Summer trade winds?

[Unimog Bob]

It blows different depending on where you are. I have seen it blowing really good at PaG and only be blowing 8 knots at Treasure Island. Also, the sensors are meaningless for Wests/NWs, imo. Most of them along the beach don't do a good job of reporting wind, or report it 2 hours too late. I haven't looked at a sensor for NW in over 6 years. Chris Moore knows that
You have to be at the beach or use the beach cams. I live close and use the beach cams.

It just blew solid 17+ plus at least (probably hovering around 20) from the NW to NNW for a few hours and is still blowing at PaG/Upham.
I was actually overpowered (in terms of unhooking) on my 13m 'Roo. That happens right at 20. I would have been better on an 11m or even 9m for unhooking. Obviously you could hold on to anything hooked in, but why? .

The cam is better with moving pics, because you get a feel for how many whitecaps there are. But here is a single frame.

[LSUkiter]

I think the sensors are my downfall. I'm gonna have to stop relying on them. I hate dropping what I'm supposed to be doing at home or work to drive out and get skunked. It seems to happen enough to where I'm not heading out unless the sensor reads good. Guess that's the mistake. I'm just gonna have to take the drive.

[Whitey]

locate some sensors that are around you but not on the computer. I have a stand of Australian pines across from my office and I have learned that if they are moving one third down from the top it is good to go ride. The big flag on the corner of US 19 and Curlew Rd can be a tell tale sign of what we will find at the beach, not always but pretty close.

[kuds]

I rode TI on Monday late afternoon on a 15m Waroo and today on an 11m Waroo. I did not see many people out likely due to the borderline readings on the meters. The sea breezes are difficult to predict and often don't last very long. As Scott has said you have to be Johnny on the spot - I have been lucky this week but have also sat watching the meters and missed it or have gone out and been skunked. It might be helpful to have a session report section or use this part of the forum to provide some information that people can use to correlate with the meters or whatever they are using to try to make a decision on if it is rideable.

[Steve-O]

I think the camera is the most reliable. You guys down is St. Pete area are lucky to have that.

I think Whitey's idea is spot on in the absence of a camera. Look at some trees, a flag, something to monitor. I have a big flag outside the window of the shop, and that is the best sensor I have for a seabreeze on Indian Rocks Beach.

It was pretty obvious today that it was going to blow, got started early and cranked right along. Agreed that the high pressure is helping it.

I have always had a rule of thumb for a seabreeze however.....if I have to drive more than 30 minutes to get to it, I usually don't even try. That's just me though. You don't know if you don't go. Try not to beat yourself up over it. Luckily, we get to ride this place hard almost year round. It could be worse.

[theshiatispimpin101]

I have rode my 12 meter with a big board probaly 4-5 times in the past week. The wind direction is perfect for a little downwinder on the beach but haven't go to that yet. It usually kicks in around 4:30 or a tad later, about 13-15 sometimes 15-17 knots, usually a little underpowered but plenty to ride/small jumps which is always a good time imo. This is my first summer which I heard there is No wind, but so far i have been riding alot and I hope it stays this way!

[Unimog Bob]

With today's technology, wind sensors are way out dated. Our sensors especially. iKite's current wind observations map is no more than an ad scheme surrounding misinformation, imo.

Vid cams would be the way to go around here if we could get them up in a couple places. I have been saying that for 6 years and had an offer of 250 bucks up if anyone was interested in matching some funds. It never happened. I just rely on the BN9 cam now for info about the beach and call people.

I too Richard, drove out to the beach (PaG) SO many times one season about 5 years ago due to false high readings from the PaG sensor. I was getting pissed seeing 15-18 on iKite and finding less than 8 when I got there. I did it about 20 times. Old(er) timers like Chris Moore remember that happening. Save gas was one of iKite's slogans at the time.. yeah right. I still get mad thinking of it. :mrgreen:

Luckily that sensor got ripped off the Hurricane restaurant during a storm (or sumtin like that). Then, BayNews9 installed a beach cam shortly thereafter, so that was sweet . The cam is decent (but not great). Good ones would be zoomed in a little more on the water in order to see white caps clearly. Oddly, the cam only needs to snap a pic about once a minute. It doesn't have to be 20 fps or anything. "White caps don't lie, wind sensors do" is how I feel about it.

Here is a great beach cam. Imagine having this in a few spots. It has presets that show where kiters/windsurfers ride and the ability to zoom in and pan. Overkill for what would work, but pretty cool. I was zoomed in on Bob one day while he was out there and we were talking on the cell. Pretty cool.
http://cams.exploratorium.edu:8010/

If you are up early like me, wait for sun to come up. It's only 3:30 am where that cam is (at the moment).