Got home last night from 9 days at Nitinat. Fantastic trip with a perfect weather setup since the day we arrived (so lucky, considering that we had to book two months in advance!). Looks great there for at least another week too.
Sailed every day on 5.0/95 litre or smaller. Never rigged the big gear. Windiest day was 4.0/72 litre !
Not crowded on the water, since the campground was only operating at 50% capacity, although they are opening up more sites now. They have cleaned up the campground nicely and replaced all the old outhouses with new cedar ones that smell SO much better (lol).
Fun sailing and visiting with Jen C and her family, and Randy & Trish, plus a few friends from our own old-school crowd.
When we drove out yesterday afternoon it was 19C in the campground and 29C in Youbou- no wonder it was cranking’. Wish we could have stayed even longer.
Nitinaht report
11 posts
• Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
I have a trip to the lake coming up soon and I'm wondering if anyone who has been there lately knows if the store is open and if so are they selling ice, if they have internet, or if the pay phone out front of the store is working. I really only need to be to contact home to let family know that I am alive and well.
Thanks
Thanks
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Andrew P - Posts: 24
- Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2016 1:31 pm
Yes they sell ice at the store. There is internet in parts of the campground. $5/day. I'm up there this week, can't wait!
- BigD
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 11:20 am
S5 – windsurf + kite – Nitinaht (Jul 5)
Golden hour. Surf checks at South Chesterman (webcam), Long Beach, Wick, and Flo. Mario summed it up the best at Flo when he said Flo was full of wind chop with the odd good wave rolling through - not much of a session, but likely the best choice this morning (that was a pretty realistic OSR for someone who is usually brimming with stoke). Next stop Port Alberni - errands, supplies, and lunch waterside at the Quay - it was a 27 degrees and about 25 mph wind when we were there. Continued on to Nitinaht and were treated to 4.5/92 wind when we arrived - likely a little much for testing out the Achilles tendons so took Ethan's suggestion to set up the tent first, then we took to the water on the evening cool-down wind (5.3/116 for me and 9m TT for Ethan). But no jumping as Achilles tendons felt a little stiff and tender at moments still. Super fun to get out after a long travel day! Outdoor art show by Rasta. Rasta was saying that the cedar used to build the outhouses was cut on site and milled on the reservation. Lakeside sunset dinner of fresh Cod served as burgers, green beans and salad.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S6 – windsurf – Nitinaht (Jul 6)
Jump! Just like Johnny and Heather had said it has been 4.5 week at the lake. Waited for the peak of the wind and joined Johnny and Dave MH down at the cove ' lots of wind and some playful water made for a super fun session ' best part was I finally got up enough nerve to try a jump and was delighted that it was pain free! I through in a few more and all was good ' great! Very happy. Came in and joined Ethan for a late lunch.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S7 – windsurf + kite + wakeskate – Nitinaht (Jul 6)
Wakeskate. After years of prompting Ethan finally tried one of wakeskates with the kite. He was worried about spending all of his time doing board retrieval but he did really well ' popped right up and did several reaches back and forth across the lake without issue. He signaled for the TT and said the wakeskate felt a little 'wonky' (no real bite to drive upwind). Still fun to see him try it out! Lakeside sunset dinner. Loon call at night.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S8 – windsurf – Nitinaht (Jul 7)
Slog n' Slog. Morning ride out the point trail and walk along the river looking for fishing holes. Jellies in the river. Thought we might see a bear when we stepped out onto the gravel bar but saw two deer! Wind was steady, but light all day – felt more like a pressure push than a thermal. Only a few takers – was slog n’ slog for me. Damp day gave Ethan a bit of chill despite the warm breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S9 – windsurf + kite – Nitinaht (Jul 8)
Last (Wind)dance. Morning walk into the village along the ‘new’ trail – benches for quiet reflection and an impressive new gateway at the village trail head! One crow seemed to take exception to Johnny, which he found a touch embarrassing. Heather and Johnny both taking flight(s)! Last session this trip for Ethan and I. Ethan on 9m again, but surfboard this time. See you next time lake!
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
Golden hour. Surf checks at South Chesterman (webcam), Long Beach, Wick, and Flo. Mario summed it up the best at Flo when he said Flo was full of wind chop with the odd good wave rolling through - not much of a session, but likely the best choice this morning (that was a pretty realistic OSR for someone who is usually brimming with stoke). Next stop Port Alberni - errands, supplies, and lunch waterside at the Quay - it was a 27 degrees and about 25 mph wind when we were there. Continued on to Nitinaht and were treated to 4.5/92 wind when we arrived - likely a little much for testing out the Achilles tendons so took Ethan's suggestion to set up the tent first, then we took to the water on the evening cool-down wind (5.3/116 for me and 9m TT for Ethan). But no jumping as Achilles tendons felt a little stiff and tender at moments still. Super fun to get out after a long travel day! Outdoor art show by Rasta. Rasta was saying that the cedar used to build the outhouses was cut on site and milled on the reservation. Lakeside sunset dinner of fresh Cod served as burgers, green beans and salad.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S6 – windsurf – Nitinaht (Jul 6)
Jump! Just like Johnny and Heather had said it has been 4.5 week at the lake. Waited for the peak of the wind and joined Johnny and Dave MH down at the cove ' lots of wind and some playful water made for a super fun session ' best part was I finally got up enough nerve to try a jump and was delighted that it was pain free! I through in a few more and all was good ' great! Very happy. Came in and joined Ethan for a late lunch.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S7 – windsurf + kite + wakeskate – Nitinaht (Jul 6)
Wakeskate. After years of prompting Ethan finally tried one of wakeskates with the kite. He was worried about spending all of his time doing board retrieval but he did really well ' popped right up and did several reaches back and forth across the lake without issue. He signaled for the TT and said the wakeskate felt a little 'wonky' (no real bite to drive upwind). Still fun to see him try it out! Lakeside sunset dinner. Loon call at night.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S8 – windsurf – Nitinaht (Jul 7)
Slog n' Slog. Morning ride out the point trail and walk along the river looking for fishing holes. Jellies in the river. Thought we might see a bear when we stepped out onto the gravel bar but saw two deer! Wind was steady, but light all day – felt more like a pressure push than a thermal. Only a few takers – was slog n’ slog for me. Damp day gave Ethan a bit of chill despite the warm breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S9 – windsurf + kite – Nitinaht (Jul 8)
Last (Wind)dance. Morning walk into the village along the ‘new’ trail – benches for quiet reflection and an impressive new gateway at the village trail head! One crow seemed to take exception to Johnny, which he found a touch embarrassing. Heather and Johnny both taking flight(s)! Last session this trip for Ethan and I. Ethan on 9m again, but surfboard this time. See you next time lake!
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
Last edited by C36 on Thu Jul 15, 2021 1:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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C36 - Posts: 2191
- Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:17 pm
C36 wrote:S5 – windsurf + kite – Nitinaht (Jul 5)
See you next time lake.
Sounds awesome, glad to hear your achilles is feeling good.
- shmish
- Posts: 332
- Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 6:52 pm
Just got home. Can confirm Nitnat is awesome.
- BigD
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 11:20 am
We got back last week! What an amazing place!
Temps rarely got over 18 degrees, but the sun was strong, wind nearly every day. New outhouses, smelt like cedar!
Jellyfish blooms like you've never seen!
Plenty of chop... I got out windsurfing for a few mornings but it wasn't enough wind to be fun (small sail, improver, can't waterstart yet). When the wind picks up, the chop arrives (SCIENCE!)
But I've also been taking Kite lessons, so I got a few in while there, the school is amazing! I was riding upwind on a port tack, need improvement on the starboard tacks... SO CLOSE!
Also, highly recommend checking out the Looper Canyon. it's about 15 minutes drive from the campground (turn right as you leave the camp) it's at the 3rd bridge....take a wetsuit and booties!
Temps rarely got over 18 degrees, but the sun was strong, wind nearly every day. New outhouses, smelt like cedar!
Jellyfish blooms like you've never seen!
Plenty of chop... I got out windsurfing for a few mornings but it wasn't enough wind to be fun (small sail, improver, can't waterstart yet). When the wind picks up, the chop arrives (SCIENCE!)
But I've also been taking Kite lessons, so I got a few in while there, the school is amazing! I was riding upwind on a port tack, need improvement on the starboard tacks... SO CLOSE!
Also, highly recommend checking out the Looper Canyon. it's about 15 minutes drive from the campground (turn right as you leave the camp) it's at the 3rd bridge....take a wetsuit and booties!
- tattooedferret
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:09 am
S1 - Nitinaht (2021 Aug 8)
Arrival. Long day of travel with short stops in Nanaimo (wind check at Pipers and to say hello to DavidM and Udder), highway (big accident north of Duncan), and Duncan (last of the fresh food supplies). Arrived at the lake about 4 pm and took to the water – it felt like a late push as the wind picked up after I launched. Solid fog bank. The next day Jerry said it was light day with a late push. Lots of white jellyfish. Felt solid enough to me – reminded me a bit of Nicola Lake on a light day – fun 5.3/116 in the late day sun! Seems my campsite is surrounded by the spots reserved for people hiking the West Coast Trail so I will have a new batch of neighbours each day. Slept amongst the giant Hemlocks.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S2 - Nitinaht (2021 Aug 9)
Punchy. Rejigged my campsite. Figured out Wi-Fi hotspots. Waited for the peak of the wind but think it might have passed just before I took to the water. I almost rigged 4.5/92 as it was ramping up well, but by the time I got to the waters edge the wind had other ideas – no fog bank and high cirrus clouds seemed to be tempering the wind. Saw two kite foils way up the lake and later learned it was Jerry and Rob. I waited a few minutes and then gave it a try – amazed I was able to get going. But the punching wind had me focused on getting and keeping going and that turned the session into a lot of short-to-shore mowing the lawn. Pleasant temp though.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S3 - Nitinaht (2021 Aug 10)
Better. Finished landscaping. Got on the wind sooner today – just past noon – and it was stronger and rock solid steady, at first. Same gear (5.3/116, but wore short sleeve wetsuit to mix it up a bit). Ethan’s stunt double was flying a 10.5 m. I was able to sail up to and around the island – saw Rob and Jerry cruising around up there on kite foils. Wind started to breathe on the way down – gust then lull. Still workable and fun and with some roll to the water. Sailed down to the cove and then back up to where I started playing along the way. New batch of trail hikers surprised to hear that there are usually even more kites out. Enjoyed reading in the hammock hung in the fern garden. Felt warmer today and there was playful flickering sunlight filtering through the trees all day. Fun play day at the lake!
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
Arrival. Long day of travel with short stops in Nanaimo (wind check at Pipers and to say hello to DavidM and Udder), highway (big accident north of Duncan), and Duncan (last of the fresh food supplies). Arrived at the lake about 4 pm and took to the water – it felt like a late push as the wind picked up after I launched. Solid fog bank. The next day Jerry said it was light day with a late push. Lots of white jellyfish. Felt solid enough to me – reminded me a bit of Nicola Lake on a light day – fun 5.3/116 in the late day sun! Seems my campsite is surrounded by the spots reserved for people hiking the West Coast Trail so I will have a new batch of neighbours each day. Slept amongst the giant Hemlocks.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S2 - Nitinaht (2021 Aug 9)
Punchy. Rejigged my campsite. Figured out Wi-Fi hotspots. Waited for the peak of the wind but think it might have passed just before I took to the water. I almost rigged 4.5/92 as it was ramping up well, but by the time I got to the waters edge the wind had other ideas – no fog bank and high cirrus clouds seemed to be tempering the wind. Saw two kite foils way up the lake and later learned it was Jerry and Rob. I waited a few minutes and then gave it a try – amazed I was able to get going. But the punching wind had me focused on getting and keeping going and that turned the session into a lot of short-to-shore mowing the lawn. Pleasant temp though.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S3 - Nitinaht (2021 Aug 10)
Better. Finished landscaping. Got on the wind sooner today – just past noon – and it was stronger and rock solid steady, at first. Same gear (5.3/116, but wore short sleeve wetsuit to mix it up a bit). Ethan’s stunt double was flying a 10.5 m. I was able to sail up to and around the island – saw Rob and Jerry cruising around up there on kite foils. Wind started to breathe on the way down – gust then lull. Still workable and fun and with some roll to the water. Sailed down to the cove and then back up to where I started playing along the way. New batch of trail hikers surprised to hear that there are usually even more kites out. Enjoyed reading in the hammock hung in the fern garden. Felt warmer today and there was playful flickering sunlight filtering through the trees all day. Fun play day at the lake!
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
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C36 - Posts: 2191
- Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:17 pm
S4 - Nitinaht (2021 Aug 11)
Warm. Early morning paddlers - seal, ducks, and humans on SUP. Wild huckleberries on my oatmeal for breakfast. Counted the rings on the six foot Hemlock stump at the campsite – almost 200 years so that would make the living nine footer close by 250-300 years old! Just enough wind today to get the 5.3/116 going with a larger fin (24 cm) and light sail settings. Light but workable for the most part. Fun playing with the Dallas and his foil training partner Rob. Warm all day – comfortable in shorts from the start, shorty on the water, and the evening wind felt warm (22 degrees at 7:30 pm). Returned to my campsite to find one of the hikers had tied their food back at eye level about 6’ from my tent – bear campsite/food bag placement chat followed. It will be interesting to see what the next couple of days bring.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S5 - Nitinaht (2021 Aug 12)
East then west. It felt hot this morning and there was a strong east wind outflowing pushing warm air from the Cowichan Valley. The east wind felt like a hair drier. There was a lot if interest in the east wind, but only a few takers - some that did try to ride it (12 m and surfboard, 10 m and foil, wing and inflatable SUP, SUP and parachute (Jerry), and two wing foils had mixed results. Jerry got the best on SUP with parachute with rides in both directions – the second after it switched to inflow. I opted for a swim at the river mouth to cool down then when out in the late afternoon on big gear (6.1/116) in board shorts and a rash guard. Wind came up enough that I came in a grabbed the 5.2 for a few rides! Military helicopter flew right overhead at low altitude on its flight path west down the centre of the lake. Turned out there was more on offer then I had guessed would follow that outflow.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
Warm. Early morning paddlers - seal, ducks, and humans on SUP. Wild huckleberries on my oatmeal for breakfast. Counted the rings on the six foot Hemlock stump at the campsite – almost 200 years so that would make the living nine footer close by 250-300 years old! Just enough wind today to get the 5.3/116 going with a larger fin (24 cm) and light sail settings. Light but workable for the most part. Fun playing with the Dallas and his foil training partner Rob. Warm all day – comfortable in shorts from the start, shorty on the water, and the evening wind felt warm (22 degrees at 7:30 pm). Returned to my campsite to find one of the hikers had tied their food back at eye level about 6’ from my tent – bear campsite/food bag placement chat followed. It will be interesting to see what the next couple of days bring.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
S5 - Nitinaht (2021 Aug 12)
East then west. It felt hot this morning and there was a strong east wind outflowing pushing warm air from the Cowichan Valley. The east wind felt like a hair drier. There was a lot if interest in the east wind, but only a few takers - some that did try to ride it (12 m and surfboard, 10 m and foil, wing and inflatable SUP, SUP and parachute (Jerry), and two wing foils had mixed results. Jerry got the best on SUP with parachute with rides in both directions – the second after it switched to inflow. I opted for a swim at the river mouth to cool down then when out in the late afternoon on big gear (6.1/116) in board shorts and a rash guard. Wind came up enough that I came in a grabbed the 5.2 for a few rides! Military helicopter flew right overhead at low altitude on its flight path west down the centre of the lake. Turned out there was more on offer then I had guessed would follow that outflow.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
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C36 - Posts: 2191
- Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:17 pm
S1 – windsurf – Nitinaht (2021 Aug 28)
Extracted. Met ‘Bob’ the bull Elk walking through town in Youbou. Windy enough to foil or sail big gear on Lake Cowichan. Made it to the lake to find light wind, but alternator shut down right at the gate house to the campground. Spent some time checking connections and load and then caught the tail end of the 3 pm power hour (Ryan mentioned wind was similar the day before – 3 pm power hour). Tough it was looking like a big gear day (6.1/116) but was able to take out the 5.3/116 and make it work for the most part, Felt a bit like shoulder season – lighter wind, less people, cooler water, fewer jellyfish. Jet Skis dispatched to check on rides down the lake. One mermaid on wing/foil proved the rescue wasn’t needed as she knifed back upwind to the launch as the wind rebounded. Sad to leave the next day on flatbed as the wind looked solid but didn’t want to risk driving out on the battery through no cell coverage and chance having the van shut down in bad spot on the road.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
Extracted. Met ‘Bob’ the bull Elk walking through town in Youbou. Windy enough to foil or sail big gear on Lake Cowichan. Made it to the lake to find light wind, but alternator shut down right at the gate house to the campground. Spent some time checking connections and load and then caught the tail end of the 3 pm power hour (Ryan mentioned wind was similar the day before – 3 pm power hour). Tough it was looking like a big gear day (6.1/116) but was able to take out the 5.3/116 and make it work for the most part, Felt a bit like shoulder season – lighter wind, less people, cooler water, fewer jellyfish. Jet Skis dispatched to check on rides down the lake. One mermaid on wing/foil proved the rescue wasn’t needed as she knifed back upwind to the launch as the wind rebounded. Sad to leave the next day on flatbed as the wind looked solid but didn’t want to risk driving out on the battery through no cell coverage and chance having the van shut down in bad spot on the road.
Gallery (to view as a slideshow click on the screen icon top right)
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C36 - Posts: 2191
- Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:17 pm
11 posts
• Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2