Friday Westerly?

[Alton]

... Windguru thinks were getting another westerly this friday, hopefully its true and I can check out ambleside or wreck again with a little more wave energy.

Richi , you were right, it's slowly building. Friday 1pm-3pm. Wreck beach will be getting small surf (good for SUP's, hb 05-06m), a repeat of last week. Richi if you want to get your windsurf gear down those stairs I'll help (if it gets to 15knots from the strait, tide is 10 ft, you'll have a 50X250 meter wide, 4 foot shallow surf area, small but well formed waves to windsurf on and practice when the real thing hits). I have the day off that day.

Gabriel - Do you think at Wreck Beach will have enough beach (20m distance from shoreline to trees) at 3m tide for me to launch a kite?

Did you take the picture below on Sat Feb 21 at 11am when the tide was 3m? Plenty of room to self-launch a kite.

[gabrielb]

Yes, there is space to launch a kite at wreck beach. I'll be there 1pm-3pm. if anybody needs some help with lines I'll help. Someone has to try it and give some feedback on the experience, if it's worth the time for kite/windsurf. I'll be happy surfing small waves/paddling and in shape when things get a little bigger. At 2 pm tide is 10 feet, excellent and shallow for kite surfing (same a posted picture). If things are kind of gusty/on/off you'll know.
Probably you'll pay $3/2 hours of parking, park 200 meters South of main stairs.

Plenty of room. Just don't run over me, I'll be sitting duck ...

[gabrielb]

Forecast shifted, now it's Friday 7am-10am the best time for small surf(10-12ft tide, incoming). I'd still go to Wreck Beach at that time. Can't say much about the wind at that time as mornings are rarely windy, but because we are facing the strait you may still get some ... bring a big kite.
flickr had this photo of wreck beach in blown out conditions... extra crappy.

FULL SIZE. No Flickr login? Try this

[C36]

Forecast shifted, now it's Friday 7am-10am the best time for small surf(10-12ft tide, incoming). I'd still go to Wreck Beach at that time. Can't say much about the wind at that time as mornings are rarely windy, but because we are facing the strait you may still get some ... bring a big kite...

Thanks for the update GB. BWD seems to favour morning while WindGuru-GFS seems to favour afternoon. Which wind forecast models are you watching?

Acadia / Tower Beach (can't speak for Wreck Beach) seems to have a thing for night/dawn wind.

That FlickR shot from WB looks like a decent sailing day to me (worth the hike for sure).

/edit: Date reference of 2006 Feb 13. I tool a look at my log and sailed Acadia that day:

• RRD Wave One 75 L
• 3.6 NP NR
• "nice waves - crumbling swell over the bank - jumps to port"
• 3 m tide

I'll take a look around and see if I have any pictures of the swell/waves at Acadia that day for comparison.

/edit:
Found them - that wasn't hard. This was a beachmark day at Acadia! Some of the beafiest waves I have ever seen rolling through that day. I would pick Acadia over Wreck Beach on that day.

Pictures:
http://thewindsurfer.com/?q=node/2202

Movie - sailing:
http://thewindsurfer.com/?q=node/2272

Movie - beach break:
http://thewindsurfer.com/files/media/21 ... 0break.MOV

[gabrielb]

I'd choose Acadia over Wreck beach based on photos. That day Ambleside would've had some clean surf for windsurfing if 5-10ft , incoming tide is the key).

My lack of technical knowledge in wind is great. Happy to plane in my 7m/Roberts board (14-18knots) throughout the inlet when there is no surf. When things get real for windsurfing, past 18 knots, I switch to surfing as there is always surf somewhere, in any conditions.
For surf I just follow Johnston strait (sisters, 50 km away), where all starts, the wind peaks at 3am tomorrow, the strait will follow, 2 hours later some surf will hit Vancouver.
As for wind you guys are more knowledgeable.
I'd say tomorrow halibut bank will be 0.4-0.6m (7am-9am). It's not much, but beats hoping for bigger surf and sleep through it. I had days that out of nowhere, whether be for changing sea currents or wind, surf sets get sometimes bigger than expected.
Plus if I don't go for any small surf, I get cramps/sore arms/sore neck when surf gets fun and I can't last for more than 4 hours.
I get teased when there is no surf, don't care, if I could transfer from memory the surf I had in Vancouver you'd go 'holy crap', mostly none around with lack of photos (having surfed in Hawaii,Pacifica SF, Tofino, Mexico, Huntington, Oregon, the most fun waves I had were locally).

[AdrienGrelon]

These are the days my 3.7m has been waiting for!

[C36]

:o These are the days my 3.7m has been waiting for!

Mine too! The sad part is there were two epic Acadia days in the same week in FEBRUARY of 2006 (a very good year for wind). It's February isn't it!?! This year we are fighting over table scraps ~

I'd choose Acadia over Wreck beach based on photos. That day Ambleside would've had some clean surf for windsurfing if 5-10ft , incoming tide is the key).

My lack of technical knowledge in wind is great. Happy to plane in my 7m/Roberts board (14-18knots) throughout the inlet when there is no surf. When things get real for windsurfing, past 18 knots, I switch to surfing as there is always surf somewhere, in any conditions.
For surf I just follow Johnston strait (sisters, 50 km away), where all starts, the wind peaks at 3am tomorrow, the strait will follow, 2 hours later some surf will hit Vancouver.
As for wind you guys are more knowledgeable.
I'd say tomorrow halibut bank will be 0.4-0.6m (7am-9am). It's not much, but beats hoping for bigger surf and sleep through it. I had days that out of nowhere, whether be for changing sea currents or wind, surf sets get sometimes bigger than expected.
Plus if I don't go for any small surf, I get cramps/sore arms/sore neck when surf gets fun and I can't last for more than 4 hours.
I get teased when there is no surf, don't care, if I could transfer from memory the surf I had in Vancouver you'd go 'holy crap', mostly none around with lack of photos (having surfed in Hawaii,Pacifica SF, Tofino, Mexico, Huntington, Oregon, the most fun waves I had were locally).

GB: I appreciate you sharing your local surf knowledge with us. As for 'holy crap' - you've already got me. I get the sense you seem to be appologizing for surfing - don't - surfing is way harder IMHO. If you can make it work locally, even better! I'm amazed to hear your best days have been local. Wow! That's awesome! When I'm out kooking out on a wave-SUP, I feel way more comfy with a rig in my hands SUP-sailing. The paddle I am starting to get used to, paddling prone - not so much. My son is the opposite - when he caught his first wave with a paddle in his hands I could see from the look on his face it was 'in the way' and he wanted to through it away!

[gabrielb]

Forecast keeps shifting. I'll just wake up at 4 am Friday morning check forecast, recall past experience and decide.
Well ... before going to surf trips, I usually paddle my shortboard around Jericho/Locarno to get used to it again. I get comments outside and in the water ... to the point it's quicker to apologize for my behavior when confronted, usually in groups, and move on (it's a shitty attitude on my part ... I guess people are expecting a super hero these days - Richi's words).
I am posting surf stuff because my SUP buddy is super busy and he can't make it to Wreck Beach, nobody is around Wreck Beach for small surf, good waves for SUP though. Richi seems he'll get into it. Also because I want to see a front loop live (windsurfing) at Ambleside when the heavy surf/wind hits, I see all these kiters flying but I yet fail to see a windsurfer doing an aerial trick, that pisses me off.
Thanks for your comments Dave/C36.

[C36]

GB: Post what your plan is, once you decide. I am targeting a Wave-SUP on Friday at WB too (if it looks promising) - small setup is fine with me. No pressure if conditions don't materialize. Would still appreciate the benefit of your experience on "go" or "no-go".

[gabrielb]

No problem. If I see something decent for SUP I'll post time/place on Friday.