Cape Blanco

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

We spent a couple of days down at Cape Blanco state park and kited at Floras Lake for the first time. It was fun! At sunset we would take our 4wd down onto the beach just south of Cape Blanco, and I noticed a nice side\onshore wind. It was at least a 3 mile long beach. The waves were very mellow with several spots that had almost no waves at all. I was very tempted to make that my first trip kiting into the Oregon ocean, but I would have been the only person out there and I knew nothing about the currents in that area. So I decided to play it safe and we headed north to South Jetty Florance and had a great first Oregon ocean session there surrounded by some other kiters.

Has anyone ever kited around Cape Blanco? On the Oregon and Washington coasts - if the wind looks good and the waves look right - is it OK to head out? (perferably with a buddy) Or are there areas that a kiter should totally avoid? Is it best just to stick with the established coastal kite spots?

cosmodog · Since 06 Oct 2005 204 Posts Stoked

I windsurfed Cape Blanco 10+ years ago - if I remember correctly it was a bit holey with small waves. Don't remember any crazy currents or large sharks but YMMV...

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

Thanks for the info. It sounds like it gets really windy down there sometimes. We took the lighthouse tour and the guides talked about how the old caretakers used to tether themselves together to walk from the living quarters to the lighthouse so that they wouldn't get blown off the cliff. They talked about how sometimes the wind would blow rocks up from the beach a quarter mile away and break the windows in the lighthouse. They also said that they recorded a gust of over 160 mph. The gauge only went to 160 and the gust peaked out the meter and broke it!

Scriffler · Since 03 Jul 2005 581 Posts LYLE Addicted

The kiting can be good there, albeit very gusty. Waves are generally disorganized and sloppy. You should head to Gold Beach and kite the south jetty, best kiting on the west coast. Full south swell exposure, butter flat water outside and perfect sandbanks during the spring,summer and fall. Not really ever crowded and perfect to setup a downwinder. Launch in Nesika beach and sample some of the finest kiteboarding in the world.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

I saw whitey at Gold Beach but he dont care - cause he sees you all time...

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

Cape Blanco is one of the 3 windiest places on Oregon coast.
The actual cape has hard launch due to shorebreak pounding on the beach.
Don't know what beach you have in the picture but I remeber driving on the beach there years ago looking for a mythical break at the mouth of some river...
Never found it.
But we did find wind and beach to launch - just no waves.
Also - no break from the wind and blowing sand. It's a miserable place to hang out when it's windy.
Go for it.

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

Yeah - the shore break right at the cape looked like only the most advanced kiters could get out there.

This is the beach just south of the cape about 3 miles long of wide open sand (at least at low tide when we were there). I am just starting out my 2nd season of kiting - I am not a wave rider yet, so I was looking for the easiest smoothest beach launch I could find. The pic below is a picture of the cape from that beach. I was a bit nervous about "whitey" wondering if I am the only one out there splashing around - am I just ringing the dinner bell? Wink

When we were up in the lighthouse the day before, I saw several large creatures breach the water along that beach. So it let me know that there were some critters out there...........

It all turned out good, cause the kiting at South Jetty in Florance was awesome. Just perfect for my kite size and abilities and I wasn't kiting alone. But back to my question at the top - are there tempting beaches on the Oregon coast that are really off limits to kiters? Or not smart places to kite?

Scribble · Since 18 Nov 2005 636 Posts NoPo Addicted

Definitely no sharks at the South Jetty in Florence.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1693831/posts

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

LOL - yeah I have seen that story. But for some reason it feels safer to have others around you out in the waves. There were about 6 other kiters out there with me. It doesn't make a bit of difference to the shark. If he decides to hit you - he is going to hit you. At one point I had even lost my board because I got way more air off a wave than I thought I was going to get. I had a cut on my hand from earlier in the day, and that was the fastest body drag back to my board ever! Smile

Macaframa · Since 06 Jul 2010 81 Posts California Delta

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 659 Posts Mosier Addicted

Aeolus · Wed Jul 06, 11 1:21 am

Floras crew has got the beta on the Blanco deal...chat them up next time you ride the lake.

Two words for you...steep beaches...you should try some of that shitoz out. Always good to know what to do with those little (big) bastards sections.

If you get down to Gold Beach/Pistol soon you get to watch the locals swim around chasing strapless surfboards in 6m wind in hellacious shore pound. This my friends is a good show. Come join the fun Thumb's Up

Is it really windy down here?.....Is Michele Bachmann a lunatic?

And the landlord...make your peace with it....I am personally more afraid of dying in a chevy chevette on I-5....so not cool.

Launching at Nesika Beach puts you riding outside around three prominent rocky headlands...if you're into that kinda of kinky stuff have at it...Gold Beach South Jetty to Visitor center is cool...nw better than n better than ne.