Wind on Sunday
 

I'd like to hear what you guys had for wind today in different areas.
I tried a new spot for me today and would like to know how it compared to wind in other areas.
Terms like range, up at ...... down around.... (time) and if it was gusty or solid all day would be cool.

Thanks in advance.

5 of us up at three rooker island south end 17 to 23 knots from 10:00 to 4:30 droped to 15 right at 4:00 for the last 1/2 hour. rode the 10m for a while and wanted a little more swithced to the 12m SB3 the rest of the day. Beautiful day!! How was it where you were?

Not as good, maybe 15-18mph. We were on 9m's having an ok time, but it was gusty... sounds like it was better up there (no surprise).

Thanks for that info.
There has never been any doubt in my mind that it is windier north of about Madeira on due North winds. Some days (this really was true 3 seasons ago) it would blow solid 20 all day up at Sand Key and not even really blow south of Madeira.

I don't care too much about chasing "more" wind these days as much as I am interested in solid, stable wind.
If it's solid 15 or more, I am good to go. Any more is nice, but not necessary.
Sure it's fun to boost huge in the gusts and all, but doing my 3 unhooked tricks in that stuff is a nightmare if gusty (for me, anyway).

It was gusty where I was, imo, and I resorted to riding hooked in. Still fun and great out.

Thanks for the info.

Whitey was the only one that said where he rode today. What about you guys, Scott and Tom?

I had the backside of east beach pretty much all to myself. When I got there around noon or so Steve Sadler was there, Abomb and a few others. Abomb and I were able to ride our 15's for a while, real light though...

As soon as we put them down it cranked back up to about 18-23. Chad, Daniel, and a few others showed up, but no more than 6 or 7 people all day.

I switched to my 12 and was lit. A little later in the day it backed off just enough to put the 15 Rev back in the air, I cruised over to the Skyway to say hi to Randy, cruised back to east beach and rode till about 5.

I'm interested to hear where everyone else rode. The wind kept changing directions from NNE to what seems to be NNW and straight N at times.

wierd

I rode at someone else's semi-secret location. If he hops on and announces it, that's cool.
I just assume not, though.
It's out in the middle of nowhere, very limited access.
The surroundings were gorgeous, the wind was adequate, the launch left much to be desired.

It sounds like the wind was about the same where I was compared to BS EB.
It was changing directions a lot, until it turned NW at around 2:30 or 3 or so, then it stayed out of that direction and was more stable.
I doubt I will be going back there, mainly because of the drive and the launch. BS SW is literally 3 minutes from my house... so. :)

north beach all day
 

Well, I got to north beach @ like 9 this morning and there was zero wind. I saw the clouds coming in so I went to pass-a-grille to wait for the line. Around 10 it started to pick up a bit and a did a underpowered downwinder to north beach. Around 11/12 it started cranking and Sam and I were lit on 12's until around 4 when it started to drop.

the grille waz nice side on.
scott were you @ tent beach?

A little advice for what it is worth.....more and more folks seem to be using the backside of East Beach.....and walking kites through the mangroves. There can be some nasty updrafts coming off the mangroves and very gusty conditions. It might seem harmless, but when things go wrong it can get really ugly fast. Very risky IMO. Walk your gear already inflated and lines attached through the cut at the roundabout and launch on the other side. Even at high tide, you can wade out a bit a have a much better launch and avoid the risks of you or your kite in the mangroves. I saw one guy eat it last week in the mangroves, and another kite land in the mangroves on a landing. No one got hurt, but again this sport is all about minimizing the risks. I tried walking through once, and although nothing happened, I felt it was risky. The nice thing about that place like today is it works on NNE, N, and NW. Your covered in varying wind directions like today that can drive you a little nuts.

Had a great time today at Three Rooker with all the team riders from Watersports West. That place has so many possibilities.

Access at 3 rooker is very limited too. From now on that's our secret spot. ;) But come on out and join us it's beautiful and wide open. Butter flats on one side and big nastey waves on the other. Gabe did a complete lap around the island today. Went up wind on the inside all the way to the north end and did a down winder on the out side back to the boats. Then we let the two riders with the least experience ride from 3 R down wind to the north end of Honeymoon. I went down to pick them up and found them riding back and forth in the baby pool inside the pocket, had to force them to put the kites down and go home at 5:00 PM. Last Sunday I was the only one riding up there nuked on an 8m for 5 hours came home and read about you guys on 12's. You could not have put a 12m kite up at that place last Sunday. It just goes to show what a diverse place we live in. That's why we drive to east beach when we have to. Friday at east beach was a blast. Rest and honey do's on Saturday Sunday at 3R. Enjoy the power of the wind.

i gotta agree with steve-o the backside of east beach is really Sketchy if you dont know what your doing or if you get to close to the mangroves but over all it was a good session with danny and chad

backside eastbeach is definetly a little on the sketchy side, but it works. The potential for gear wreckage is pretty high though, and walking through the mangroves with a kite up is not for the faint of heart!!!! I was disappointed to see people trying to ride the frontside of EB again with an offshore wind. Why would you do that???? It gives the wrong impression too, a newbie was pumping up his kite over there, and kept looking around seeing kites on both sides. He looked a little confused, and when i approached him he asked "is today a good day to practice?? ive only been out twice." Without being a dick i tried to explain the situation, and suggested maybe he sit this one out. His uncertainty was confirmed when he watched danny launch me from a wind shadow and i ran through the mangroves with a fluttering kite. Decent wind though, probly 13-18 knts with some gusts, rode a 14sb3 for about an hour then got on my 16sb2 til 5:30 or so. Went from NNE to NNW later on.

we had 16-20 mph at Venice beach as it shifted around from cross shore to side on. i warmed up by doing some body drags with a 7m North and 11m Wipika and about 5 minutes into boarding with my Wipika the stitching along the leading edge suddenly ripped open causing the bladder to bulge out. needless to say it put an early end to my session. but the wind was picking up and the 7m provided some downwind fun as long as i kept it moving real fast. can anybody recommend a kite repair shop ?

Wait a sec. Guys are walking through that one small opening in the mangroves to get to the other side of EB on North wind?!
Really bad idea.

I assumed you guys were launching on the "normal" side and then riding upwind, that's what I do on North out there. Although driving all the way to EB to launch that way (when you can launch BS SW and ride over there in one tack) doesn't make sense to me... but to each his own.

What does it take, 3 minutes to ride upwind around the mangroves if you don't walk through?
I would take the 3 minutes and play it safe.
I can guarantee someone will get worked out there doing that walking through, if it continues. It's just a matter of time.
I did that ONCE like 6 years ago... there's a reason I never did it again (C kite or not). Now I know why you guys are saying it's sketchy. Lmao.

Easier said than done. Becasue of the wind shadow from the mangroves its hard to launch on the regular east beach side. When I arrived Abomb and I tried numerous methods to get his kite up and finally succeded. Steve-O has the right idea, rig as close to the walk-thgouth then walk your lines out into the water and launch your kite on the water side of the opening.

N Beach was good nicely powered on an 8 from 1 to 3 and a 12 before than at 180 lbs. nice surprise on the wind today after nothing this morning. remained steady n to nnw for the majority of the day and there wanst much current either my guess was 18 the morning and it was probibly about 23 give or take a few. seemed significaltly windier on the gulf than the bay today.

Did Adam walk out 30 yards from shore?
I've done it at least 6 times, never a hitch. I put my kite out in the water, let it drift far enough out to catch some wind, water launch it, and ride. It's not dead offshore wind. Once you get out about 30 yards on a North, the wind is good enough to water launch and ride upwind around the point. It's only blocked in close to shore. I guess you'd have to walk a ways out and get your kite wet, but after missing a whole season to an injury, and knowing how much that sucks, that's a small precautionary price to avoid getting whacked again, in my view.

Hopefully nothing will happen walking through there. :)

i dont think walking through there is a life or death situation, thats what the QR is for:) . The threat is against your precious kite!!! Those mangroves don't look friendly. It's not an ideal place to ride imo, no easy place to land if you get in trouble, etc. Wasn't real stoked, rode pretty conservatively. Shoulda just hit the beaches up here closer to home , but it was nne this am at sunset and dunedin and without a boat north county ain't happenin for nne, so EB it was, then a few hours later its NNW, perfect for north county beaches. Gotta love it!!! no sweat, any day under tight lines is a good one just gotta be careful

Scott how about those pics?? You have pics of us riding on your camera (thanks Donna).

I know I want mine :)

I haven't looked, I forgot once I started studying.

Donna did a good job, considering my camera is a p.o.s. and it was gloomy out at first.

I added a few more from a while back.

http://web.mac.com/scottfears/Site/S...oBook_One.html

pictures look great scott/donna!! I love to see other people's perspectives from behind a camera. good stuff!

what happens when 20 mph winds hit a 10-15ft mangrove wall... it causes an updraft that combined with the 15-20mph wind thats already blowing can give you quite a suprise, i wouldnt recommend it either... not worth the risk to me, let alone my kite, what would happen if you pulled the QR... bye bye kite in off shore conditions :(

Thanks. I need a new camera though, the quality of those pics is poor.
The camera is now 5 years old and can't focus any more for being dropped too many times and spending far too much time in/near water and sand. When I first bought it, that camera was the best bang for the buck out there. Now, it's literally worn out.

I wouldn't worry about it, Danny.
If something goes wrong, Jim will call an ambulance and that will be that. He won't threaten access.
The kite will most likely be picked up and kept by a boater (like so many in the past).

kite access wasnt even on my mind..... i was only concerned for the rider...

So to steer this back in a positive direction....Scott's rec. of launching a little offshore and then riding upwind around, or walking your gear through the cut and then launching in the clear are two options that would minimize the risk.

I do worry about riders safety.

You'll drive yourself crazy Steve, trust me.
Do you worry about car driver's safety while driving to work or soldier's safety every day? Gotta draw the line somewhere.
If we post and guys blow it off, we did our best. I wouldn't literally worry (I take words literally, not as figures of speech).
I did worry a lot about safety for years and have seen at least ten ambulance rides and at least 40 "drive to hospital myself" scenarios.
I can't afford to worry anymore, it kills my stoke.

Acess is always first on my mind in all these scenarios.
If a guy getting hurt jeopardizes access, I am deeply concerned about rider behavior in that area.
If a guy getting whacked doesn't affect access, I don't care much if guys don't want to listen to advice.

There are a few spots where riders getting hurt could still get us kicked out. The SW (especially if in the road) is one of them.
EB is heavily insulated from such issues, as Jim Wilson has assured me.
So, walk through those mangroves guys, don't take 5 minutes to protect your kite and yourself. :cool:

Well said Scott. Some of these guys are going to do what they want. I have tried once, and don't plan to do it again.

Agreed, we are all big boys and girls here. I too was originally concerned with these access and danger issues but now just feel that everyone is responsible for themselves and their own actions. We can be there to try and help *if* the $h!+ hits the fan but otherwise there really is no reason for riders to tell one another what to do (unless they are under educated or asking for help)... I have just seen too much banter back and forth with no end resolution other than hard feelings, it never solves anything. If someone wants to do something, they will do it whether others like it or not. Just my $0.02

wow..given the number of quality launches in the area i cant see why anyone would walk through anything to get to that area behind EB.

I'd just go to backside skyway and head across the channel..

Scotts method is the "best" .. but still.. I'd never even consider doing it given the risks to my equipment and myself. maybe in the case of extreme overcrowding.. but even then its a big risk.. something goes wrong and the least you will do is lose/damage your kite..

Walking through is begging for a lofting/injury, so is launching behind the tree line. You cant see updrafts. Walk WAY out and drift launch. If you cant drift launch I will be happy to demonstrate /assist.
The biggest danger to our sport is newbies teaching their friends their bad habits and thinking they are acceptable. Bad habits create unnecessary risks and cause accidents. Please leave the teaching to qualified instructors. If $$$ is an issue for lessons,call me, I give free or discounted lessons to those who want to learn safely.
North winds at BSEB are dead onshore, EVERYONE should be practicing further out.1 loop of the kite and you're in the mangroves.OUCH
Be SAFE

Ask bayflite about what happens when a line gets tangled in a tree. Fortunately he only got a real cool nick name and a helicopter ride instead of a tombstone. But the punctured lung sort of took the enjoyment out of the ride.

You guys are killing me. I have bets out with 4 guys on the response time of an ambulance to EB since I heard about this. They think the amb. can get there in less than 10 minutes, I bet a lot on the fact that it will take 12 minutes or more.
Please don't screw with my easy money, seriously.

These guys are only giving me 6 months and then all bets are off.
They won't wait forever. (yes, some people will take bets on just about anything).
Just shut the $%% up already before no one gets hurt and I don't get paid.
Geez, what's a guy gotta' do around here to the 7th ambulance out to EB?
Only 1 made it in less than ten minutes, so I am 6 to 1. C'mon, cut me some slack guys. :)

Nice Pics Scott, i like the one of me in the air, minus board and hair LOL

Brian,

You know the quality of the flats area behind East Beach. It is pretty sick. Well on a NNE that launch on the backside of the Skyway wouldn't work. Hence yesterday's winds being NNE, then North, then NNW.....well you can see why some might choose to use the backside on a day like yesterday.

I am definately not trying to tell anyone what to do, but just offering some advice. The gust and unpredictability of the wind over the mangroves is nasty and definately increases risks of problems.

On that note, even when it is blowin NE, or E....I still prefer East Beach over anywhere else as so many others. With that being said, the backside is still so much better than the frontside as far as riding quality....IMO. Friday had a ton of kiters on the frontside and was honestly not much room to ride.

I think guys and girls like myself are just exploring other options of more open locations to ride.

I think all of this has been very healthy discussion about a spot that I see being used more and more. Many use the Skyway area due to convenience, well the same goes true for East Beach....it's just closer for some.

Phil. Glad you liked your pics. You were UP THERE... dude!!

Seriously, you were hitting 30 footers that day... I remember.
It was blowing 30 or more (one of those 12 knots straight to 30 East winds at the SW). The pics don't do your height justice.

The backside of EB rocks, especially the walk through the mangroves.

East Beach just plain ROCKS!

don't waste your money on my head scott, much like yourself and steve-o i tried this launch once and don't plan on doing it again. The general conclusion from everyone seems to be the same, backside EB is a sketchy launch but a risk some are willing to take. Some advice was offered from a few instructors on how to minimize that risk. No one is encouraging riding there, just describing what can happen, the most likely of which is annihilating your kite in the mangroves. To avoid "tone" issues i'm announcing mine as positive, not trying to start a war here:)

Neither am I. I was just poking fun on me gambling with your health as a way to show that you were gambling.

Many of us that have been around awhile have noticed that most bad scenarios are the result of several little things all going wrong in succession. No one sees it all coming. In hindsight it seems like "oh yeah... duh.. 1, 2, 3, 4 what am I gettin' whacked for?"
But for most, they didn't see it coming (including me).
My personal view is that if you remove 1 or 2 little things from the picture, you greatly reduce your odds of having 5 things occur in succession that will whack you. It's actually pretty straightforward: 1-5 can't happen without 1 and 2.
The easiest thing to remove from the scenario is objects downwind. That's what usually whacks you, so I guess it's 4 and 5 in the process (?)

Anyway, good discussion. Maybe it just reinforced that sh.it can and will go wrong. Even if it's rare, it's best to not be in front of a tree when it does. :)