Gorge report

From: Robert Novak (robertn@hoodriver.esd.sgi.com-DeleteThis)
Date: Mon Jul 24 1995 - 10:11:09 PDT


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From: "Robert Novak" <robertn@hoodriver.esd.sgi.com-DeleteThis>
Message-Id: <9507241011.ZM10185@hoodriver.esd.sgi.com-DeleteThis>
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 1995 10:11:09 -0700
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To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis, pebbles@isdn-wuwei.corp.sgi.com-DeleteThis, robertn@esd.sgi.com-DeleteThis
Subject: Gorge report
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I just got back for a week at the gorge and thought I'd fill people in on the
trip.

(info: I'm 150lbs and sail an 8'4 Ecstacy and 9.0 CFX)

I arrived last weekend during the heatwave. This killed the wind in the
central gorge. So.... I went to the coast.

I stayed at Fort Stevens near Astoria. I highly recommend this campground. It
is big, clean and has great beach access.

Got on the water Sunday late with a 5.0 in small surf. This was my first time
in the surf and had a great time.

Monday was still hot everywhere and I sailed again at Fort Stevens. This time
on the Columbia river side of the jetty. The water was a good 10 degrees
warmer and mostly fresh. I sailed 5.7 in a flood. It was all I could do to
stay upwind in these conditions. Truely not that fun but I was Jones'n.

On Tuesday the heat was starting to break and I headed east to Jones Beach.
 This spot is half way to Portand off highway 30, near Klatskani(sp?). This
spot is kinda cool. You have to drive a narrow levy road off the highway for
about 10 minutes and then you come upon a huge sandy beach on the river. This
spot blows when you have a 15 degree temperature difference between Astoria(on
the coast) and Portland. The wind came up late and blew 5.0/4.4 till dark.

Wednesday I took my chances and headed out to Hoodriver. This turned out to be
a bad move. The cooling trend had not stablized conditions in the central
gorge yet and late afternoon thunderheads killed any hope of an afternoon
session. That night I headed out to Mamolous(sp?) campground, east of
Hoodriver. This is a great place to camp. You are close to many good sailing
spots and train noise is a light roar.(unlike Viento to the west)

Thursday the wind gods threw the switch. In the morning I sailed at the Event
Site(at Hoodriver) on a 5.0. I sailed west up to the Hatchery and Swell city.
 It was awesome. This was the first good wind in many weeks and everybody was
on the water. The Hatchery was packed with, no kidding, 150 -> 200 sailors.
 It was very crazy jybing at the shore because of the traffic. This is also a
very humbling place to sail because it seems everyone can do loops.

The wind was building and I decided to do the big down winder to the event site
before it got too scarry.

After lunch I packed up and headed to Rowena which is about 10 miles east of
Hoodriver. I rigged three times here. First 4.4, then 4.0, then 3.4. I
sailed my ass of that day. I think I was on the water for about 5.5 hours.

Friday, I sailed the same place at Thursday but the wind was stronger in the
morning. I stayed at the event site on 4.0 and 3.4 in the morning and 4.0 at
Rowena in the afternoon.

Saturday I got in a morning session at Mosier (between Rowena and Hoodriver)
before the long drive home. I sailed 4.4 until the wind built and I couldn't
hold on any more.

All in all a fantastic trip. I wish it blew harder early in the week but I
honestly don't think my body could have taken another 3 days of 3.4/4.0
conditions. I also got a chance to see some of the awesome Oregon coast.

Observations:

In the last three years that I've sailed the gorge I've seen some trends.
 There a a couple of things I've noticed.

1. A lot of Northwave Sails. This seems to be the sail of choice for many
locals.
2. Racers like Sailworks and Windwing.
3. A lot more Women are on the water. Yahoo.
4. The barges are still big and scarry.

------------------------------------------------------

see ya

rob

-- 
Robert Novak  Silicon Graphics Computer Systems   415-390-2603   robertn@sgi.com-DeleteThis
http://hoodriver.esd (SGI only)

C:\> Bad command or file name! Go stand in the corner.



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