Surfski Knowledge Base

dnjacobson79
07/26/14 #16029

The Gorge Report Continued…
A smattering of ski paddlers have been enjoying mixed weather and waves over the last week. Most of us have been on the 'Lipp Schedule'(ie paddling 2-3 day / having the time to enjoy finding those off the beaten path surf spots). Four of us headed 2 hours east to the windy desert & enjoyed 21 miles of 5-6 footers while surfing upstream at speeds of 10-11mph. I've been previously skunked by going east & waiting for hours in a gravel parking lot while chasing/being chased by rattlesnakes for the wind which never arrived. I'll go ahead and say 'Carter was right' and we had one of the most consistent downwinders I've experienced. A strong group of Vancouver Island paddlers have been eating up the waves & have been beating the pavement hard while enjoying all the Gorge has to offer. Duncan has been setting a new record for playing hard with consistent double downwind sessions. Fair warning to all Whatcom paddlers; Big D has these waves dialed & is about to start his Wildside taper. Some single bladed paddler named Kai called him up last night to see if he could join forces for the relay, but Duncan is holding out to see if Hank will make the trip over from SA for the race. Most of us are enjoying a rest morning (other than Duncan) & should have a light wind session this afternoon - which means it will crank up to upper teens/twenty.
That's all for now, looking forward to chasing waves with many of you over the next couple of weeks!
DJ

waterbornewarrior
07/26/14 #16030

DJ!! Thought we agreed to keep… “Lake Umatilla” on the DL? Now it's gonna be overrun.

Needing a new secret spot,
Don

short tales from the rolling columbia
duncanhowat
07/27/14 #16035

Been down there for a couple of days and saw some wondrous things by these young eyes. First, Peter there is a whole new interval world there. On the stern wheeler you start on wave 2 and work back to about wave 15, then sprinting wave to wave, you go back to 2. Repeat, oh 5 times, let me know how that goes. Then you meet up with DJ and a guy from South Africa in a black speedo at Drano for a run to the hatch and I swear when they took off just under the bridge I thought I was behind the sternwheeler, their rate was a blur and they were gone. I believe they went like that the whole way. So I“m picking up a fenn fluorescence orange speedo for DJ, not sure what size, and marking” wildside“ on it, again not sure if I should put that on the back cheeks or front. The waters warm, and the paddling is fast,so when your there ,and the winds a blowing be ready for some great times. D

Michael Dee - Where are you?
Larry Goolsby
07/28/14 #16037

This is my first day back at the gorge in 2 years. Also down here is Kim C., DJ, Gabe Newton, DK, Jonas from B.C., Carter J., Dave and Judy Jensen, Austin, and somewhere in Home Valley is Michael Dee. Heard that he finally moved here this last week. if you have a contact number for him, please share it with me (mine is 360-319-2043). I'm staying at the cabins in Stevenson and I have the club double. I'm hoping Mowrey will make a showing later this week.

Wind was a little late arriving today, giving me time to chase down the stern wheeler. At 1:30, bunches of us met at Drano for my first downwinder and my second paddle for the day. It was a lttle lame coming out from under the bridge but picked up significantly before Swell City. Our take out was at the White salmon river about 1+ miles east of the hatchery. Great run so we turned it into a twofer and did it a second time. These guys are doing this run in an incredibly fast time (look out Oscar). They're making me feel my age. Too bad Scoggins isn't here to shame me even more. This is day 1 and my arms are ready to fall off. Tomorrow is supposed to be even better.

LG

Steve Scoggins
07/28/14 #16038

Scoggins doesn't have the downwind skills dialed as of yet….won't be there until Sunday night to demonstrate how much he has to learn…..always enjoyed school.

Steve

Found Michael Dee…….
Larry Goolsby
07/29/14 #16044

Day 2 at the gorge. We met at Home Valley at 1130 and Michael must have seen a car loaded with skis go by. He showed up to do his first ever gorge downwinder. Wind was low so half the crew drove up to Drano to put in. I got to be Michael's guide up and through Swell City. The first few miles were horrid; wind died and waves were reduced to 1 footers, plus it was 90 degrees. We sweated off a few pounds getting to Drano. Good wind hit us a Drano and rides became fun again but not scary fun. Swell City was big and there was a record amount of windsurfers to weave through. I made it most the way before I did my first Swell City swim. I keep a waterproof smart phone in the back pocket of my pfd. I found that I can start dialing up other paddlers to come and pick my ass up and take me home ( My shuttle bunny was transporting grandkids). DJ came to my rescue and dropped me off with my grandkids for a 2 hour swim at Home valley. Michael had a great time and wants more. Was home at our cabin (It's a bedroom and a kitchen,, also known as a bitchin) by 5:30 and ran into Jonas and Lauren. She wanted someone to do a downwinder with her from Bob's Beach to Home Valley while Jonas watched their baby. The wind was rockin' by then so I raised my hand and offered to be her copilot. It was the best run of the week - perfect waves and techical enough to keep things interesting. I must say, She is a pretty damn good paddler. It's almost 9 at night and there are still whitecaps outside…

LG

Club double at the gorge…….
Larry Goolsby
07/30/14 #16045

Not my best idea. I rank that up there with selling my Microsoft stock when it hit a dollar. Michael Dee was in the back and I drove. Not too bad when the waves were small, but Micheal pointed out that our hull spanned 3 waves at once. Then it got bigger. The club double has a wimpy little rudder that is paper thin, As wave height grew, the rudder would lose purchase and we would surf sideways down the wave. Then the wave would fill both cockpits with about 100 lbs of water each. This usually inhibited any recovery or forward movement. We were headed for Swell City, but 8.5 miles after we started, as we neared Drano, I promised Micheal we could beach ourselves there if he would just stop crying. We did and I pulled out my waterproof cell once again and gave my shuttle bunny a call. Technology is sure grand.

We finished the day with another late afternoon downwinder from Bob's Beach to Home Valley. Micheal agreed with me, in the afternoon when the wind has peaked, this is the best run on the river. It starts out small but within a half mile, it starts to grow and grow. The waves are clean and fast. This is where I've hit my highest speeds and longest runs without my paddle touching the water. It's liquid heaven.

LG