VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Driving out to Gordon's on Monday I just about stopped and tried to figure out how to get down to whiffen spit, it looked ideal as a practice area for carve gybes... looked like 20+ knots blowing on to the spit and smooth flat water behind it. Am I wrong? It isn't listed in the sailing guide, and the only reference in the forum seems to be a kiting reference. Any other suggested areas for these summer westerlies?

I'm relatively sure that if I could get some flat water practice in I could tidy things up immensely, but trying to learn in rough water seems painfully slow. -Tom

Lately things have been way more SSW/SW/WSW than normal (yesterday for instance it was almost dead onshore at Cook St), so it's probably been blowing into the spit and you're right, that might be fun (though there is a surprising amount of current there during tide changes to be aware of).

When it is blowing a more normal W or WNW that changes as the land blocks the wind.

sunken tug (no longer visible) and a few other things, bolders... in the water, might wanna check into it before doing high speed laydowns, just sayin'

Nanmoo is right on (don't let him know he'll just get pompous), it is a bit like Esquimalt and will only work with lots of S. I'd think the spit is high enough to burble up the wind especially at lower tides, that wouldn't matter kiting. We clearly need someone to Winddummy for us!

Sooke Basin is often good for flatwater blasting/carve practice and you don't have the currents to contend with. In fact its often windier here than at Gordons. Kind of up and down gusty though.

SW end of Cowichan Lake would also be good for flatwater when its windy I've often thought. Kus may have some experience? I know Betty-Anne was kiting at the end of the lake at the old Youbou mill site for a while too.

Ha, thanks MF4.

Kus is also right, check it out on a low tide. Low tide makes for an interesting time there for sure, as you head west more and more boulders in your way that dry either completely or as the trough of a wave rolls past. On a high tide, stuff is far enough under that you are pretty safe though.

I found smooth water on a lightish day (6.5/100 ltrs.) in the mouth of the Squamish River. The area between the river mouth and the bay flows hard enough to more or less eliminate windwaves . It was an easy sailing day with just the right wind to be nicely powered up but not over. The flat water allowed me to find the perfect time to flip the sail and perform an uninterrupted carving jibe. No bumps made it easy. Jibing more in the river behind the sandbar allows ridiculously long gliding carves when it's really windy. It was about a three hour session that really helped me out.

Good point Jim. Much of my winter sailing last season was off of cattle point, and the current through Baynes often wipes out any waves. I remember thinking that completely flat water was sticky and a tiny bit slower. I just haven't been out that way recently with the willows camera being down. (And of course, in summer the common daytime current is a flood instead of an ebb.) -Tom

Ross Bay has been pretty flat and nice with all the S lately.

Agreed on Ross Bay flat with lots of S in the wind and slackish tide. Seems like less kelp this year as well which makes for sailing into the bay in behind Clover Point. I was on formula gear with 9.2 sail which makes flat very helpful for gybing.

tbrown wrote:...with the willows camera being down...

new router at the caretaker's home is apparently at issue, BWD is trying his best to get it up and running again, people were away globe trotting, let's just be happy when it's back up...not constantly belabor that it's down .... like it's not a voluntarily run effort, thx