Jones Beach/ Nuke Alley

[PennyB]

Did anyone sail Jones/ Nuke Alley yesterday during the height of the heat wave? The wind graph did not look all that great as far as wind speed, but it always seems to under estimate the actual wind. Is a NW direction good to sail there? Anybody headed there today?
Penny

[westender]

Dunno but the Woodland stretch was great slalom weather all day. Was on a 5.2 for hours.

[isobars]

Nuke Alley/Jones Beach (i.e., Clatskenie, in general) loves NW winds. If it's chilly in Astoria (it's not) and hot in Portland, and if NW breezes are forecast for Portland (they are not), Clatskenie can rip. My guess, based on trips there many years ago, is that Astoria is too warm (in the 70s) for good wind @ Clatskenie; I think it takes a much larger temperature gradient (more like 30-40 degrees), but maybe that's not necessary for larger gear.

However:
1. Watch July and especially August for Astoria in the 50s, Portland in the 90s, and HR @ triple digits. Then Nuke and Jones can blow night and day for a week or more on end in the 3.2-5.7 range, taking breaks only from breakfast 'til late morning. This can be some of the steadiest winds you'll ever find on the Columbia, except that each session will be on a smaller sail than the last. 5.7 @ 11 AM, down to 3.x after supper, for day after day after day after day after day after day after day after day after day after day .. let's see ... is that 10 days? Yup; seen it numerous times in mid-August, while everybody else just bakes in the corridor with their heads in the sand because no one told them to drive.

2. Maybe there's much more to it than that. If someone else who goes there more often and more recently says all that's not necessary for good wind there, take his word for it.

3. The tide timing matters big time. Flood/incoming tides flatten that place out like a steam roller and all but require slalom gear and beaucoup power to stay upwind. Ebb tides generate some swell and let you play on it. I've forgotten the tide timing sources; I'm sure someone can point you and me to them.

Mike \m/

[mccoyms]

I sail almost exclusively at Jones Beach, and haven't found that you need more than 12-15 degrees of temperature differential between Astoria and Portland to see decent wind. The wind gauge definitely underreports the actual wind speed, and the forecast tends to be on the low side as well. A pressure differential of .07 or more also seems to lead to good winds. The information about the tide is very important in regards to staying upwind. Outgoing tides with good wind leads to great swells on the Washington side.

[PennyB]

Mccoyms,

The Astoria/Portland temp difference is 24 degrees and the gradiant is .11 W and increasing. So this sounds like a great set up although the wind is reported at 16 with gusts to 21 on I-windsurf. It is just after 5. Is it too early? Wind at Astoria is WSW. Is that direction important as well?

Hope you are out sailing now and can get back to this tonight. I am really interested in your take on sailing here. I always have fun when it is "on" and look forward to sailing Jones/Nuke as the summer continues.

Penny

[isobars]

[Bret]

Saturday Nuke Alley wwwas real fun. I was on my 5.2 and was having so much fun. It was blowing at 2:00 and at 3:30 it was great.
'
Sunday the wind was coming a slight bit out of the North causing issues. I was on my 5.2. I was overpowered and had too big of a board. Ryan ripped it he was all over Nuke Alley on a 4.7 84 Liter Quatro. What an awesome sailor!

Data Source: difference in temp that's how I do it and it works. If there is a 20 degree difference in a forecast it will rip on a 5.2. If its 25 degrees smaller sail. If the weather folks call 70 degrees in Astoria and 94 in Portland it's Nukin! at Nuke. If there is a 14 degree Temp difference from experience I am on a 7.0.

[PennyB]

Bret,

Looked like fun to me, wished I had been there.

Wind out of the north a problem? Just on the Nuke Alley side? What is the best direction?

Penny

[mccoyms]

I was out sailing right after I posted the message yesterday. I was overpowered on a 6.0 and a 114L (I weigh 220). I should have been using a 5.3 after 5 pm.
As to the crime issues, I always launch on the Washington side, so I can't say much about the actual beach.
I don't actually check the tides prior to sailing there, I just go in the afternoon when it's windy regardless of the tide. I learned to sail there, so I spent a LOT of time hiking up and down the shore on the Washington side. I even had to derig my gear on the Washington side of Nuclear Alley once and hike back to get my car because I was so far downstream. I've ended up even farther upstream at times.
I've never had a sinus infection from sailing there, but I do get some allergies after sailing (but that seems to be consistent anywhere in the river). The only place I haven't had a problem with that is in Maui.
I can't give many more specifics for forecasting than I already listed. I only live 15 minutes away, so it isn't a big deal for me if I make a mistake on the forecast. A friend and I are planning to put up a webcam to get a better idea of the conditions prior to driving out there.

[PennyB]

Westender,
I have not heard of people sailing at Woodland. Where do you launch? What conditions do you look for as far a predicting a good day?
Thanks!
Penny