SE Thursday

[gabrielb]

some day NW will get that wave height

halibut.JPG (31.35 KiB) Viewed 13360 times

@ columbia

columbia.JPG (32.53 KiB) Viewed 13360 times

but epicenter is centennial:

centennial.JPG (73.86 KiB) Viewed 13281 times

and high tide from 3pm onwards will probably make perfect conditions for jumping as swell will be forced to roll with more height to break/dissipate energy.

tide.JPG (42.8 KiB) Viewed 13271 times

[8mdude]

My god it's super crazy. Can somebody tame the wind a little?

[Alton]

Epic day in Boundary Bay as if Locust Beach was transported to Vancouver. 4 hours TOW on 7m+surfboard from 8am-2pm.

Favourite was the first hour (8-9am) with just Cash (9m) and I (7m) in SSE 25-30 when waist high breaking waves were smooth and spaced 30-40 ft apart. After 10am wind cranked up to SSE 30-35 gusting 40 but waves at 3rd Ave became increasingly disorganized. Windsurfers reported cleaner waves down by Centennial.

After fuelling up with lunch returned to the water hoping for 5 hrs TOW but had to cut it off at 4 hrs total due to leg cramps. Good thing I did - made it through the Massey Gates of Hell and missed rush hour.

Great windsurfer (dozen) turn out and kiter (2 dozen) turn out.

Boundary_Bay_Thu_Nov_12.gif (20.68 KiB) Viewed 13249 times

[Roxstock]

It was nuking this afternoon at 3rd. I was on the water at 1:00 well powered on my 7m. By 2:00 I had full depower pulled and was being lifted from the water. I came in to see if it would lighten up a bit, and when I thought it had I went back out to find out it was just as strong. By 3:30 I called it a day still well over powered. It was windy enough for global news to come down a film some of us out on the water.

[Tony360]

Gnarly day at 3rd today. Started at 9:30 with a 7 and was getting lofted on the beach. 3 hours TOW ranging from full depower to half depower. Lots of kiters and windsurfers including Alton (7), Dave B (6), Jerry (5.5), Cash (10!)...

Waves were disorganized and shifty, but there were some massive and lined up gems around the outer bank, about 500 m downwind of the marker was the spot today, smaller and cleaner toward Centennial. Not as big as the September windstorm, but the biggest sets were about head and a half faces, 3 foot Hawaiian from the back. I caught one great lined up one that allowed me to bash 4 frontside sections with my best 2002 Andy Irons lip bash. It was sweet.

I was seriously about to catch my last wave around noon when my Naish "safety" accidentally released. I can't figure out why. I had the leash clipped on flag out, huge mistake that turned out to be as I almost always clip it suicide. The middle lines must have looped around the bar end and steering line, because by the time I got the chicken loop sorted the kite was in a death spiral. Then my Naish leash broke, and I was basically a cork bobbing around 2 miles out with no kite and no board.

Thanks to all who checked to see if I was ok, including Dave/C36 and Jerry for the tow in which saved me a long painful swim. Thanks to Cash who told me where to go look for my kite (on the bike path between the south end of beach grove and 72nd). Miraculously, that's where it was. I waded out to grab it before it hit any land, and it was undamaged! Even more amazing was that my beloved 5'10" Al Merrick floated up right next to it.

Thumbs up to all the crew who helped and checked on me. Although I was stressed about my gear, I never feared for myself because of all the people who offered to help. Big middle finger to Naish for designing a product that failed me twice in a heavy situation - and the bar was a new one. Here is a photo of the broken leash.

[Michael]

A few shots from today. Epic too exhausted to write. Nice long smooth waves!
Look at them on the Photo Album page and hit original size!

[8mdude]

leg cramps.

Drink lots of coconut water my friend. Very rich in potassium.

Awesome day despite working really hard with my 3.4m/83 L for 5.5 hours.

[Ryancr500]

What a spectacular day. Started off watching Michael way overpowered on his 4.7M and then David C36 on his 4.5M. Made the choice to rig up a 3.7M which seemed a safe choice. Was fully powered right away and had trouble keeping the EVO 76l in the water. Switched boards to a 74l old school rrd and made the day perfect. Lots of windsurfers out today and it was great seeing all the huge airtime and nice waves!! Caught Michaels backloop attempt but I wasn't about to try. Totally exhausted from the day!

[Alton]

I was seriously about to catch my last wave around noon when my Naish "safety" accidentally released. I can't figure out why. I had the leash clipped on flag out, huge mistake that turned out to be as I almost always clip it suicide. The middle lines must have looped around the bar end and steering line, because by the time I got the chicken loop sorted the kite was in a death spiral. Then my Naish leash broke, and I was basically a cork bobbing around 2 miles out with no kite and no board.

Thanks to all who checked to see if I was ok ...

Didn't realize you were the guy that Michael told me about. Very happy everything worked out in the end and double thumbs up to everyone who you helped out. Very proud of our WTF'ers crew (windsurfers+kiters) is looking out for each other.

[Alton]

Drink lots of coconut water my friend. Very rich in potassium.

Thanks. I'm drinking it now.