S-SW Tuesday Local

[AdrienGrelon]

Glad to be posting about a session and not just reading up on what I missed out on with the bitter taste of FOMO in my mouth

Got to Ambleside and parked just west of the "Ferry Building Gallery" just on 4pm (after some C36-style rally driving). Things were looking pretty sweet from where I parked - glowing light, organized sets coming in and hard winds a-blowin' Rigged 4.8 and took to the water. Right in the first little cove I launched in, some pretty sweet sets were coming (clean, walling up nicely), however I quickly figured out that these guys were breaking pretty much on shore - when I came in to try to catch a wave and took the express route to the cleaners!

Made my way downwind to sandy aside, as I wanted to get a feel for all the different "breaks" in the 30mins or so of light I had left. I bumped into Gabriel there. Got on one really nice face that, alas, was another express route to the cleaners! After bumping into Gabriel, I decided to try out pebbly side, and completed the Ambleside Loop Challenge on my way over with the most god-awful forward, but hey I guess it count

At Pebbly side I bumped into Jack - dodging surfers I managed to catch another ride to, yet again, the cleaners . Lots of water moving on the outside there, and plenty of shit in the water again - a few catapults as a result, and low and behold, I completely blew out one of my homemade thrusters on my JP. So now even my beater back up board is on the bench - what a time to be alive!

Gabriel, for the most part I had no problems making it out from the shorebreak at all the "breaks" today, but as it got dark the wind was progressively turning to NW and then the wind was very, very fluky on the inside. This is when I came in.

As I was derigging a stormy rain cloud came through and the wind picked back up, blowing side off now (NNW). Some sort of crazy blue flash, lightning-esque thing came through in about 3 waves and knocked the power out in the whole area...

Gabriel, I couldn't really understand what you were telling me on the water, but I guess it was that the tide was too high, and as a result all the waves were breaking close to shore?

Well, that's my quick fix (no pun intended on the 2 boards I wrecked in the last 2 days) before we go into end of days mode Hope most managed to get out today.

Edit: Hey Richi, how did today compare to our unicorn September 20th session?? It was a similar setup with Southerly wind switching to West. The light at Ambleside reminded me of that day, too.

[Alton]

Acadia was Dynamite! 2 hours of overpowered sailing on a 4.0 and 70l, 3.3 m tide made for butter smooth sets coming in. I should have rigged the 3.5 but didn't want to take a chance at it dropping while I rerigged. It was sunny with a huge rainbow that started at point atkinson and arched to downtown. Pretty amazing warm session shared by Kato, Lubo, Tom, Randy and another windsurfer, no kiters to be seen. I cant wipe this stupid grin off my face

Awesome! Richi - is the Jericho sensor direction off today? Looks like you were sailing offshore wind.

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[Richi]

JSCA sensor direction is way off, I just ignore it and use the webcam to see which way the freighters are pointing. The gusts are probably what the sustained wind was, 30+ from 2:30 on. There was moments when the gusts were lifting the water as someone mentioned at white rock.
I feel lucky to have had such a wicked session 5km from home. Kind of makes up for your carbon footprint from sunday, cant believe that hovercraft went from Richmond to Downtown looking for a certain missing Alton Ing.

[spinmaster3000]

I got some great TOW late in the afternoon after popping down to Acadia to look for Richi after hearing from his OSR that no one had showed up. By that point he was already out on the water.

Saw a few other windsurfers getting ready to head out and was told that it was too windy to kite. (It wasn't)

Walked around for a bit trying to figure out the best spot to launch from and ended up down at the sandy part of Spanish Bank where there are no trees. Rigged and was launched on my 6m by a kiter from the island named Sam who would have joined me if hadn't needed to pick up his son.

My first time out in 2 months proved to be a little rusty at the start - and not exactly easy conditions, but it started to come back to me towards the end. Had a great time out there alone with my new kites and my surfboard and came in after the light had really started to fade.

I saw the blue flashes on the north shore as I was finishing my session...must have been a transformer. Power is still out along Marine dr.

[LeopardSkin]

I arrived around noon at White Rock East Beach (at the Sandpiper Pub). It was 25 knots dead onshore. Late afternoon, it switched to 25 knots side-on. That's when I went out. I was on 4.7. Swell was the usual waist to head high.

Then around 3:45, the fabled West switch clicked on, and the unicorn sideshore Sprecks North was experienced. Only a handful of guys were out. Most had already gone home!

The forecasted 40 knots never arrived. My 3.0 sail and 340 mast were denied!

Après was at the Sandpiper Pub, before heading to the West Van Yacht Club for the post-party.

[gabrielb]

Being at the highest point at the lions gate bridge, 3 transformers blowing up at that time lighting up the dark sky, with a wind spike of 36 + knots, raining, traffic barely moving, the bridge oscillating and North vancouver going dark with bridge lights flickering... priceless, and swearing to people to hurry the hell up; why would people slow down to a crawl at that time, probably freaking out.

[Alton]

... Then around 3:45, the fabled West switch clicked on, and the unicorn sideshore Sprecks North was experienced. Only a handful of guys were out. Most had already gone home!

Hey Tony - If memory serves me correctly, my "Sprecks North" experience was back in Monday April 29, 2013. See http://www.bigwavedave.ca/phpBB2/sailin ... ew&p=16890

Too bad these White Rock westerlies are so rare. At least we (Chuck, Michael, Tony, George, Alton) got a taste of it after everyone left.

Enjoyed a WAY better than expected morning at White Rock. WSW 20-25 ramping up to WSW 25 ramping up to WSW 30 required 3 rig changes (5.2/93L, 4.7/74L and 4.2/74L). Spent over 3 hours riding chest high bumpy but super STEEP swell outside and clean breaking waves inside all under perfect sunny sky.

Enjoyed sharing the waves with Mike, Dave/C36, Michael, Brad Russell, Dallas, Chris and all our kiter friends including Jerry, Clay and Cash.

In the afternoon, I moved to Locarno to join Tony, Tom, Lubo, AJ, Steve, Brian C, Christoph, Joe Blo, Graham and many more. Arrived late and got skunked on my 4.2/74L.

As Mike said, this was probably the best day in the winter season.

[Michael]

Then around 3:45, the fabled West switch clicked on, and the unicorn sideshore Sprecks North was experienced.

Yup, like Chuck said the last 20 minutes of the day made it all worth while.
My last wave of the day I was able to get a couple of front side hits on and that put a nice smile on my face. The other good part of the session with Dave earlier was also sweet!
But the hour of slogging around after that and another walk up the beach kind of put a damper on things.

[C36]

Great to read about all the stoke gained at the different spots yesterday. We are lucky to have options. Glad so many spots provided!

Looks like the island served up some nice stuff too! Click here to see a sample.

[Alton]

Wasn't the westerly session I was hoping for but pleasantly surprised.

Launched 9m at 1pm but (oddly similar to Slappy) my chicken loop popped off as I was waterstarting. After re-assembling and relaunching, discovered my lines were inverted. Went for 1 run only to discover I was overpowered in SW 30 - great excuse to come back in, fix my lines and switch to a smaller kite.

Packed up the 9m, pumped, rigged, launched my 7m and headed out again. Perfectly dialed in for carving waves, jumping ramps and 1 hero gybe. Then WTF? My kite started back stalling after 1 run. Was there something wrong with my kite? Finally, figured out it was a major lull as everyone ran back to shore.

After waiting patiently in waist deep water, the wind eventually returned. Went for a test run towards the Peace Arch. Finally, steady SW 25-30 perfect 7m conditions. For 15 minutes had the water all to myself as everyone was uncertain if it would last ... and it did.

I used to hate windsurfing White Rock on a SW because the ramps are too close together for jumping and totally exhausting. It is so much easier (even fun) jumping these ramps with a kite and smaller surfboard.

Enjoyed 2.5 hrs riding with Michael (windsurfing) and George (kiting) between East Beach and the east marker where chest high waves were smooth and long - great for slow gybes and toe side wave rides.

By 3:30pm, Michael and I were caught downwind when it clocked and the west wind finally arrived. Better late then never. We headed out (south instead of east) jumping big steep ramps. Waves were still travelling SW but now with the west wind made for some LONG smooth inbound wave rides ... super fun. Too bad only Michael, George, Tony, Chuck and I stayed until dark for the westerly.

Started getting gusty at 4pm on my last inbound ride. Gust was so strong I got lifted and yarded right in front of Michael so I called it a day.

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