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====== World's Best/Bucket List Downwinders ======

(Primarily with Surfskis and Outrigger Canoes in mind…)

[[:places_surfski|(Wiki Index of Places to Downwind)]]

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**Miller's Run on a Fairly Big Day**

{{:locales:southafrica:millers3.jpg?direct&650x326|millers3.jpg}}

photo: [[https://youtu.be/MR8d14uksgk?t=146|Wilson Reavley video]]

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===== Great Downwind Runs =====

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//Although a run is considered to be a classic it may have days or specific sets of conditions that are appropriate to paddle only for experts or for no one at all. And many great runs can contain sections which even on regular days will be challenging for many paddlers.//

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===== Miller's Run =====

<WRAP indent>

  * [[:millers_run:millers_run_main_page|All About Miller's Run]]
  * [[:millers_run:millers_run_videos|]]
  * …

<WRAP indent>

"**How does The Miller’s Run compare with other popular downwind courses around the world?**<WRAP indent>

Jasper Mocke on Miller's Run and Rating Downwinders:

<WRAP indent>

//"When rating downwinds, I think there are **3 main considerations**: //

  * **//the quality of the conditions// **
  * **//logistical ease// **
  * **//consistency throughout the season/year// **
//Beside the fact that you can do a Miller’s Run on most days of the year, when its pumping like it was on Monday, the runs are the finest I have ridden anywhere. Big days can get pretty scary and technical…//"

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===== Epic Kayaks' Bucket List =====

<WRAP indent>

Somebody at **Epic Kayaks **  (Kenny Howell?) weighed in (Feb, 2023) with this list of [[https://www.epickayaks.com/post/top-5-downwind-paddles-in-the-world|5 downwinders to put in your bucket list]]. Their five are:

  * [[https://surfski.wiki/tarifa#downwinders|Strait of Gibraltar Run, (Tarifa, Spn)]],
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/oahu#south_side|Hawaii Kai Run, (Oahu)]],
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/western_australia#perth_area|Drummer's Run (Freemantle - Perth, Astl)]],
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/maui#downwinds|Maliko Run (Maui)]],
  * **Miller's Run**  (see description above) ([[http://surfski.wiki/western_cape#cape_town_area|Fish Hoek, Safr]])
  * …

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===== Additional Bucket List Runs? =====

<WRAP indent>

Keeping Jasper's criteria in mind, here are some additional runs you may find worthy of making a trip for (although for all we know you may have a run in your own backyard that is equally world class to these - email us ([[surfskiwiki@gmail.com,dan@surfski.wiki|surfski.wiki email]]) your suggestions and how they rate on Jasper's 3 main criteria):

(Editor's note: One might also add another possible qualifier for greatness for some downwind runs as: **variety within a run and/or variability**  with different conditions. In terms of Jasper's criterion of consistency, think of this as "//consistently changing or interesting//" - what do you think?)

  * [[https://surfski.wiki/brazil#fortaleza_and_nw_home_to_molokabra_races|Fortaleza Run (Cumbuco, Brazil)]]
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/kauai#northnorthwest_shores|Kalihiwai to Hanalei (Kauai)]]
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/maui#downwinds|Kihei Run (Maui)]]
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/france_south_shores#provence_-_alpes_-_cote_d_azur|La Ciotat (Six-Fours) Run (La Ciotat, France)]]
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/new_south_wales#sydney|Little Bay to Bondi Beach (Sydney, Astl)]],
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/western_cape#cape_town_area|Milnerton - Big Bay (Cape Town, Safr)]]
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/queensland#downwindspaddles|Palm Cove - Oak Beach (Queensland, Astl)]]
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/western_australia#perth_area|Snapper Run (Rockingham - Freemantle, Astl)]]
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/tarifa#downwinders|Tarifa - Bolonia (Tarifa, Sp)]]
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/hood_river_columbia_gorge#downwinders|Viento Run (Hood River, USA)]]
  * …

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Some candidates for world class runs may have some additional risk (more frequent large shorebreak?) and/or seasonal curtailment due to more extreme and/or sustained cold air and cold water. But they may otherwise be right up there in quality with other more temperate or equipment friendly runs listed on this page.

  * [[https://surfski.wiki/kwa_zulu_natal#downwinds|One of the Durban Downwind Runs]] (Locals say the swell consistently makes for good downwinding, so higher wind is not as necessary as it is in other places. But do your research about what kind of shore break you will have to contend with)
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/locales/sweden/sweden_downwinders#west_coast_vaestkust|Glommen - Steninge (Sweden)]] (not a tropical run)
  * [[https://surfski.wiki/lake_superior#north_shore_lake_superior_minnesota_ontario|North Shore (West End) Lake Superior (Two Harbors or Knife River to McQuade Small Craft Harbor)]] cold water and no reliable trade winds here, and the more consistent downwind weather comes from storms in the colder part of the year. But when conditions are good, they are very good.
  * …

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===== Bucket List Downwind/Surf Laps? =====

<WRAP indent>

Some of these (particularly some [[:tidalrace:tidal_races|tidal races]]) are going to be more difficult to dial-in than downwinders if for no other reason than lower frequency of good conditions. Where they combine cold water and a bit of remoteness they can be particularly challenging to get a handle on. Tidal races can require that a number of factors coincide in order to produce good wave surfing, but part of the charm of such places can be their great variability. Living nearby can be quite an advantage and good fortune.

  * [[https://surfski.wiki/surf#long_waves_for_surfing|Long Surfing Waves]]
  * **Tidal Races **  (we know they paddle repeat laps at Ambleside, Deception Pass and La Bajeta, but do they also at Noirmont? or just paddle through it as part of downwinders?)
      * [[https://surfski.wiki/tidalrace/ambleside|Ambleside Park (Vancouver, BC, Can)]]
      * [[https://surfski.wiki/tidalrace/deception_pass|Deception Pass (Washington State, USA)]]
      * [[https://surfski.wiki/tarifa#tidal_races|La Bajeta (Tarifa, Esp)]] Usually fun and occasionally exceptional
      * [[https://surfski.wiki/jerseychannelislands#tidal_races|Noirmont Point (Jersey Channel Islands)]]
  * …

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**La Bajeta on an Exceptional Day**

{{youtube>8sZIyHIgPu4?large}}

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===== Bucket List Boat Wakes? =====

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Yeah, we know - this isn't "downwinding". But as long as we're going to have a page for various great places to downwind and catch waves we might as well include some 1st class boat wakes also. You might particularly appreciate knowing about them if they happen to be in your neighborhood. But this is a new category for us and one where **we could use input from paddlers around the world**  who surf great boat wakes. The idea for this addition was sparked after seeing Ben Gravy's video of a great US West Coast boat wake to surf ([[https://youtu.be/-k0Ro3ZPf_0|Vallejo California Ferry Wake Surfing]]):

(And please get your beta on [[:surf#surfing_boat_wakes_wash|boat wake basics and safety]] including the specifics (boat traffic, shipping channel rules) for any location where you want to catch boat wakes.)

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{{youtube>-k0Ro3ZPf_0?large}}

**Ben Gravy & Zeke on Napa River Between Mare Island & Vallejo**

**(Ben doesn't tend to give a lot of location info in videos)**</WRAP>

The best wake waves depend not only on the boat making them but also on where you catch the wave - as they tend to build in shallower water and with the interplay with tide. You have to be careful about getting too shallow or [[https://www.theinertia.com/surf/texas-longboarder-shares-terrifying-footage-of-tanker-surfing-gone-wrong/|jammed into shorelines]]. The surfski pocket on a wave isn't going to be where there is a barrel.

  * **USA**
      * **California**
        *  [[https://youtu.be/-k0Ro3ZPf_0|BG Napa River Between Mare Island & Vallejo Video]]
          * [[https://vallejoferryschedule.com/|Vallejo Ferry Schedule]]
      * **Massachusetts**
        * **Nantucket Ferries ** [[https://youtu.be/jLC6he27IVg?t=382|BG video]]
      * **New Jersey**
        * [[https://youtu.be/qTzHOREijnM?t=1155|BG Ferry Video ]]**Seastreak**** Courageous **  (largest high speed ferry in the US) Highlands, NJ
          * [[https://seastreak.com/ferry-routes-and-schedules/between-new-jersey-and-new-york-city/|Schedule]]
      * **Oregon/Washington**
        * **Columbia Gorge Paddleboat ** [[https://youtu.be/qHRMuTBeFpA|video]]
      * **South Carolina**
        * **Container Ship ** [[https://youtu.be/1xGmh1l0jg0?t=1210|BG video]]
      * **Texas**
        * **Galveston Bay Tanker Waves**
          * [[https://youtu.be/r2BLx7X3aTY?t=49|Texas Tanker Boys Foil Video]]
          * [[https://tankersurfcharters.com/|Charter service]] (will they take surfskis?)
  * **Worldwide**
      * [[:wake_riding#more_wake_riding_videos|Worldwide surfskis surfing boat wake videos]] This is a list of videos from paddlers around the world where boat wakes may provide one of the better opportunities for surfing waves. The paddlers who make these videos could be potential resources for information about when and where to catch the best boat wakes in such places.
  * …

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