Windsurfing the Fraser River. Possible?

[mjamero]

My first post to this forum. Is it possible to windsurf the Fraser River? I am going in to my third season of sailing this spring. I currently live in Richmond and it's a pretty central spot as far as sailing locations go. Only about 20 minutes to Tsawwassen and Boundary Bay. 30 minutes to Jerhico and English bay. My family is contemplating moving from Richmond to Maple Ridge. From Maple Ridge to Jerhico it's over an hour one way. However, the Fraser is just 5 minutes away. I know it sounds like a crazy question buy is it possible to sail the Fraser on those days I don't want to go the distance? If so, what parts of the Fraser are best as far as safety, access, and wind? Thanks for the feedback.

[Mike]

I live in Maple Ridge and I suppose I'm not really qualified to say since I've never tried or really even given it serious thought. Also I don't have formula sized gear. I suppose it could be possible but my take is that currents, wood debris and likely crappy wind would not make for a fun time. On the few days you may see wind in the river, you're going to be much better off going to an "established" sailing site.

[C36]

My first post to this forum. Is it possible to windsurf the Fraser River? I am going in to my third season of sailing this spring. I currently live in Richmond and it's a pretty central spot as far as sailing locations go. Only about 20 minutes to Tsawwassen and Boundary Bay. 30 minutes to Jerhico and English bay. My family is contemplating moving from Richmond to Maple Ridge. From Maple Ridge to Jerhico it's over an hour one way. However, the Fraser is just 5 minutes away. I know it sounds like a crazy question buy is it possible to sail the Fraser on those days I don't want to go the distance? If so, what parts of the Fraser are best as far as safety, access, and wind? Thanks for the feedback.

Welcome mjamero.

Check out Lake Harrison - thermal wind and lot closer the Maple Ridge than Jericho.

DB may want to comment on Fraser River, I know he has considered it.

[Slappy]

I would be careful about putting myself in a situation where I would be ingesting even small amounts of Fraser River water, loads of shit in it, literally.

Also the Fraser is very active with log booms, so there are stray logs all over the place.

Your only local options would be Pitt/Alouette/Stave lakes but I haven't heard of them being sailable before.

You will have decent access to Harrisson Lake from there though which is a real spot. I hear that with the breakwater change it's not so good for poleboarding anymore though.

[Lowesdown]

Welcome here!
I doubt its worth the hassle, the river is a fast flowing and narrow. Both these mean likely not the best for windsurfing. if the wind was strong enough to keep you upriver, it'd be cranking at the local spots....

Watch out for Alton. he's crazy

[mjamero]

Thanks for all the replies so quickly. Especially given the time of year. It looks like this is pretty active forum.

I suppose Harrison is an option. I’ve never sailed Harrison but I’ve heard from several people that it’s a great location for windsurfing. Where do you launch? Right at the village or do you need to go up around the side of the lake? If I moved to Maple Ridge I would really like to find someplace convenient to sail even if it’s not as exciting as the well know sailing areas. I just went to my best friend, “Google maps”. Maple Ridge is: 1hr 8ms, 79km to Harrison. 53min, 60km to Centennial Beach. 51mins, 59km to Tsawwassen. 1hr 2min, 51km to Jericho Sailing Club. So… it is about equal distance to all the major local spots. All are certainly doable in a day but none I would consider to be a quick convenient sailing destination. Going to any of these locations from Maple ridge is a FULL day commitment. Something one would plan ahead for as opposed to a last minute decision. Even living in Richmond from the time I load up the car to the time I hit the water at Jericho (my usual spot) is usually about 2 hours. So 4 hours of down time. Don’t get me wrong. I love it and its worth the effort. At least with a 2 hour time window if the wind picks up on a weekend I can get to Jericho and catch a session before the wind drops for the evening. From maple Ridge we’re talking 2 ½ - 3 hours each way including loading, driving, unloading, rig, etc. Last summer there were times I would enjoy sailing at Jericho a couple days in a row. In Maple Ridge I’m not so sure. I hope I don’t suffer from windsurfing withdrawal if I move to Maple Ridge. The river sure would be convenient. Is the Fraser really THAT polluted? I guess as you said it also comes down to enough wind. If one sailed where the river is wider there should be enough room to manoeuvre. I haven’t been to the Gorge yet (hopefully this summer) but it too is a river and people seem to manage OK for space. I would also think in a wider area the current would be more manageable. So it is just a matter a finding a wide enough spot on the river with a good launch point, decent wind to counteract the current, no logs, and no brown floaties? Interestingly where I live in Richmond is also only 5 minutes from the southern arm of the Fraser, near the Massey tunnel. Just never really thought of the Fraser until now. I guess anyone who lives in the lower mainland isn’t really that far from the Fraser no matter where you are. Other than Harision, are any of the other lakes, reservoirs on the north side of the river sailable? Perhaps Alouette, Pitt, or Stave Lake? Or Port Moody at the eastern end of Burrard inlet? Sorry for such a long post. As mentioned I've only been sailing for a couple years so I still don't know what I don't know when it comes to windsurfing locations in the lower mainland.

[Slappy]

You are also only 1 hour from Bellingham Bay (and you get to take the Aldergrove crossing which is pretty fast).

Port Moody has a sailing club, http://www.rpsa.ca/ but I doubt you would get more than 8 knots there. The water isn't swimming quality there either though ( http://www.portmoody.ca/index.aspx?reco ... 6&page=564 ).

I think the prime windsurfing spot at Harrison is here, but I've never been. https://www.google.ca/maps/dir//49.3118 ... a=!3m1!1e3

[Alton]

Thanks for all the replies so quickly. Especially given the time of year. It looks like this is pretty active forum.

I suppose Harrison is an option. I’ve never sailed Harrison but I’ve heard from several people that it’s a great location for windsurfing. Where do you launch? Right at the village or do you need to go up around the side of the lake? If I moved to Maple Ridge I would really like to find someplace convenient to sail even if it’s not as exciting as the well know sailing areas. I just went to my best friend, “Google maps”. Maple Ridge is: 1hr 8ms, 79km to Harrison. 53min, 60km to Centennial Beach. 51mins, 59km to Tsawwassen. 1hr 2min, 51km to Jericho Sailing Club. So… it is about equal distance to all the major local spots. All are certainly doable in a day but none I would consider to be a quick convenient sailing destination. Going to any of these locations from Maple ridge is a FULL day commitment. Something one would plan ahead for as opposed to a last minute decision. Even living in Richmond from the time I load up the car to the time I hit the water at Jericho (my usual spot) is usually about 2 hours. So 4 hours of down time. Don’t get me wrong. I love it and its worth the effort. At least with a 2 hour time window if the wind picks up on a weekend I can get to Jericho and catch a session before the wind drops for the evening. From maple Ridge we’re talking 2 ½ - 3 hours each way including loading, driving, unloading, rig, etc. Last summer there were times I would enjoy sailing at Jericho a couple days in a row. In Maple Ridge I’m not so sure. I hope I don’t suffer from windsurfing withdrawal if I move to Maple Ridge. The river sure would be convenient. Is the Fraser really THAT polluted? I guess as you said it also comes down to enough wind. If one sailed where the river is wider there should be enough room to manoeuvre. I haven’t been to the Gorge yet (hopefully this summer) but it too is a river and people seem to manage OK for space. I would also think in a wider area the current would be more manageable. So it is just a matter a finding a wide enough spot on the river with a good launch point, decent wind to counteract the current, no logs, and no brown floaties? Interestingly where I live in Richmond is also only 5 minutes from the southern arm of the Fraser, near the Massey tunnel. Just never really thought of the Fraser until now. I guess anyone who lives in the lower mainland isn’t really that far from the Fraser no matter where you are. Other than Harision, are any of the other lakes, reservoirs on the north side of the river sailable? Perhaps Alouette, Pitt, or Stave Lake? Or Port Moody at the eastern end of Burrard inlet? Sorry for such a long post. As mentioned I've only been sailing for a couple years so I still don't know what I don't know when it comes to windsurfing locations in the lower mainland.

For a guy who can write such long posts, your drive from Maple Ridge seems quite short by comparison

P.S. It also takes me 50 min to drive from North Van to Tsawwassen which I gladly take on speculation. The key is not to get skunked.

[Chris Klohn]

Hey Alton I Agree 100%

I made three day trips to Whidbey from the Okanagan in 2013. Leave the house at 4am, arrive JWSP at 9am, sail 6 hours until 3pm and back by 9:30pm. If the forecast and models all look stellar, 35-45 knots, I wouldn't think twice about that commitment. Maple Ridge a big deal ????????????

Cheers,

Chris

[Lowesdown]

+1