Tofino

[8mdude]

Now that's what I call windsurfing. Awesome job Ryan and Jen and wicked pictures.

It baffles me how to get out.

[Faceplant]

As Laura said, you can cruise up to the island and you are somewhat sheltered from the huge waves. If you time it right you can blast out into the deep water, and it won't be long until the massive waves heading towards Cox will cause you to unload in your wetsuit. I've seen guys tow in surfing out there.

[Ryan]

I appreciate all the great comments on our session.

massive waves heading towards Cox

My experience for anyone else who wants to do this, my adrenaline levels are still high after the experience. From the beach everything looks small and we thought the swell forecasts were all wrong but once you get out there 16ft plus was about right.
I tried a few times to make it out to the big ones in the middle of Cox bay but always got caught by the wind shadow below the Islands, I finally made it passed on a big gust got out and gybed on the face of a big one, I dropped down and my board accelerated to what felt like the fastest I've ever been on a wave board, according to my GPS watch it was 29 knots or around 53km/h. The hard part was staying on while bumping over the chop on the face at high speed.

After that I sailed towards Chesterman's but was too low and was heading towards the rocks off Cox point but still with plenty of room, here the waves form again and I had to ride another fairly big one out of the foot straps since I was deep in the bay and slogging. It went through my head that I was going to do the walk of shame from Cox bay at best and at worst end up on the rocks, but I made it out to the side and did two or three tacks and made it back to the beach where we launched.

I'd definitely do it again, such fun, would be easier on a bit of a bigger board, 84 l for 85 kg in gusty conditions is hard work for me when I have not been sailing a lot.

[C36]

...I dropped down and my board accelerated to what felt like the fastest I've ever been on a wave board, according to my GPS watch it was 29 knots or around 53km/h. The hard part was staying on while bumping over the chop on the face at high speed.

The funny part is your description of Mach 1 along the bumpy face was exactly what I thought of the fist time I saw the shot below! Well done Ryan!

...After that I sailed towards Chesterman's but was too low and was heading towards the rocks off Cox point but still with plenty of room, here the waves form again and I had to ride another fairly big one out of the foot straps since I was deep in the bay and slogging. It went through my head that I was going to do the walk of shame from Cox bay at best and at worst end up on the rocks, but I made it out to the side and did two or three tacks and made it back to the beach where we launched...

Having witnessed a similar, but smaller, set up in the spring I can relate to how much respect and caution the sight of the west swell hammering into the two black rock points that act as guardians to Rosie's Bay can instill in an instant.

Not sure if you saw the graphs for the day, so I posted them below. It is also interesting that Lennard Island (just offshore) tracked pretty close to BWD-1 with 35 knots, gusting 40 at 1 pm.

2015 Dec 13 - Lennard Island.jpg (228.98 KiB) Viewed 8911 times

While Tofino airport (often pretty close to what shows up at Long Beach, but SC can get more) tracked pretty close to BWD-2 at 15 knots gusting 25 looks to be closer to what you described you experienced on the water at SC.

2015 Dec 13 - Tofino.jpg (248.82 KiB) Viewed 8911 times

The BWD crew often talk about how even if there is wind off-shore, it may or may not choose to come onshore ~ glad it showed up for you both.

[Ryan]

While Tofino airport (often pretty close to what shows up at Long Beach, but SC can get more) tracked pretty close to BWD-2 at 15 knots gusting 25 looks to be closer to what you described you experienced on the water at SC.

Thanks for posting the graphs, yes the Airport seems to be fairly representative of the conditions.

[joeblo]

Absolutely awesome!!!