Sauvies sessions 8-6-14 (and this week in general)?

Dern · Since 11 Jul 2010 544 Posts Vancouver, WA Addicted

I'm looking for Sauvies reports from today and basically most of this week. I've been scouting and riding at different launches along the Kalama-Sauvies-Vancouver corridor and I'm trying to correlate wind strength between spots and different signs for when each place goes off the best.

For example today:
Forecast/conditions: Wind was NNW, the north pacific high wasn't that strong (north coast was weak). Temperatures low 80s high 70s. 0.04 inH2O pressure gradient from Kelso/kalama to PDX area. Tide going out (favorable). Jones sensor fairly mild at high teens/20 mph. Kelso sensor 11-12 mph with no big gusts registering. Sauvies Light 13 sensor reading 7-15.
Overall condition analysis is pretty "weak" from days that I have seen where the forecast is for more north wind, the coast is lighting off, and temperature gradients are bigger.

On the water observations 5-7pm:
Kalama - doable on my 17m. Maybe 12m and surf but not likely. Launch wind would be annoying due to weak shoreline wind and spectators in the park (bad combo).

Woodland by Lion's Day Park stronger than Kalama, particularly in the channel where more prevalent whitecaps could be seen. Wind on the shoreline was weak and mostly onshore so getting to the channel would be difficult. Opted to drive further south.

Woodland, Caples Rd access point - Windiest spot, 12m wind. Didn't launch here but should have.

Woodland, directly across from Columbia City. - (saw someone riding in the channel in this area yesterday). I launched and rode my 17m here. Launch has a big wide wind shadow and I slogged out about 80ft before catching enough wind to ride into the channel. In the channel is was easily 12m wind, depowered my 17m a bit. Rode upwind in the channel up to where the Caples launch was to confirm that A) the wind by the shore was stronger and B) the wind there was stronger and more consistent throughout the river, in general.

Another rider mentioned that Frenchman's was likely doable on a 17m atabout the same time I was out.

So, anyone hit sauvies and have a session report for today? This is an important piece of info in this puzzle.

sromano1995 · Since 22 May 2013 240 Posts Portland Stoked

It seems like none of the usual suspects went yesterday (8-06-2014) even though it looks like it was very rideable. If you want conditions for today (8-07-2014), I will be there.

ERiCMARiMBA · Since 22 May 2014 8 Posts United States Kook

I was at Sauvie's yesterday (8-6-14) but take my words with a grain of salt as I'm new to the sport.

I arrived around 4:30pm and left at 7pm. The infamous Steve was doing short laps on his 12 but the others, including me, had traded our kites for that other beach pleasure, beer! Kevin had a 14 and was able to kite better than me with my 11. There were brief gusts lasting less then a minute and even a short window that worked but you could see the end of the wind line on the water. Steve took advantage of this opportunity. As I left, around 7, it seemed to be picking up but I had places to go, people to see. Sounds like similar conditions to kalama imho.

Cheers,
ERiC

sromano1995 · Since 22 May 2013 240 Posts Portland Stoked

Darren... For what it is worth. So far this year, my success rate kiting at Sauvie with my 15m (or less) has been 100% (and I have probably been there over 20 times this year). Sure the wind will drop sometimes but it usually comes back to be rideable on a big kite. Last year, when my biggest kite was a 12m, my success rate was would 60-70%. If you have a 17m, and if the Sauvie Light 13 sensor predicts 11 or 12 mph, I can pretty much guarantee that you won't be skunked.

KCM · Since 30 Jun 2013 53 Posts Woodland WA.

Darren,
I think the Caples Rd. access is the ticket. There is a group of riders from Columbia City that I see frequently flying around. Apparently they have a "hot' launch site in CC. I would join them from the Caples Rd put-in, but have only recently become capable enough to hang without being too much trouble. Although I live in Woodland, I've been honing at SI with a really cool gang of great guys and gals. I'd love to try a down-winder from Kalama to Woodland sometime.