Vancouver Island Storm Chase

juandesooka · Post by **juandesooka** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:23 pm

redbaron wrote: Ya Haida Gwai would be one of the final frontiers for windsurfing/kiting. Too bad it so pricy to get to.

A friend who has to travel there regularly told me the ticket. The AirMiles you pick up at Shell, Safeway, Rona, etc....the ones it would take 20 years to get anywhere worthwhile? Only 1100 or so to get a return ticket to Haida Gwai. That's about how many points you need to get a coffee maker or dvd player ... good deal! Start gathering those points, adventure is up there.

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:48 am

I'll have to look into that.

KUS · Post by **KUS** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:35 pm

nanmoo wrote:Cape Verde Vickey sailed north chestermans today in 40+ knots and mast high waves.... Alone, with no booties or hood. Kind of puts us all to shame doesn't it? She said she sailed nearly 4 hours.

curious about the size of waves....where would that kind of fetch come from on a side-off spot with wind coming over the headlands? just curious, not saying it didn't happen

as for shame, perhaps it made others safe and smart

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:46 pm

I'm confused.

The La Perouse Buoy peaked at 15' @ 12 seconds that day, that is where the waves came from. That would send easily 10'+ into North Chestermans. What does that have to do with fetch? The short fetch of the offshore wind there would do little to flatten that kind of swell. Have you been to Tofino?

KUS · Post by **KUS** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:53 pm

nanmoo wrote:I'm confused.

The La Perouse Buoy peaked at 15' @ 12 seconds that day, that is where the waves came from. That would send easily 10'+ into North Chestermans. What does that have to do with fetch? The short fetch of the offshore wind there would do little to flatten that kind of swell. Have you been to Tofino?

Oh, don't be confused and thx for the vote of confidence, Tony, you are obviously wise beyond your years and experienced like an old sea dog. And of course you have never been know to exaggerate such things. I lived in Tofino for only 6 months so perhaps I have never really seen what happens there....and it was a long time ago and I'm old and back then, well....the ocean had hardly any salt in it.....and we had wind at Cook Street, no really, we did...

Didn't realize such as huge swell was happening and I guess I thought you implied the 40knots had something to do with wave size.... When I sailed the SE the other day at S Chesterman for my first time there with a 7' swell....and all the rest of my experiences there I have forgotten with the early onset dementia.... it was too light inshore, the wind blew up the swell and there was smallish crap chop in the N part of the beach.

Again my humble apologies

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:27 pm

Come on Kus, I'm just taking the piss out of you!

You can give but not take?!?!

South Chestermans can be flat as a pancake meanwhile at the same time it can be overhead at North and absolutely destructive in Cox Bay. Has to do with swell direction, size and period. With a massive defined swell like we had the other day and cranking winds, I could definitely envision the set-up she described. I doubt it all comes together quite that cleanly very often, but her pictures from that day look good. More often than not when the winter SE's roll through there is huge 6-7 second swell created from the incoming storm that turns the entire place into a rinse cycle with added wind chop on top. That's my experience with SE's there at least.

Me known to exaggerate though?!?!

uddereef · Post by **uddereef** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:20 pm

Hey Tony, any chance you can post those pictures?

redbaron · Post by **redbaron** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:22 pm

Thanks Juandesooka for the tip on flying to Haida Gwaii

KUS wrote: as for shame, perhaps it made others safe and smart

I agree. I know there were surfers At S. Chestermans that day (local experts), but solo in a SE gale on the westcoast is a bit nuts. There is bit more to think about in winter condition. I remember as a kid out there, my mom always warned me of sneaker waves followed by bad rip currents. Big high tides put logs and deadheads there too. You never know what garbage the wind pushes in from the Pacific either. This is potentially a high risk spot unless you are into Danger Swimming

But good for Vicki for having survived a big day with a smile on her face. I bet she learned tons from her experience. Definitely opens up radical epicness for our sport on the west coast at expert level.

redbaron · Post by **redbaron** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:30 pm

I "borrowed" these from her FB.

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:39 pm

I don't see north chestermans as being particularly dangerous, especially during a mild fall like this one so far. There are numerous barrier islands, headlands and the harbour to the north with plenty of boat traffic through there. Lots to swim to in trouble. The long shore current there is a quarter what we deal with at pistol. Warmer water up there too. Compared to a 35 knot day at pistol going out as far as guys like WSF do... You're going to be a lot harder to spot with the glare off the water if you broke down. As for going out solo, I agree, that's a somewhat bad idea even at a flat water spot.

redbaron · Post by **redbaron** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:05 pm

Mast high at Pistol is nuts. There seem to be lots of local knowledge down there and guys willing to share experiences. Longshore currents are something to think about for sure. Rip currents are a bit different and common around Tofino. The first time sailing S. Chestermans I started to get sucked out by Frank Island into a wind shadow. Scary feeling. Maybe there is little to worry about at N. Chestemans on a SE. I don't know.

nanmoo · Post by **nanmoo** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:23 pm

Yeah, mast high at Pistol is scary for sure, but we've all done it! The rips at Frank.... Well that just means maybe pulling a Vickey, ditching the kit and swimming to Frank!

downwind dave · Post by **downwind dave** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:18 pm

It's not the safest spot but not outrageously dangerous either. it is only really offshore near the isthmus, as you go north the wind is much more sideshore, especially if the tide is out a bit. I've sailed there a couple times but never really got the best conditions.

Windsurfish · Post by **Windsurfish** » Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:36 am

Compared to most of Cape Verde (the West/North shores), South and North Chestermans are 'friendly', even in big conditions. That said, it is advisable in any conditions to have local knowledge, and safety/support in place before you head out, solo or not. Just because someone is out sailing with you, do you really have any extra safety advantage, other than they know you are out there? Gear does break, and self rescue is always a consideration we should all take. There is a reason why I wear an impact/flotation vest and helmet, aside from being nerdy....

SmallWaveSteve · Post by **SmallWaveSteve** » Tue Oct 21, 2014 2:20 pm

juandesooka wrote:
A friend who has to travel there regularly told me the ticket. The AirMiles you pick up at Shell, Safeway, Rona, etc....the ones it would take 20 years to get anywhere worthwhile? Only 1100 or so to get a return ticket to Haida Gwai. That's about how many points you need to get a coffee maker or dvd player ... good deal! Start gathering those points, adventure is up there.

Thanks John! I know what I'm saving up for!

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