Say "Goodbye" to Gorge West Winds

[Windlover]

Love to hear you lamenting about 60+ days of sailing here in the Gorge \m/. It is still way more days than any year Ive ever seen. But I do have a job and my play time is somewhat limited.

You are right about the rain, HR gets over 200 days of rain per year and 20 miles east in The Dalles they have over 250 days of sunshine. Its all about location.

As for a rainy summer here, this was one of the drier years for this area. We actually had almost 60 days without rain at one point this summer.

The Gorge can disappoint at times as any area can. But the up side is that there are many other fun activities to partake in to fuel the desire for outdoor fun. I have had quite a few days where I ski/snowboard/mountain bike/kayak/hike in the a.m. and windsurf in the afternoon. There are very few places in the world where a person can do two or three of these things in the same day. Its all about making the most of what is available.

[ethurlow]

I have to agree and the ice cream headache is definitely worth it.

Ernie

[isobars]

Oh, THAT south coast. But I still dont know what a chicken jibe is.

But with my jibe success rate having dropped off by 50% in the past few years, maybe I should be sailing IN them swimming pools rather than in their path.

Mike \m/

[LeeD]

Wow, Im really surprised.....
Here in the SF Bay Area, if I wanted powered 5.0 and smaller, Id easily get over 75 if Im willing to drive 30 miles a day.
Since I wont drive over 3 miles, I get around 130 6.0 and smaller days, here in Berkeley.
One year, 1992, I only had an 8 poly glass x 20 board, sails from 3.3 to 5, got over 75 days, and worked 3 days a week!
But living in SFBay is truly hell traffic and attitude, not forgetting the highest prices in the USA.
One of my friends at 220 lbs. gets over 80 days in the SouthBay, and he works 3 afternoons a week and his biggest sail is a 6 meter! He does ride a floaty F2 Ride 116 liter corker.

[carl]

Mike
I think chicken jibe is not really a style of jibe, its more important that you make the jibe to avoid getting seriously washed by a powerful wave.

[isobars]

Thats been my growing impression, that it applies any time getting around dry is far more important than doing it with style. Thats something I gave up on not long after losing one inner ear. When Ive asked my buds who surf the swell luffed what it requires, their unanimous answer is, balance. So I just rig bigger and do it powered up. Sounds like big surf and I are not a good mix.

Mike \m/

[oldsalt6600]

Glad to see that someone who posts here actually works for a living. I was also surprised to see that a certain party claimed that he worked three days a week as our impression would be that this person spends his off-water time admiring himself in the mirror. Actually, though, I think you are wrong about the rarity of doing more than one outdoor activity in a day. Thanks for the info about rain.

[sinbad]

With such a difference in rainfall and such a long extent, the gorge must have different winds depending on where you are located in it.

[isobars]

Wind in the Gorge
VERY often varies by 20-20-40 knots, all day, at spots just 10 miles apart . . . sometimes just two miles apart. Now factor in its 200+ mile length and imagine the possibilities . . . and complications. Its why the pagers are crucial to sailing here and why we drive so many thousands of miles in a season if shred time is really important to us.

Mike \m/

[isobars]

I did it (dirt bikes, skiing/boarding, snowmobiling, windsurfing, fishing, etc.) in Utah, New Mexico, and upstate NY, and one could do 4-5 quite different sports most days in my neck of the woods. It aint THAT rare . . . and more dependent on attitude than location, if one chooses their location with any concern for such things. It always amazes me how many people whine about their recreational opportunities yet wont relocate -- or walk out of the office at quitting time, or drive -- to improve them.

Mike \m/