Saturday Westerly?

[Craig]

Great Video Dave!
Now I can picture it, literally. I was having trouble imagining the mechanics of windsurfing vs surfing at long beach. Was the wind from the N or NW? Beating upwind away from the beach and then downwind wavesailing?

Knowing Tofino, with these images I can now see how windsurfing works there.

Thanks again
Craig.

[Richi]

Sweet Video David, glad you got to cross LB off the bucket list. How many spots are left on that list?

[gabrielb]

Great video Dave, I guess with more wind surf would've been easier to catch and maneuver around, you guys got good rides.
Last year saw 8 guys @ 35 knots in long beach, one of them was just cutting the wave apart until it had no energy left (talk to them I could lift the mast with 2 fingers).
I should start finding lightest windsurfing gear possible, Ezzy S1 sail (2.5kg), lighest boom/mast, hybrid surf/windsurf board < 5kg (light glassing, carbon fiber).

Going there this Thursday, wind forecast doesn't go past 8knots (that explains Richi's silence), Squamish looks much better for windsurfing/kiting. Local NW is absent and Ambleside not having any good surf for the last 8 months is very surprising.

Tofino's surf looks deflated for the weekend. Cox bay's looking like an infinity pool ... better bring another 800-page computer book to read.

[C36]

Nice video Dave! Those waves look so fun...

Thanks. Waves were uber fun! BWD commented at how 'playful' they were for LB. The lower tide (~1.4 m might have helped). No throwing, dumping or mackers - just nicely spaced well behaved sluffing lines offering a second chance on the inside reform!

...What did you film it on?

Same camera I have been using most of the time lately - Canon PowerShot SX40 HS (its a recreational compact 'do-it-all' camera - the same one I took to PSC and Oregon last year) - it has an HD video mode. As I mentioned, it was shot freehand (no tri-pod on long zoom) so ts a little 'shaky' (YouTube is 'stabilizing it so we'll see what it looks like once their done).

Great Video Dave!
Now I can picture it, literally. I was having trouble imagining the mechanics of windsurfing vs surfing at long beach. Was the wind from the N or NW? Beating upwind away from the beach and then downwind wavesailing?

Knowing Tofino, with these images I can now see how windsurfing works there.

Thanks again
Craig.

Wind was showing NW and step up perfectly sideshore so you were sailing straight out into the incoming waves (with just enough power to spool up speed between jumps it you took advantage of gust on the way out). On the way in you were reaching (close reach to pinching for backside ride and off the wind to frontside ride). Hope that makes sense.

Sweet Video David, glad you got to cross LB off the bucket list. How many spots are left on that list?

Lots. Time to get busy!

Great video Dave, I guess with more wind surf would've been easier to catch and maneuver around, you guys got good rides.
Last year saw 8 guys @ 35 knots in long beach, one of them was just cutting the wave apart until it had no energy left (talk to them I could lift the mast with 2 fingers).

Going there this Thursday, wind forecast doesn't go past 8knots (that explains Richi's silence), Squamish looks much better for windsurfing/kiting. Local NW is absent and Ambleside not having any good surf for the last 8 months is very surprising.

Tofino's surf looks deflated for the weekend. Cox bay's looking like an infinity pool ... better bring another 800-page computer book to read.

Generally lighter wind can make for better 'wavesailing', and higher wind can allow more 'windsurfing' power moves (likely what you saw). Its important to remember that sailing is my priority, not filming, so I would like to think we were all on the water during the best conditions and what is shown is likely not the best conditions nor the best rides of the day (particularly true of BWD who was sailing a clinic - glimpse at 2:50 - even though his sessions only number single digits this year). However, I do sense that Eastside was pleased that I caught his 'big ride'! Click here to see some still shots from the same session.

Would be suprized if Cox Bay looks like an infinity pool, but smaller, concentrated conditions will likely make for 'busy' water. I hope the actual conditions are better than forecast. I sense your days may start early and end late to avoid the long weekend crowds. Enjoy your trip!!!

[gabrielb]

... well it would make my year if I catch any of those waves with a windsurfing board. + your photos, Dave, in this website are amazing.

Someone needs to get more photos/video of Alton, since the fearless leader has crossed to the dark side I haven't seen much of his progress on video.
If anybody sees Alton ripping it at Squamish take a few minutes on video so advanced kiters can dissect his technique apart .

[Alton]

Someone needs to get more photos/video of Alton, since the fearless leader he has crossed to the dark side I haven't seen much of his progress on video.
If anybody sees Alton ripping it at Squamish take a few minutes on video, so we can dissect his technique apart by advanced kiters.

At my advanced age, I'm no longer fearless. In fact, I'm nervously waiting for SWS opening day to use my twin tip which I haven't touched since last fall. If I'm lucky, I'll get rescued by those awesome jet-girls

[gabrielb]

inside of you that fire is still there, age means nothing, everybody has fear on shifty conditions, when things get tough, fire comes out ... we need that video to prove it, it's still pending.

[gabrielb]

Somewhere in Oregon coast, Cannon beach, 1999, rocky shore/peninsula with beach about 1 mile away. 4 guys with surfboards (guns), getting double overhead+ waves, everybody watching. A wife comes to us crying (in her 30's) and said "husband went in, he couldn't come back and he signaled me he was going for the beach, it's been 2 hours, I went back to the beach several times and I can't find him", I imagine he was in his 30's. An hour later the 4 guys come out, 55+ year old surfers, they were not in shape at all.

1 year ago (more like 2 ), 35 knots @ long beach, the 8 windsurfers, they were not in shape at all either, ripping it with no effort.

Osoyoos lake, last year, kitesurfer ripping it in 25+ knots, I get close, the guy had 65+ at least.

I guess technique beats brute force with age.

[AdrienGrelon]

Awesome video Dave!!

That shot of BWD lighting up down the line, and Eastside's last clip were particularly sweet, and like you said, if that's the quick video you took coming off the water, I'm sure the real highlights were epic!!

Consider this working man willing and able to chase any promising weekend forecast there from now until undetermined

Also, re: age discussion, especially for older windsurfers, I've read and heard a few reports over the years of older windsurfers suffering heart attacks on the water. I think past a certain point, technique can only do so much. If you go out in 35knots+ and you've been sitting on the couch for 3 months before that, you're going to get worked regardless of how good your technique is. Best to at least keep fit between sessions if you plan on hitting the banger forecasts and don't want the ol' ticker giving up on you