VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I´m from Germany and will be visiting Vancouver Island for 2 weeks in July.
There´s plenty of web-info on the southern spots ( gordon,JR,Dallas Road and also Nitinat ).
But what about Long Beach ?
Is there any good wind in Summer ? Thermals ?
And up the coast ? Anyone info on places like Nootka, Raft Cove Provincial Park, Cape Scott PP ? It doesn´t matter if it requires to walk half an hour with all your gear. The more remote the better it is. Would be thankful for any info.

Christian

yo christian,
long beach is totally kiteable
the wind is predominantly from the west or northwest when it blows
area is subject to many foggy days in summer months, but if you don't mind waiting till later on in the day when the fog starts to burn off and get sunny, the wind will start filling in
the northwesterlies get a little more consistant when the coast gets locked into a strong high pressure
as far as the N. island spots you asked about, i've only been to San Joseph Bay, and that might be a bit too protected from the winds, but Cape Scott would probably be better
hope this helps you out

ki10 wrote:I´m from Germany and will be visiting Vancouver Island for 2 weeks in July

There´s plenty of web-info on the southern spots ( gordon,JR,Dallas Road and also Nitinat ).

But what about Long Beach ?

Is there any good wind in Summer ? Thermals ?

And up the coast ? Anyone info on places like Nootka, Raft Cove Provincial Park,

Cape Scott PP ? It doesn´t matter if it requires to walk half an hour with all your gear.

The more remote the better it is.

Would be thankful for any info.

Christian

Hey ki10:

Latest reports were that Sam Ireland and Brad Drummond were out at Nootka Island last week doing a photo shoot for an upcoming article in Windsports mag. Look for the article in next months edition.

It has now got me interested in Nootka - so if anyone is interested in a week long trip up there in June or July let me know. We would have to charter a boat (~$500) so it would take 4-5 people to make it worthwhile, but it sounds like the waves are empty and great for long rides. Might be a good alternative to the Oregon Coast,

dave

bigwavedave wrote:Hey ki10:
Latest reports were that Sam Ireland and Brad Drummond were out at Nootka Island last week doing a photo shoot for an upcoming article in Windsports mag. Look for the article in next months edition.
It has now got me interested in Nootka - so if anyone is interested in a week long trip up there in June or July let me know. We would have to charter a boat (~$500) so it would take 4-5 people to make it worthwhile, but it sounds like the waves are empty and great for long rides. Might be a good alternative to the Oregon Coast, dave

Hey Dave
I´m interested if we can keep it flexible, pending on weather conditions.
It doesn´t makes sense to go when it´s rainy and no wind.
I don´t know how flexible you are ( taking holidays on short term notice etc.) Also, have you thought about this: 1 sailor = 1-2 boards,5sails, 2 booms,2 masts, tent and camping equipment, water+food for 7 days. That´s only 1 sailor. Now add it up for 4-5 sailors/kiters....
Has to be a pretty big boat. And Nootka is relative big, i guess. Do you know by now where to go ? Hopefully the Windsports Mag has some good info.
There is a "Taxi-Boat-Service" from Tahsis to Louie Bay...but maybe they would bring us anywhere on Nootka. I´ve mailed them but they didn´t respond: http://www.tatchuadventures.com/ ( under "hiking Nootka & Brooks" at the bottom )

Christian

I'm sort of flexible - I have next week off and then July 14-Aug 5 . I might head to the Gorge, Nitinat or Long Beach next week. Send me an email...

dave

Well I'm up in Campbell River, and have been also looking at all the local options. Comox has to prime kiteboarding spots, the Goose Spit when it's blowing SE and Kay Bay when it's NW. This all depends on the weather system moving in or out. Both have nice break waters for perfect flat water sessions. Winds are normaly light, my 10m has almost always been to small for spring summer, so I just picked up a 16m, just waiting for some new leader lines to fix the safety system.

I have not taken my Kites out to Nootka, but I do go out fishing, westerlies every afternoon, but I can say there are no good beaches that I know of that would work. I will be out there August Long weekend Fishing, will bring the kites and boat launch. That way I have a rescue crew.

Other option would be Nimpkish Lake up near Port Mc Neill, this is a thermal spot like Nitnat Lake, but blows much harder. This is a Windsurfing spot now, since the launch from the bay is very gusty. I don't think anyone has kited up there yet. I have found a spot to lauch a kite and will also be attempting this soon.

Raft Cove is a hike in, would have been perfect 2 weekends ago, but too long and overgrown for windsurfing, kiting would be some work. I know I have dragger my kayak in there to play in the surf. There is also access if you come down the river, but you would need a canoe.

Cape Scott is a really long walk in.

Send me an email if your up this way



Lee

ki10 wrote:I´m from Germany and will be visiting Vancouver Island for 2 weeks in July. There´s plenty of web-info on the southern spots ( gordon,JR,Dallas Road and also Nitinat ).But what about Long Beach ?
Is there any good wind in Summer ? Thermals ? And up the coast ? Anyone info on places like Nootka, Raft Cove Provincial Park,Cape Scott PP ? It doesn´t matter if it requires to walk half an hour with all your gear.The more remote the better it is. Would be thankful for any info.Christian

So Christian - did you ever make it out to Nootka ???

Nootka Boy wrote:So Christian - did you ever make it out to Nootka ???

Hey Nootka
No i´ve never made it to Nootka, not even Vancouver Island.
When i arrived, BC greeted me with a nice, steady rainfall and the outlook wasn´t promising either. So we drove down all the way to Gold Beach/ Pistol River - Wind every day with headhigh surf -excellent !
Nootka probably was a pipe dream. Until now i have no clue where to kite on Nootka and how to get there. You probably have to book a trip with Tatchu Adventures. Bigwavedave showed some interest, but never called me.

Maybe next time....

I just found this article:

http://www.wetdawg.com/pages/wind/vanco ... sland.html

Don't know how I came across this but did anyone ever end up kiting or sailing this spot?

Nice idea. A group trip to one of these remote places (e.g. Brooks Peninsula, Nootka Island) would make a great subject for a surf buddy adventure short film. Count me in if something like this is ever planned. I'll take photos/video/audio, but ideally we'd have a local videographer like Aaron Larocque or Mark Wyatt document it. I know, I know. Just dreamin'. Just to see one of these places would be great.

We'd need someone with a boat...like a skiff...MF4?

wow ..there was a bwd forum 9 years ago ?!

~~~~~4j~~ wrote:
We'd need someone with a boat...like a skiff...MF4?

Hmmm, well my boat already knows the west coast Jordan River to Clayoquot Sound pretty well (an employee recognized the boat from his dive-swim inventory of shipwrecks along Pacific Rim Nat'l Park Reserve back in the 80s or 90s; and it was a water taxi/dive boat operating out of Tofino till I bought it). Brooks Pensinsula? That is a scary place.

Sounds like an adventure: there is a sudden shift in risk though from the light wind/swell-doesn't-matter conditions the skiff is perfectly happy in, to the 25-30 knots and breaking surf conditions where WS/kiting would be great. Might be able to find appropriate bays to hide in with great conditions just outside though, or hang out just beyond the break.....

Probably have to find some pro bono archaeological inventory work for a First Nation to make it a legitimate business expense. Probably easily done, might make a cool sideline to a movie .....

Buy me a beer and we'll talk

.... And then there were some truly cool dudes with a helicopter, kiting Nitinat (parked up in the river last year) ... soooo - if you're friends with the higher crowd maybe they could take you along to these spots ... Nice adventure!

Perhaps just exploring this area north of Brooks with all its sandy beaches and wicked winds is worth a 3 day trip, with a 4x4 or three. I have access to a free 4bedroom top floor oceanview condo in Port Alice, to inspect Lawn Point Park (NW-SE) or Side Bay (SE-SW), ~2.5hr logging road drive away, no nasty risk boat ride required! (or take the boat from Port Alice around to the point just kidding, mega trip!)
If anyone has a clue as to the forecasting and ability to get an updated logging road map (DWD??) then maybe we could try a fun trip up there. I have been meaning to do this for 15 years and was intrigued about the thread back then