LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 2011 SEASON!

[skyhigh]

Hey fellow windsurfers,
Getting excited seeing that it's warming up a bit and looking forward to sailing the Gorge! It's a warm weather sport for me not for the lack of trying. BTW some fairly epic snowboarding conditions at Meadows a couple weeks ago. It was snowing up a storm, Anybody catch that? Would love to hear from ya. I think i saw the sun skyhigh

[johnl]

[dllee]

Hey Johnl... LeeD here. I parked that medium blue van next to you a few days at Berkeley. How's it hanging. U in Baja or Texas right now? Some sparkle starting to show in the EastBay, but not quite ready for prime time yet. Don't forget to swing by Berkeley and get your big gear wet.

[johnl]

[isobars]

Longer? Not according to the SFBA ... just more consistent and maybe with less driving. And how often can they comfortably sail in board shorts in Da Bay? I've often wondered which place (Gorge, Maui, Bay) gets more "miles of wind" (area under the wind curve, or mph X hours) each season, given that here it's often sailable from dawn 'til dark, sometimes for days on end even at a single given spot.

I'm glad the comparisons are so complex; it spreads the load. If any one were a hands-down winner, either it would be even more crowded here or I'd feel compelled to move.

Mike \m/

[johnl]

I was speaking of the mere mortals who sail 1 - 3 hours a day. I know in the bay, it is decent wind around March/April with a 5mm suit (and the water is in the mid 50's), then spring suit in the bay in May. June/July/August is spring suits in the bay, and shortie or boardshorts in the delta (not quite as warm as HR), then back to warmer suits in the fall till about October. I know some sail Nov - Feb, but the majority don't.

I don't think the Gorge offers that long of a season for "most of us". Some I understand sail year round (same for the SF Bay though).

But you are right about the length of day. The bay doesn't typically blow all day long. The delta can (but not always), but typically the bay fires up around 2pm and blows till dusk (if lucky). I'm looking forward to some long, late sessions out here....

[jse]

To me, with what little experience I have in the gorge, I would say the main thing that makes the gorge special to me: Perpetual Ebb. We are definitely chained to the tidal influence here. 3rd, Crissy, Treasure Island, Tomales, Delta - All work best on an ebb. When I went to the gorge and stayed in a house on the river in Rowena, I asked my wife how long til dinner. She said about an hour. I did a downwinder to Doug's, rode the swell for a while, then rode the "ebb" back to the house in time for dinner. How cool is that!

What makes the bay special: Variety. Waves, flat water, swell, bump and jump, all are available in about an hour from my house.

Steve

[boggsman1]

Steve...I love it every time you tell that story. I'll be calling Gorge central reservations today!
When I spend my week in the Gorge, its tough to get back in the water in the Bay Area. The size and power of the relentless EBB at Arlington, Dougs, Hatch etc is incredible. BUt the season is much shorter than the Bay Area, and there is no Waddel or Tuba, unless you want to drive three hours.

[dana_miller]

... of the Oregon Coast in this discussion? How about year around sailing, relatively steady temps and as challenging as you might prefer? For what it's worth, I've got 38 days sailing so far this winter and it looks like another one today. And it's not even raining. Well, yet. But hey, I'm going to get wet anyway. I'm thinking Bandon jetty if anyone is down for that. And I'll try to get some photos up on the report page of [url]BoardheadInternational.com[/url]. With stoke and gratitude. Dana

[teerok]