Home Valley

blythefly · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 22

Anyone ever sail out of Home Valley? Is it ever any good? I've driven by a few times and seen it look windy sometimes. I can't remember seeing any sails out there.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Sure. It's by no means the Hatchery or Doug's or The Wall, but that's not all bad. It used to get very crowded on land, but seldom on the water because there's lots of space. The swell there is nothing like those other spots, but it's also not as choppy as Celilo or as the Hatchery can get on crowded, gusty days. It's generally a pretty mellow spot even when it's very windy ... a good spot for sailors who feel a bit overwhelmed by windy July weekends at SwellHatch. Some sailors launch there to sail the windier narrows east of Home Valley, or to do downwinders to Stevenson on east winds. We've also seen many days of blazing hot late summer blasts of strong wind there.

Mike \m/

WMP · Joined: 30 May 2000 Posts: 671

Not been good in awhile. Home Valley is always super hard to predict, always a surprise package.

No sensor, no cam = no crowd.

Summer pattern usually serves up a good, consistent 2-3 hour AM sesh between 9:30 and 12:30, then wind pattern shifts more from the south which splits Home Valley wind with a big ugly hole down the middle... need to sail 1/2 mile east or west of the launch site in this case where the wind pattern comes back together.

Home Valley is best known for the early season east winds (September - October) early in the day 9:30 AM until about noon..... about the time Stevenson powers up.

WMP

jota · Joined: 28 Feb 2001 Posts: 205

Home Valley is great for downwinders to Stevenson on East wind days! It's a classic downwinder, probably my favorite.

Choosing the right sail can involve a bit of guesswork as the wind generally picks up as you head downwind. If you're leaving a car at Stevenson, check out the wind there carefully before rigging back at Home Valley.

If you are alone or otherwise don't have an extra car to shuttle, it's pretty easy to hitchhike back to Home Valley if you catch a departing windsurfer leaving Stevenson.

blythefly · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 22

Thanks to all for the answers.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Maybe so, but it sure jams up the best spots. We used to be able to have the premiere spots to ourselves when they blew outside their usual pattern or against the forecast, but alas, no mas, or at least rarely. Real time data is both a blessing and a curse, but one thing it seldom does is leave "uncrowded + wind + swell unused".

Mike \m/

jota · Joined: 28 Feb 2001 Posts: 205

WMP · Joined: 30 May 2000 Posts: 671

westender · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 1288 Location: Portland / Gorge

It's hard to judge the sail size from shore there. Rig about a size bigger than it looks in a W wind?? There will probably not be anyone there to ask.

Back in the day you could drive out to the point and hang out. Now you have to wade through the swill pool to get to the river.

If it's not lined up right, the wind can be REALLY bad out in front. When it's good, up by the river mouth is about as good a slalom reach as you'll find anywhere. Then you can go into Scorpion beach for a rest.

Haven't driven through yet this year but for the last several, the outhouses were decommissioned?? Shocked

WMP · Joined: 30 May 2000 Posts: 671