Toll Plaza: flogging a dead horse

[faradroka1]

The forecasters keep telling us its impossible to forecast toll plaza without a sensor. So.....why not put a sensor at Toll plaza? Its one of the most used East Bay sites and would get even more use if there were a dang sensor there. Cmon eyekite/wind surf, put one up!

<excuse>We got a one Bay Bridge Toll Plaza wind report yesterday. I will keep doing the TP forecasts as long as we get reports; lacking a sensor it is impossible for us to learn to forecast for this site unless we get forecast feedback from kiters. If you want continued forecasts for this site send in reports vs. forecast so we can learn to forecast for the spot. mike@iwindsurf.com</excuse>

[windfind]

Hi faradroka1,

For over a year we have been trying find a secure location for a sensor near the Bay Bridge toll plaza. So far every property owner in the area has either turned us down or not even returned calls. We continue working on it and are open to any suggestions for a sensor site.

Trying to learn to forecast for a site without sensor feedback about the actual wind is like trying to teach someone to jibe when you cannot see what happens when they try to jibe.

So lacking a sensor the only way I can learn to forecast for the toll plaza launch is by getting wind reports from customers regarding the actual wind vs. the forecast.

To you that seems like an "excuse". To me it seems like I am going out of my way to serve customers. What is your suggestion?

And thanks to the people who have taken time to send in constructive wind reports. Keep them coming!

Mike Godsey
iwindsurf.com

[andydavis]

How about the Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant (510-655-3388) at the end of the Emeryville marina? Might not be exactly at the right spot, but we would learn to correlate the observed velocities at Berkeley, TI and there with the Toll Plaza

[victor]

it would be helpful if someone figured out the precise wind direction that can make toll plaza rideable when berkeley is not.

it seems like it isn't usually windy at both places at the same time.

[windfind]

Thanks Andy, good to hear from you!

I will check out the restaurant location. But first does anyone who kites TP have thoughts about the restaurant location in the imagery below?

The issue for forecasting for the Toll Plaza is that it is in the center of the wind divergence zone that makes Alameda often have very weak winds and causes Berkeley to die suddenly. So there can be solid wind heading towards the Toll Plaza but it diverges to the north before arriving at the beach.

The models have a really hard time modeling winds that local. But with a sensor I can try to gradually learn the pattern that will allow the wind to fill in to the TP beach.

Mike Godsey
iwindsurf.com

[tomg]

I drive by the toll plaza launch every time i sail TI and agree that Emeryville Marina would be a good proxy. The kiters seems to like the spot, but the access road and parking are sketchy at best so i don't go there (that says something coming from a TI regular!).

I suspect the property owner (likely Caltrans or State Lands Commission) don't want anyone visiting, so are resistant to working with iW. There is a new park being planned for the area where the old bridge touches down, but i doubt it will afford good access on the north side and obviously they can't build the park until the bridge is completely gone.

And BTW Mike, I think you guys are doing an awesome job and absolutely would have given up the sport a long time ago without the iW sensor network.

[andydavis]

there are other little businesses (sportfishing, the jetboat kite people, the Harbor master) out there; although, maybe not as well located.