Blog: 3rd. Ave & The Wall: victims of battling winds

[windfind]

Hi Gang,

When it comes to topography and gaps in mountains funneling winds the Bay Area easily has the most complex complex wind machine in the USA. This is especially true for 3rd. Ave. which can receive competing winds from the San Bruno Gap, the Hay. 92 gap and over low spots in the coast range to the west. That battle is sometimes waged just inland of the launch area as NW, W and SW winds battle in the afternoon. Hence the often crappy forecasts for the winds inside.

Here is a blog about a conceptually similar situation in the Gorge. If you like big swell and strong wind the corridor from The Wall to Rufus can have some of the best windsurfing and kiting anywhere on a good day. But, like 3rd, it often has bad days due to battling winds near the launch areas.

So if you visit the Gorge or even if it is just on your bucket list check out this blog link and visualize how the San Bruno Gaps NW winds and the Hay. 92 gaps SW winds interact in a similar way near 3rd.

http://blog.weatherflow.com/west-coast-wind-blog-the-wall-wind-direction-and-2-venturis/

Mike Godsey
iwindsurf.com/ikitesurf.com
Weatheflow.com

[airwave]

The only time I have every really feared for my life and not returning to the shore was on a day at Maryhill when the wind was just as described.
Dead on the Washington side, 30 on the Oregon side with a 7K current and no way to swim through the rip next to the MaryHill launch.
The jetty by the marina near the bridge has an eddy that allowed me safe passage to shore before washing past the bridge.