SUP,Surf

[C36]

S1 – Mountain Bike – Lindsley Park (2020 July 25)

Tour. Opted for mountain bike ride with DavidM over a `too light` wind session at Pipers. What a treat to have that a five minute ride from your house! DavidM was rocking the ebike!

S2 – SUP – Long Beach (2020 July 25)


Longboard waves. Decided on evening glass off at Long Beach after quick wind/surf check at South Chesterman (not much of either). One local mentioned, “It’s not epic, but it’s sunny.” Gentle sluffing waist-high longboard waves. There were rides, but it looked better from the beach that it was. Ethan would not have gone out, but I did and I had fun. Nice to get wet and cool down. Set up camp overlooking Mackenzie Beach at sunset and ate dinner at twight. Full day.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S3 – SUP – South Chesterman/Rosie Bay/Cox Beach (2020 July 26)


Three. My ‘early start’ turned into 10 am, but caught the low slack tide. A couple of warm-up waves in the cove at South Chesterman, then a few at Rosie (one nice one near the south headland), then rounded the horn into Cox Bay and was treated some clean fat lines with lots to choose from. Fairly easy to catch, but not much power. Caught one nice wave with power in Rosie on the return trip. Nice to be able to sample all three beaches/breaks in one session.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S4 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 July 27)


Three to five feet. Looked like a lot of work and for hardly any reward on first glance (five rows of white water and only one row of waves, but as I watched I saw this was the exception and there were two to three rows of clean waves on the outside. I grabbed my gear and headed out. Two surfers leaving the water said much better than yesterday, “There are waves today!” I Found Udder was already out there and joined in the fun. Udder said, “About as good as it gets for three to five feet!” Glassy faces closely spaced so there was lots to choose from - most with decent size and a few bombs, more than a few fun drops, and lots of multiple turn waves. What a nice surprise! Later I heard one local decided to hike to the look-out instead of heading out and saw us out there enjoying “…what looked like Hawaii…” and regretted his decision. Glad I went out and shared the birthday present with Udder. Wind teased at Long Beach but not enough wind/waves to draw me out. There was more wind at the Chestermans, but not enough wave there – both were flat. Still a good day and more time to prep dinner.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S5 – SUP – South Chesterman (2020 July 28)


Opposite. Polar opposite of yesterday – looked doable from the beach, but turned nasty on the water. Saw Udder make it out through a seam a couple of times as I walked out to the water. I tried for over an hour, but never made it out. Dumping/thumping break was unrelenting on the one to five second period and the ocean was offering no gaps (to me). Finally I decided to call it and head for South Chesterman to get a few rides in to reassure myself that I could actually do this. It was windblown, rolly and lumpy but I got some rides. Redemption of sorts.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

[C36]

S6 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 July 29)


Fun. Sun and glassy fun-sized waves. Lots of options with all breaks in play. Some lullage today made getting out easier (if you timed it right). The only downside was there was some competition for the peak at `land-o-lefts` and the crowds on the inside, especially mid-beach. Super-fun session!

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S7 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 July 30)


Mini. Smaller sets rolling through this morning. Only the north end of the beach in play – both mini-wedge and second peak. Was able to cycle more than a few times – paddle out, drop-in, ride, repeat. Small, but clean and fun! Went back for a sunset surf check and it looked painful – five rows of closeouts and rolling whitewater. Decided to save my energy for the next day.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S8 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 July 31)


One a day. Took mid-day shift after waiting for the morning fog to burn off. Udder was out and we cheered each other on. Some fun rides! In a day that favoured lefts I got one very memorable right. Committing to send-it more and hit the lip a few times as it exploded (only landed a few, but fun trying). Went back for an evening surf-check and if the twilight shimmer had stayed I would have gone out, but cloud and flat light rolled in a killed my stoke. Sessions this trip were turning into a rhythm of one a day.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S9 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 Aug 1)

Dawn patrol. On the water before 8 am (not quite dawn patrol but definitely the earliest start for me on this trip). I was out there but Udder wasn’t. Looked modest on the webcam but there were some solid clean sets on the water. The early morning crowd was more skilled than the mid-day shift so it took more effort and commitment to score waves, but once you had them those out respected priority so you got a clean wave more times than not. Awesome session to end the trip on. Checked out Long Beach (onshore and wind blown), Wick (clean, sideshore, but smaller), and Flo (onshore and really small) on the way out just to make sure I had made the right choice.

No pictures for this session – I had the Go Pro on the wrong setting.

S10 – windsurf – China Creek (2020 Aug 1)


Unicorn. Forecast was for 10 degree temperature differential Tofino to Port Alberni. Arrived to marine layer to the south, sunshine and inflowing wind. Early wind looked steady, but I hedged for evening build. It did fill in more, but it got puffy, shifty and was a lot of work. Jerry said it was punchy 5.0 the day before but I would be surprised if it as gustier than this – hard to do anything with too much/not enough conditions while I was out. There was a unicorn though – but it was the inflatable Walmart swim-toy kind, not down-the-line wavesailing. It looked like the wind steadied a bit and straightened out with the inlet for the late evening sailors, but I was spent by then.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

[C36]

S1 – SUP – Wickeninnish (2020 Aug 16)


Kids stuff. Arrived to blue bird sky, sunshine and chest-high waves – this was going to be fun! Kayaks were drifting around and directing traffic on the longboard wave in the cove. Peaks north of the rip were all pumping clean shoulders in both directions. About eight surfers got sucked out the rip while we were there including Ethan (on his shortboard) and Paige (on SUP). Thankfully all got home safely (four with some help from surf school instructor, myself and another guy on SUP). Campfire barbecue at Green Point for dinner.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S2 – SUP – Wickeninnish (2020 Aug 17)


Seconds. Similar to the day before but we got some of the flooding tide. Paige worked hard to on SUP and was rewarded with some clean waves. I pretended to surf with Ethan’s shortboard to start and ended on SUP.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S3 – SUP – Long Beach (2020 Aug 18)


One-hit. Single hit waves dumping shortly after walling up, but fun with some peeling and offering longer rides. Paige did most of this session on the shortboard and was really enjoying it (she is light and agile enough to make it work). She also dropped into one wave cleanly on the SUP too. So nice to see her relaxed and having fun! Ended the day with all three of us on a party wave! Beachside take-out dinner at Cox Bay following surf-checks at the Chestermans (made us think Long Beach was the right call today). Paige couldn’t believe how many people were out surfing at sunset in the modest waves at Cox Bay. All the new campsites at Beach Grove seem to have increased the on-water population at Cox Bay. Awesome ‘rain’ day!

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

S4 – SUP – Wickeninnish (2020 Aug 19)


Land of the giants. Travel day morning session on the flooding tide with smaller swell we hunted the larger sets down in the land of the giants of the sand dunes north of Lot E. Then sampled the other three peaks to the south. Lots of rides on offer today, but a little ‘busy’ on the inside for Wick. Fun session to cap the trip!

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

[gabrielb]

Great photos Dave. Just beat those surfers down with your paddle as you are passing by, so they know who's the boss . Beach Grove at Tofino used to be a 200-tent campsite in the 90's (aka Nazi camp, barb wire and curfews were in the mix). Rip currents are sneaky, Ethan can paddle sideways, all is good if relaxed, I would let him be and oversee the 1-hour paddle. WB Monday morning (good tide early morning). Always checking, no 0.9mHB this year and sessions are cut in half (NW). 6/5 wetsuit is ready for winter (feeling like nuking NW's will start showing by late September).

Also, Keelan's website: https://604windswell.ca/ best website to get wave info. No more guessing. I wished I had it 10 years earlier.

[C36]

SS1 – wavesailing – South Chesterman (2020 Sept 1)


Bits and bits. 8:45 am sailing, travel, set-up campsite, then surf-checks: Wick (stirred up, big, lots of water moving around), Flo (small shorebreak), LB (wind was too light), NC (small), SC (wind and small clean lines) – decided to rig big windsurfing gear at South Chesterman and give it shot (kites rigged were 12ish and one 17). Got rigged (6.1/116/23) and my heart sank when I stepped onto the beach – it had backed off. I decided to give it go anyway. Glad I did as it gradually puffed up and there were even some planing rides in both directions. Waves were knee to waist-high, but there was usually more than one to choose from each ride out. Some punchy mini-DTL practice (worked on moving my hands and noticed a difference for the better). Had the place to myself for while then one guy on windsurf foil, Jonathon on wing, Bamfield Dave on kite, and two other kites all joined in. Very interesting fog bank and evening light. Not epic but super fun and refreshing. Great way to start the trip!

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

[C36]

SS2 – SUP – South Chesterman (2020 Sept 2)


Surf checks at Green Point, Wick, Flo, Long Beach, North Chesterman (first time I saw a whale spouting at NC) and returned back to South Chesterman with the intent to hit Rosie Bay on the low tide and maybe paddle around the Pettinger Point into Cox Bay. Funny part was there was a larger peak mid-beach on SC so caught a few there (although they were fatter and harder to catch then they looked from the beach). Rosie was rolly, unsettled and variable – Cox looked even worse to so never ventured in. SUP`d at South Chesterman a while longer in the freshening wind (as much or more than last night). But wind faded on the clearing sky. I later did a landside surf-check at Cox Bay and was glad I didn`t – it was ANGRY!!!

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS3 – SUP – Green Point (2020 Sept 3)


After the tour-de-surf-checks yesterday I decided to SUP Green Point in the morning if it looked decent and it did. Only trouble was the fog closed in as I walking down to the beach and once on the water visibility dropped even further and what I thought was the main rock that divides Long Beach and Combers Beach turned out to be the first island off Combers Beach – I was WAY further south than I thought – that would explain the `rocks` I thought I saw boiling on the inside and why the first wave I dropped into there folded and sent me to the bottom of the sea. Fog lifted and visibility improved and so did my wave count once I headed back north. Strange to catch my first wave on Combers Beach by accident. Then headed into Ukee to grab a few things before the long weekend crowd arrived.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS4 – SUP – Long Beach (2020 Sept 3)


Met up with Redbaron (Jesse) at Long Beach and he was just coming off the water north of Lovekin saying it was less than stealer and that he wanted to try south of Lovekin. I told him I have never had much luck there but was willing to give it a try. Jesse made the right call! Nice beefy rights would roll through on long intervals making for some nice clean powerful rights! Word got out and soon we were surrounded by about 30 others. Jesse said the northwest swell works well on a mid-flooding tide. Fun session! Thanks Jesse! Last night Shaggy and Lisa had been out there on a low and said they got a great session too.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS5 – SUP – Long Beach (2020 Sept 4)


Third wheel. Joined Shaggy (Pete) and Lisa for a morning session south of Lovekin. It was slightly smaller, but more consistent than yesterday, but still just as much fun! Stayed glassy all morning. Even saw a whale spouting just offshore while on the water..


Pete was ripping the new surf foil and I saw him pump it all the way back to the break like Kia Lenny (just to be taken out full-body-slam by the break).


Shaggy (Pete) and Lisa lingered much longer than I did.
Great way to start the day!

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS6 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 Sept 4)


Different day. Jesse was headed out at Wick but the fog was rolling in and there were clean glassy waves and sunshine at Cox Bay. One surfer leaving the water said it was a good as it looked. Got a few rides in and then the session turned – fog, wind, swell diminished and the swell left turned fat on the rising tide – totally different vibe (felt like a different day when I exited). Still worth it, but not as shiny.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

[Michael]

Thanks for the updates Dave. Glad you scored a session south of Lovekin with Jesse, looks fun.

[C36]

Thanks for the updates Dave. Glad you scored a session south of Lovekin with Jesse, looks fun.

You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed seeing them.

Here is the second installment - the last seven for 12 sessions over eight days in all.

SS7 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 Sept 5)


Photo shoot. Moving day – switched to a site at Long Beach campground as the walk-in portion of my mix-n-match reservation at Green Point was cancelled by Parks Canada due to COVID-19 (walk-in sites were deemed too close together). Took the Go Pro out to try and catch Shaggy (Pete) and Lisa from the water. Got some footage of both. Enough size in pulses to take a few on the head on the inside when out of the rhythm with the sets. Playful session. Was hoping for a second sunset session, but surf-checks at Wick, Long Beach, and Cox didn`t draw me out - the conditions were decent at Cox, but large crowd didn`t look like much fun. Decided to take an early dinner and evening and try for an early morning session tomorrow.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS8 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 Sept 6)


Solo. Early morning session at Cox Bay in effort to beat the long weekend crowds. Couldn`t hear the surf from Long Beach Campground last night so suspected the swell had backed off. Passed a rather large black bear walking the bike path north of Incinerator Rock on my way to surf check Long Beach. Cox Bay was bigger than Long Beach today, but the fog and small swell kept the crowds light. Solo as Shaggy (Pete) and Lisa took a pass after their surf check. Really churned up at the north end of the bay and couldn`t connect with the wedge nor the centre peak (too small and round). Had more luck at the south end in Land O` Lefts. Enough waves and size to hold my attention for well over an hour.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS9 – windsurfing – South Chesterman (2020 Sept 6)


Slog. `Discovered` there is a Tacofino “to-go” at the Long Beach Golf Course (11 am to 6 pm Thurs-Sun) – enjoyed a beef taco and a crispy chicken taco (no burritos at this location). Evening NW at South Chesterman, but the wind was a day early (south swell didn`t show up until the next day). There were tracer waves – hints of waves that never really amounted to much. Drifted around on a few small ones. Briefly tried North Chesterman, but returned back to South. Mixed crowd again tonight – three kites (one foil), two windsurfers, and one wing. Brass Munkey was full of stoke as always! Whale spouting on the mouth of Cox Bay to celebrate with us!

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS10 – SUP – Cox Bay (2020 Sept 7)


Something. More than something. I could hear the ocean from Long Beach Campground again last night so was hoping the background south swell had arrived. Try as I might to avoid Cox Bay (even launching at Rosie) it was the only show in town. Pete sent word that both Wick and Flo were no-go and I checked LB (nothing on offer when I was there). Walked past South Chesterman and paddled through Rosie to reach Cox Bay. There were some mid-size gentle giants on the outside. Caught the first at the north end of the beach then several more on the centre peak. There were only three of us on it but you could ride them right to and through and the inside break if you choose – fun! Best part was they were rights! Moved back to Green Point today for an oceanside site for my last night.

South Chesterman/Rosie Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS11 – SUP – Long Beach (2020 Sept 7)


Golden. This was the session I had been waiting for all week – summer sunset glass off! The sun was out and it felt hot. Although the waves were modest in size the ocean was flat (no roll) with just a hint of wind texture. There were lots of options to choose from – peak at Incinerator (rights), peak at Lot 4 (rights), north of Lovekin (lefts and rights), south of Lovekin (lefts and rights) – I sampled all with the exception of south of Lovekin. The first wave I dropped into everything was so flat and smooth it felt like I was slalom waterskiing with the slight hum of the wind texture on the water floating the ski – it was a crazy fun sensation that brought back a ton of memories. It was a long board jamboree tonight with a group of about 30 hovering to the north and inside of Lovekin working the shoulders both right and left. Shadowed Ian for a bit on his new-to-him SUP mid-beach. Super fun session with warm summer glow and made complete with the spectacular sunset!

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

SS12 – SUP – Long Beach (2020 Sept 8)


Girth. Lisa said she was surprised the wave warning was only on “moderate” today and she was right. There was more wave on offer this morning (although the pictures don`t show it). Rights on offer mid-beach and some summer bombs on offer north of Lovekin. Fun to have the option to `go big` again! Funny I thought Pete`s surf foil would be best for the soft rollers but every time I turned around he was dropping into another bomb! The whole mini-crew (Pete, Lisa and I) were all smiles with this one. Nice way to end trip! Did one last surf check at Flo on my way by, but decided not (was feeling grateful and satisfied with what I had gotten all ready). Two-plus sailing waits headed home (even the day after the holiday) so I was glad I had a reservation.

Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)

[keeldude]

Good surf session @ WB mid day. Lots of waves at the far buoy line.

To the person riding the 9.6 epoxy leashless (though unlikely a WTFer), please use a leash next time. You hit my friend in the head and, later on, nearly hit me as your board washed in to the beach. There's kilometers of beach and even though its Wreck, when the wind and waves are up leashes are mandatory if you're riding near people. Other than that great day on the water.

[Slappy]

Would have been really nice surf at Wreck this morning, anyone get some?