Current Conditions (pun intended).

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1489 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

With the current conditions the launch situation is going to get ugly real fast.
1. sandbar is underwater and we cannot launch off the grass rendering the Event site
useless for kiters.
2. high water at Spit is intimidating to beginner and intermediates rendering it as
a good spot spot for some but not for most.
3. the Marina option is good, but too small. Kiters took over the whole beach
yesterday even though we're supposed to be using only the far east end of the
beach.
4. Stevenson and Rowena are options but cannot handle the big crowds that would
usually congregate at the ES this time of year.

Solutions for the coming summer crowds?
1. Any possibility we can get permission to launch off the grass at ES?
Relegated to east end to avoid conflict with windsurfers.
Encourage beach-going sunbathers to use new beach up the road.
2. Expand the Marina zone to the whole beach.
Encourage beach-going sunbathers to use new beach-front water park.

Pepi · Fri May 20, 11 8:34 am **Re: Current Conditions (pun intended).**

pdxmonkeyboy · Fri May 20, 11 8:57 am

I wouldn't sweat it. By the time crowds arrive the water will be lower. I know thy the dams are spilling as much water as they legally can right now.

If your not confident in your skills to safely launch and land given the conditions...then don't. Welcome to the gorge Smile

forrest · Fri May 20, 11 9:18 am

That's pretty much it. You must be confident in your skills. This is some of the best times to be a gorge kiter, but launching in high water is not for beginners. If you are a beginner find someone to watch over you. A lot of times you can just chat with someone on the beach and they will partner up with you if they're heading out to the same place on the river.

Even if there was a large beach to launch and land from you'd still need to be able to cope with being swept downriver while slowly becoming hypothermic and no board or kite to save you, maneuver around dead heads and other large logs, and generally cope with gnarly conditions. You know how to swim in current right? You have a 5/3 with an integrated hood, and booties?

There is no large beach so everyone just needs to share. Don't come in right when someone is walking across the beach, kite in air, trying to get out. Have your stuff in the right area and be quick to get off the beach.

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1489 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

thanks Pepi!
my main concern is that kiters will spill over and use the beach areas that we're not supposed to be using (like yesterday at Marina).
You guys have worked hard to improve the image of kiters and get more better access so I'd hate to see a temporary problem cause us to digress and get a reputation as beach-hogging accident-prone jerks.
Yesterday, I witnessed an advanced kiter launching at the west end of the marina beach (closed to kiters), fluky winds, kite fell out of the sky onto the beach and missed a 3 year old who was making sand castles by 3 feet.
Just hoping we can educate fellow kiters and encourage beach-goers to use the appropriate areas.

forrest · Fri May 20, 11 9:52 am

The 3 year old was my daughter, she's actually 2. No cause for concern. Actually, I believe my daughter was the only kid on the beach and I don't recall any kite coming within 3 feet of her. Are you sure this happened? If it did I guess I need to pay some more attention, haha!

Pepi · Fri May 20, 11 10:46 am

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1861 Posts XTreme Poster

Thanks Pepi and the rest of CGKA. I think a reasonable High Water contingency plan is in order. Regardless of what shkill level we are talking about, the postage stamp size area at the Sand Spit is going to get overwhelmed soon enough.