.

Gybe on dudes!

Hey Mike,

I would like to go on one of these trips. Just spent a week at Nitinat and while it is very restful and fun, there is a monotony that sets in after a few days of going back and forth there. I have done about 4 or 5 days in the waves at Tribune Bay and it is really fun sailing in little breaking waves (but pretty difficult). As I may never be an expert gyber I like nanmoo's approach, just go anyway.

I contemplated going this year but had to teach the last 2 weekends in June. The biggest thing (for me) I think is I need to be in much better physical shape (in anticipation of getting worked). I was also talking to Lea at Nitinat this week and she is interested too but wants to go down to Oregon when there are other beginners there too (safety in numbers - and someone to talk to on the beach if it is too scary).

I say we hit Columbia beach a few times this winter. Don't you have a place on the Island now.....all I need is a few sq feet in the corner somewhere. I will supply the red wine.

Then get in shape for next June? And I am sure we can convince George and Big D to go?

PS - I have the Jem Hall and Peter Hart wave sailing DVDs....they are pretty good.

Keith

Notably, I overheard conversation of, and saw many a pro blowing gybes (particularly on the outside) at pistol. In one coversation a certain pro was saying how he doesn't really stress much about it, and still really has to concentrate on them when it's blowing - often finding himself struggle to nail one - but doesn't fret because he'd rather work on loops or learning other tricks that seem more worthwhile to him.

Point is, focus your effort where you find it most pleasureable, if you get stoked on nailing gybes, then by all means do it, but if you get stoked on riding waves, don't worry if you can't nail gybes, worry about riding waves. Disclaimer: Beware of getting stoked (rehashed yet again) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgXObaM9i2Q

Nanmoo, was that you wearing boardshorts and a rashie at Doug's last Sunday (Quattro quad, Hot Sails "Fire", Chinook alloy)?

yep, that was me! fun day, the voodoo chop got a bit tiring near the end though, but there was some nice swell to carve at times!

KC7777 wrote:The biggest thing (for me) I think is I need to be in much better physical shape (in anticipation of getting worked). ......
I say we hit Columbia beach a few times this winter. Don't you have a place on the Island now.....all I need is a few sq feet in the corner somewhere. I will supply the red wine.

getting worked doesn't sap your strength so much, the walk does I find that CB doesn't repeat the following day much (I have stayed many a night only to find the next day fizzle, a couple of times it actually blew past 9a.m., notably one where I had to go, grrr), you may be better off timing a great Acadia (clearing westerly) or Centennial (SE) session.....not really long waves but it may do. Go for high tide on both accounts, have a weedfin handy for Centennial or that tiny 20. Avoid Pt Roberts, too many bad tidal current stories and the border guards are assholes

With no background in either wavesailing or surfing, I was pretty fearful before my first session last year. This year I went knowing I had a heart condition. No fear this year, just the briefest of butterflies. In general, it was easier than I expected (the hardest part I find is getting on a wave in the first place and committing to the down=the-line turn) and I got washed very few times - and it wasn't nearly as bad an experience as I had expected. I completely avoided trying big days and really chose my launches to get out between sets. I didn't push my luck and did just a handful of runs a day. Lots of time to rest between runs. I'll be 60 in two years. Without doubt, my sailing has improved more in the last two years than in the previous 7 or 8. I attribute almost all the improvement to pushing beyond my comfort zone in coastal Oregon and to a lesser extent the Gorge.

more force 4 wrote:Without doubt, my sailing has improved more in the last two years than in the previous 7 or 8. I attribute almost all the improvement to pushing beyond my comfort zone in coastal Oregon and to a lesser extent the Gorge.

And it shows! You were ripping at Kook last night!

I fully concur, your sailing has improved tremendously over the last 2 yrs, there is hope for all of us one day I shall try the forward looping again after my disastrous 40 poor attempts at Gordos two years ago it appears you have no hope at the wave bash without nailing at least a few of those....and since I cannot seem to stick my backies

Just to drift this thread even further, windsurfing has stayed interesting to me because of all of the different avenues it offers. If Nitinat gets boring, you need to buy a freestyle board. Bingo! Nitinat is SUPER fun again and your sailing hits a new level with each new maneuver learned. It's also a mental shift away from being afraid to fall in. I've never understood why there aren't any high level freestyle sailors ripping Nitinat. It's world class for it. Freeriding eventually gets old for many sailors and keeps your level of sailing stale. I sailed slalom boards for too many years (it was a lot of fun though) before watching Dunkinguy and others throwing loops and pulling vulcans at will. Freestyle and wave sailing opened the door to even more enjoyment of the sport. It's why I'm not kiting much (though it's incredibly fun too!) these days. I still love the challenge of all of the different aspects windsurfing has to offer.