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Mon. Forecast for out east?

 
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dhanson928



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 99

PostPosted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:37 am    Post subject: Mon. Forecast for out east? Reply with quote

Anyone have a take on what is forecast to be a significantly windy day, with NorthEast(?) winds, starting early and lasting most of the day? I've been around here for a while but I don't recall seeing or hearing about a Northeast wind day out east.. Is this likely to happen? and why?

It'd be very strange, sailing Roosevelt and Arlington, trying to stay upwind AND upriver. Sailing starboard tack, heading for the Dump rather than the Silos....Weird if it actually happens.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have yet to hear any good reports from anyone trying to sail NE or E winds at Rosey/Arlington. Nothing sets up ... just hit and miss breezes with some gusts, no swell ... really pretty boring and a lot of work for a few rides. Probably better for kites than for pole dancers.

Port Kelley, OTOH, can get pretty decent and more interesting in NE winds. They wrap around the river bend through Wallula Gap pretty well, providing a pathway from PK to the huge wide open river bend east of the gap. There may be just enough swell for occasional turns -- better in more wind, obviously -- and it can provide much steadier wind than PK gets in westerlies. Last time I sailed N/NE winds there I just rigged my biggest gear -- 6.2 w/115 liter Synchro with the longest blade fin I own (40 cm?) and headed upwind milking the marginal 20 mph breezes, planing most of the time until the wind backed off. Great windsurfing? Definitely not, that day. But it was interesting just because it was something different. And blue desert skies add a lot to the equation.

And, unlike PK in westerlies, getting back when the wind backed off was a relaxed downwind slog right to the launch cove. (When PK westerlies back off, getting back is often a nightmare slog and/or a long swim.)

But .. oh, yeah .... PK is, what? ... 50 miles east of Arlington?
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dhanson928



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 99

PostPosted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:49 pm    Post subject: It was windy, but crappy looking .... Reply with quote

I had to go look anyhow after seeing well over 20 gusting into the 40s from the NNW mostly. Drove to Roosevelt and it was odd seeing the river behave backwards. It was blowing smoke and glassy at T-bird cove rather than on the Oregon side up west of there.

At Roosevelt the wind was almost right down the river, perhaps a bit off-shore (northerly) It was pretty fluky-looking along the Washington side, perhaps a bit more filled in on the Arlington side....Hard to judge with the wind and current together...no experience with this direction at that spot...

It may have been decent sailing, once away from the beach but it was pretty grim looking and cold and deserted! So I passed. If there had been one other sailor willing, I would have gone out just to give it a go, but maybe I'm getting wiser as I get older...A breakdown and a swim back in those conditions would have been...iffy.

I recall almost 20yrs ago sailing a reach or two at Rooster in 3.2, overpowered with snow flurries on Haloween day....alone, but with someone watching from the beach...Now that was "Young and dumb"...
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 8:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The trick is to launch at Arlington, where the wind are onshore for safety. Especially on lakes in cold weather, alone or with buds, I often drive to a lee launch just for that reason if conditions are dangerous.

I was once young and dumb, too; I actually sailed in temps in the 30s. But i the Gorge, I'm usually comfortable until close to Thanksgiving most years.

I've seen E wind whitecaps only once at Roosevelt. Along an obvious line from Rosey's east jetty to the Arlington jetty, they met W wind whitecaps head-on ... NOT a place you'd want to be kiting, since the colliding winds' only way out was straight up.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hope some of you are catching today out east. Even if I had two knees I'd be sitting on shore today, averaging 40s gusting into the 50s with probably much more at Port Kelley. Sunshine, blue skies, temps near 60, bare hands/head/feet, swell very likely topping 10 feet ... a nice November day in the Gorge.
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donmcd



Joined: 26 Jul 1999
Posts: 30

PostPosted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Best day this year and by far the strongest. Set a high bar. Arlington from 2 to 4, 3.2 69 big long sets. Never a dull moment.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good thing you stopped driving when you did. It got stronger by leaps and bounds further east; up to 50G60 @ 3Mile and maybe stronger at PK on the water.
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donmcd



Joined: 26 Jul 1999
Posts: 30

PostPosted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Victor called me and headed me off on way back from the cove. Too much on the inside there. He met me after launching at Arlington barefoot(tough guy). Roosevelt was right. Experience teaches not to drink from fire hoses. By the way, your observation right on the money. Bare head, hands and feet and never a bit cold. Swells were exactly as you would expect. So much wind and yet long glassy draws between the crests.
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