It has been a very long time since I was doing any watersports in Victoria. Today I got out of session close to the spot I used to Windsurf many years ago. It was a solid 25 knots and 14C air temp. There were a few people out which was good to see. I ended up going out on 4.0m and GP 580 front foil. It was a bit gusty, but was plenty powered in the gusts. Since it has been a while since I have been in the ocean, and in some swell it took me a while to get sorted out. I did feel a bit like newbie. By the end of the session I was getting some rides on the waves coming in around Clover Point. First session this fall in full neoprene. No issues with being cold at all. I am looking forward to a few more sessions in some swell now that I have had a good warm up. The other thing was kelp, there was a bit around and was told where to stay away from. I did hit some that stopped me in the water and had to unwrap myself from it. Now I am ready for more action!!!
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Today was a unique and Awesome day!! The started with a great windy session at Pratt lake. It was blowing SSE so from the cabin I had to get to that part of the lake and the weeds were tall and making me work. Once out of them and into the wind it was a great gusty day. It was blowing about 20 knots and more in the gusts. I was on 5.0 and F4 760 GP front wing. It was a beautiful fall day and warm, getting up to 28C. It was a short session just over 30 min. I haven't windsurfed or foiled on this part of the lake in a very very long time. So it was fun to blast around, was having a great time. Though there was more. The session was short cause there was more. More down below! Check out the location Here The more is that it was a 2 session day. The wind was coming up even more and I drove 30 min to a different spot. One that I have never been to, but was looking at google maps and thought it would be great to try out. The lake is called Big Shell lake. And we drove to the boat launch on the NE side of the lake to get the SSE wind direction. So now it is afternoon and the wind was 25Knots gusting to around 36knots. You can tell as the spray coming off the waves was much more air born. I went out on the 4.0 and the F4 580 GP front wing and I was way overpowered with the Wing in the gusts. It had a bit more lake chop and was WINDY. I had a great 50 min session and my arms were falling off at the end. I didn't have my harness lines set up on the Wing, so no relaxing the arms. It is great to be challenged by strong winds. The launch was weedy as well and had to swim the gear out a bit. Once I was up and going it wasn't a problem at all. What an Amazing fall day, warm and windy and playing on some chop. Out of control at times yet not a way that I was worried at all. Great skill raising session, and yes I have a ways to go. Though today felt great and my progress was getting much better. One of the things I am not consistent at is switching my feet after the gybe. That today was much better and was getting most of them. Working on making them smoother as well. That is the next thing to play with. Today was truly a blast, and checking out new places is always fun. This lake didn't disappoint. This could have also been the windiest day that I have Winged in yet. Check out the location Here! Well this was an interesting day. The spot Blackstrap Lake, this is kind of my home spot when I was living in Saskatoon many years ago. I haven't been here in many many years. So to be here and this time on a foil, I was interested to see what it was like. Well the first thing is I was surprised how gusty it is. It was windier then I thought it would be and I was on my 6.0 and 1000 front wing. The really cool thing is one of the crew from back then was out as well. He is just getting into winging. It was fun ripping around, staying out of the weedy area. The water is starting to get cold but the air temp was warm 27C. What really struck me the most was how gusty and shifty the wind is. How did we every have a good time in windsurfers at this spot? on a foil you can glide through most of the lulls. Again so much more fun on the foil. There were 3 of us out making the most of it. Even some small chop to play on, was a really fun day. I could have been on a smaller foil for sure and should asked a few more questions. What a great day, and it has been a while since I have been out with others on the water. The weather is getting cooler so don't know when the next session will be. A warmer wetsuit will be in order :)
Check out the location Here Today was a fun day at Lake Diefenbaker which is just 100km south of Saskatoon. It was looking windy on the drive there, and there were some rain clouds to the east that I was worried would kill the wind. Luckily they stayed east and didn't effect the wind too much. When we arrived which was later in the day(3:30pm). The wind was a bit lighter then I was expecting around 17 knots. So I went with my 6.0m wing and 760 F4 GP front foil. I was expecting the wind to die a bit more as the session went on. Coming out of the small bay of the boat launch as I got out into the lake. It got shallow, I was up on the foil and ran aground shallow. I was a bit bummed as it was a rocky bottom. A repair to the foil will come later. Once out and riding it was good and a bit gusty, but enough to get up most of the time easily. With so much room to play I could have gone for a long up winder but decided to stay closer incase it got light. Well the sun cam out and then at the end the wind pick up a bit. The waves were smaller than I thought. The swell can get really good on windy days here. Today wasn't windy enough to get the swell going. Still a really fun day ripping around, and was out for just under and hour. It was a nice warm day as well with the air temp at 27C. The water is starting to get cool already. I have windsurfed this spot many times and it was fun to foil it. It reminds me how smooth foiling is, and this is the lake to do some serious distance. That will be for next time :).
Check out the Location here Today was a really cool day!! I went winging on the lake where I learn to Windsurf many years ago. I was 12 and lets just say the equipment has changed a lot. A few years back I did go windsurfing on the lake again and realized how small it was and short the runs were. I was on my 6.0m wing and 1000 GP F4 foil. Today the runs were even shorter as the wind was blowing from the WNW. As it is a small narrow lake running north south and the shores are tree lined it is very gusty. So the area that had the best wind was very small as you can see from my track. And it was gusty, which meant that some of the lulls there was almost no wind. I can't believe I learned to windsurf on this lake. It was a nice warm day(27C) and due to it being so gusty not a very long session. Yet it was really fun and again with the foil if I could stay in the gusts could keep it going for a while which is so much fun. The weeds are long and grow very dense so had to walk past chest deep just so the foil wouldn't hit the weeds. Once clear of them it was fast water ;). I did try foiling here last year and I wasn't as good so the runs were shorter, though I had a taste. Today was less wind but really fun. It still amazes me how just some time on the water is so enjoyable. Will see where the next adventures are. Till next time!!
Check out the Location here On our travels today took us passed a lake called Three Valley Lake. This lake I have driven passed many times over the years driving from Calgary to Vancouver or vise versa. Almost every time it is windy. I have had the desire to windsurf there, and either the time of day or year or gear hasn't made it possible. So today was the day!! It was windy warm and we had time. It is a narrow lake and as I found out, the wind is stronger on the north side. The lake at this point runs east west. I launched from the board launch on the south side right beside the highway. It was gusty and as I got on the water the wind had backed off a bit. I had rigged my 6.0 and the 760 foil. The gusts were strong so when I got one, I was up right away. Now there isn't much runway on this lake and as you sail upwind to the East side there is a Hotel so you can't get too close to that shore. As well it gets light on the south side. I did get up wind and had fun being out on this gusty mountain lake. It ended up being a short session as the wind began to back off. So only one up and down, but totally worth it. So nice to get out even for a short 26 min session. And to finally have sail this place. It was really fun on a foil and had I done it on a windsurfer it would have been less so. Just for the short distance of the runs, that is would I love about foiling!!! You just keep going. Lets see what Saskatchewan has to offer this fall!
Check out the Location Today was another good day Winging 5.0 and 580 again. It is warm again today and I went in just shorts!!! I can't remember the last time I was on the water with just short!!I had a blast today and it was super windy on the east shore and the wind had more west in it. Normally it is north and comes down the lake, but with the west make it gustier and less wind on the west shore of the lake. I ended up going more up wind as the wind was better there and as you came down to the boat launch it was lighter and gusty. Up wind it was great!! and some small chop to play on. I got on the water at around 3pm and was out for an hour. It is now 5pm and the wind is still strong. I also realized that the wind is stronger at the boat launch than at the campground and I am guessing that it was foilable already by around 1 or 2pm. So if you were interested could have some long days on the water here. On the edge of the lake the water is a turquoise colour, so beautiful. This is a really stunning place to play on the water and with the heat today a bit less but still around 30C. Just the place to stay and enjoy summer!! I have a sense I might be back to this place in the future :). There are always more places to explore and I am glad to have found another amazing place. It makes me acknowledge how amazing this earth really is!
Check out the Location From a talk to someone on the beach we got some information about Buttle lake. I had never heard of the place but he said it had thermal wind. It is on the way to Gold River from Campbell River. So we went to check it out. Now it is mid August and camping is busy!!! We were told to go to Ralph River campground. So we did, and entered the campground to a sign that said FULL. We talked to a very nice guy at the Reservation board on how it all worked. He seemed to think there were spots and we should take one and wait for the staff to show up. So we did, it was hot in the shade 33C. When the staff showed up they said it was full and that all the other campground on the way in were full as well. There might be something 30 min away maybe! Then as we were getting our things to leave she waved us over and said. If there was no one in site 76 it was ours as it was the only one you can't reserve. All other site were reservation only. It was open, we paid $20 for a night and put up our tent. Had a short nap and I noticed the wind in the trees were getting stronger. We had checked out the lake before putting up the tent and there was some wind but the access from the campgrounds isn't great and a short walk. We had been told about a boat launch just north about 5 min drive. I had to check it out. Sure enough it was good access to the water and Windy!!! I went out on my 5.0 and 580 foil. I was super over powered and could have been on the 4.0. No big deal I sail overpowered a lot so I am used to it. The beautiful thing about this lake as well as the view is the really warm water. I went out in shorts and a 1.5mm long sleeved top. I could have gone out in just shorts. It was just before 5pm when I hit the water and I have a great 1 hour session. The small foil is so fast and fun to do speed runs up and down wind as well as snappy small turns on the chop. Such an enjoyable day on the water. It was still windy when I came in though the lulls were starting to show up. By 6:30pm the wind had backed off a lot though it still would have been foilable with big gear. What a sweet spot!! Hot wind, warm water, and no one else on the lake. We are here for 2 nights so see what tomorrow brings.
Check out the Location Had my first ever day at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo. It was cranking and I went out on my 4.0m Ocean rodeo Aluula wing and F4 GP580 foil and my 24" by 4'8" Roberts wing Pro board. It was a really great session with some nice swell riding right off the point. The great thing about the place is that the launch on low tide is sandy so no booties for me. Nice parking lot with a bathroom(not a nice one but works). It was blowing WNW which at times close to shore seemed a bit off shore, not an issue just something I was aware of. There were lots of people out mainly windsurfing which you don't see much these days and a few Wingers. Super fun hot day 31C.
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