Maryhill & The Wall/Rufus Wind Direction

sissybar · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 53

I was ready for some nice rolling waves, Maryhill looked good @ WSW direction (<270 degrees). Wrong Mad

it looked like crap.

The wind could not make it beyond Maryhill Park, clearly rolling down the foothills out of the north. Or so it seemed.

Someone remind me what Maryhill wind directions to avoid or what the deal was with the wind today??

sterbie · Joined: 23 Jul 2000 Posts: 5

WSW is a good direction for Maryhill and maybe you showed up late.... solid 4.2 from Maryhill to the Cove yesterday from 12:30 to 3:30... started to get holy and gusty around 3:30 but stayed sailable until about 4 pm...

Larry.Lampshade · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 23

it used to be about 270 or so, but as you noticed, that is now quite north and not so good.

I don't have the exact degree where it is good, but the ideal direction reads at a lower degree now than what it did a year or so ago.

ericandholly · Joined: 20 Jun 1999 Posts: 292

When it's a frontal push with cool air and clouds making it to The Dalles it often stays good all day. On a more typical summer day, however, SE Oregon gets hot and an intense thermal low develops which starts pulling air and consequently changes the wind direction. Since 3-4 is the prime heating hours for land, that's why the wind often goes to hell out there then.

Go early

hilton08 · Joined: 02 Apr 2000 Posts: 506

Yes, the Wall is very sensitive to the wind direction.
I blame the bad (gusty) days on turbulence coming off of the big rock wall itself.
When the Wall isn't working, rather than driving back to Doug's or out to Roosevelt, try Rufus instead. It seems to work when the wind has just a little bit of North in it. The wider river/Gorge at Rufus seems to smooth out the gusts and lulls. The swells aren't quite as tall as at the Wall, but they can be wide enough to share with a few friends.
Yesterday (7/22) was a prime example. I know several people who left the Wall without even getting on the water, but the wind at Rufus was great.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Wain a minute. Rufus is a bumpy 6-7 mile drive, but only a very broad reach or two, away from The Wall. They drove? That whole stretch is just one contiguous playground, much like Swell-Wells, and the Maryhill corridor escalator provides lull insurance often lacking at Swell-Wells.

Mike \m/

hilton08 · Joined: 02 Apr 2000 Posts: 506

I didn't drive, but I wish I had. I went out in holey 4.2 conditions at the Wall and sailed down to Rufus to test my theory about the wind. Sure enough, when I got to Rufus it was more like overpowered 3.7 conditions. I was able to hang on to the 4.2, but would have been happier starting at Rufus on the 3.7.

WMP · Joined: 30 May 2000 Posts: 671