VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I’m heading to Parksville with the family at the end of the month so I can’t bring all my gear. I’ve looked at the “Spot Guide” and don’t see much about wing foiling. I’m a novice wing foiler (I can stay upwind no problem in 15-25Kts)

My other options are taking a couple of kites and kitefoil board or surfboard.

I’m an intermediate kitefoiler. I haven’t really ridden a surfboard in several years, but I’m sure it would come back quickly.

Any suggestions on locations that are a reasonable distance from Parksville? I would prefer to wing, but kiting is also an option.

China Creek might be an option, but I was hoping for somewhere a bit closer to Parksville.

Thanks, Grant

If the weather ever switches to a normal summer then I would expect only 8-14kn afternoon summer breeze. So kitefoiling. But as summer goes on, the seaweed builds so you might want to consider a megakite and surfboard.

San pariel is the best place for family + wind. Bring a skimboard and a sup if you can fit it. No bathrooms. Which nobody seems to talk about even when there's a lot of people on the beach......

For stronger wind, your quickest session will be Canal Beach, about a 45min drive, tons of free parking, volleyball court and questionable porto potty. Winging or windsurfing only launch. Expect 15-30kn.

China Creek is more family friendly, similar wing to Canal, easy kite launch, but add 20-30 minutes each way depending on what you drive. It can be a rough logging rd. Parking was scarce last summer, and there's a 10$ day use fee. But a nice swimming beach, bathrooms, small parks for young kids.

You might want to consider a light wind wingfoil setup for San pariel, work on that game. Maybe get a 7-8m and sup foil board. Expect to clean the seaweed off quite often. A small kitefoil can usually power through.

Thanks for the feedback.

GM

Yeah, as far as Parksville Bay itself, it only gets light airs in summer.

A few weeks ago I brought up my 6m wing and my iSUP which I had fitted with a glue on skeg. It was pretty pleasant going back and forth on the main bay. I've had limited success using my 10m kite and my landboard to pull me across the sand when the tide was out. You need to let almost all the air out of the tires, and you really need to work the kite to overcome getting bogged down in the wet sand. Even then the ride wasn't exactly dramatic.

I've seen kitesurfers on rare occasions way out there where they can catch better winds coming down the channel. I assume they launched from San Pareil?

Surfing? Nope. There is no surfing to be had anywhere up the inside of the island that I know of.

So if you're looking for thrills on the water, Parksville isn't the place.

smartang wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 6:13 am your quickest session will be Canal Beach, about a 45min drive,

According to Google maps, this is in Port Alberni?

https://windisgood.com/sailing-guide.html

See Canal Beach

For wingfoil launch parking, we usually park closer to the Hut, rig on the grass and walk down the swimmers beach. You do not need booties if launching from the swimmers area. Easy swim out to the windline. The goal is to get up to Poly's point as quick as possible. That way you just drift back to the launch if the with dies. Best swell is between Poly's and Canal.