VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I am in my third summer of kiting but have only kited at Nitinat Lake. I want to try Cook street and it looks like Friday afternoon will be quite ideal. I am hoping that someone in the wind community can give me a briefing on Friday afternoon. Anyone willing to help a Cook St newbie out?

Thanks MikeH. I have reviewed the pages on BWD for Cook and the reefs. I have even been there a few times to watch how folks launch and land. So I have a theorectical understanding but I still wouldn't mind a little on-site advice.

I think we might have been to harsh on the newbies, 3 summers at Nitinaht and still nervous to go kite Cook street... (has to do with warning beggineer that cook street is for too advanced than what it is???)

You just have to be carefull for the launch, ask around. As for the reefs, they are pretty obvious anyway when low tide. When they are slightly cover, just look around before jumping.

I think the main thing you have to be carefull is to kite "far". If something happen you are screwed a little, will be hard to swim back ashore. but if you stay within the limits of clover point you are fine.

The other danger, but you dont have to worry about this, is in the S, SSW, or SW 15-23 kts up draft wind. Let say you were to take a 14.5m-17m-18m kite (while others are on 8m-10m-12m) and use the up draft wind to jump higher (near shore, ~ 20m past the stairwell tower to the corner of clover point) you could end up in the rock/cliff if you dont turn your kite to the right when you see that for some reason it brings you way, way,way higher and further than you are used to. (up draft, this is why para glider hang up there).

Dont worry, you wont feel the difference if you try it with a 12m and below size. But if one day, you want to try it out, a grandpa lifty/smooth/easy no skill needed big air session during these conditions, go between the stairwell and clover point corner with a big kite, youll have a huge smile on your face You can recognize these conditions when there is almost no wind for the first 1.5m - 3 m near water level but wind mainly is up high.

Go there tomorrow, there will be people to advice you to just kite and have a good session. You should cut the ass cheek out of your wetsuit. People do that all the time for their first session at cook st.

P.S: When you say 3 summer at Nitinaht, you mean more than 10-15 session per summer right?

Thanks for the advice teabag. I have been slow/careful to try Cook St. I did take it seriously when folks said it is not for beginners. I have a total of 25 days (each with at least one session per day, usually 2 sessions) at Nitinat including my lessons with Marty back in 2014.

Got some good advice from Snarfer about Cook...

* Keep in mind the 3 reefs near the launch area
* It is very lifty near the cliff so you need to keep your kite low after launching
* There is one area where you can launch, rig near the area not in it.
* When landing, you will be in water with no bottom so bring your kite down early and if it doesn’t work abort and come around again.
* Ask for help and advice.

I'd caution on the launch and landing... otherwise the voodoo chop and current are the bigger issues.

when launching be as ready as possible to run out in the water and body drag a kite line length with board in hand... the cliff disturbs the air flow and the kite can lurch forward in the wind window then back quickly.. if not responsive to the change you can have the kite tomahawk or hindinberg..

when landing... approach with speed and keep the kite low with a catcher ready... as your kite gets fairly close edge hard and the kite with drive forward in the window.. when you get good at it no problem but if the kite drives up the window and you're too far away from the beach or stalling at the beach be careful not to have it tumble down the window and roll on the beach..

look out for hotshots jumping close to shore as well like Teabag.. he's a total douchebag always yelling in French some shit no one understands!!

Thanks Adrian. It is the the landing I am mostly thinking about. Current is number two since that not a concern at the lake.

Thanks for all the advice in advance and for on-site advice from Paul and Bill. Had a great session. It was so different that Nitinat! Thrilling!

Congratulations Davey_K. Beginner/early Intermediate windsurfers used to be warned off Cook back in the day and I well remember my first dry-mouth session there; which turned out to be not nearly as daunting as I expected. Then that repeated with kiting. A lot of respect and a little fear is a good thing going into a new venue! Yesterday had a lot of south and no shoreline gustiness and little current compared to how it often is, so it was a good introduction. (At least when I was there, maybe a little after you? I didn't get there till nearly 6:30). Its definitely a "We're not in Kansas anymore" feeling isn't it?

Thanks for the acknowledgement MF4, it really was a big step for me. I definitely came to Cook Street with respect and some fear. I talked to a lot of people to make sure I was aware of all the intricacies such as keeping the kite low after launch. And then I saw that situation unfold there yesterday when a kiter put the kite to zenith after launch. The whiskered veterans were yelling to lower it towards the water. The kiter didn't do it fast enough, the kite hit a lull pocket, back stalled and then hit wind and took off like a rocket. The kiter did a face plant in the rocky beach. Ouch! Nonetheless, I had a good session but somehow lost a lot of ground and ended up self landing down past the spiral stair case. I know my pointing needs work but I also think I was fighting the flood current which was peaking towards 5PM. Lots of things to mind at Cook Street. So I had to do a walk of shame but that is a small price to pay for my first time there. All in all, a blast and I am chuffed and looking forward to my next session there.

Good to hear! Don't feel bad about the walk of shame - I have been kiting there since 2000 and that flood tide was pretty strong. I actually lost my hat i the kelp off of Clover Point and almost joined you on that walk before the wind filled back in down there.

Hope your next time is even better!

Nice Job Davey-K! You are the model kiter. Asking the experienced people about a spot before you go there. Wise! Enjoy. You are likely ready for Gordon's if you can kite Cook.

Thanks for the encouragement Kook and Pasta. I did go a take a look at Gordon's about a month ago just to a get a feel for the place. Talked to a couple of the kiters there. I am definitely interested in trying Gordon's soon.