From: noble@sj.ate.slb.com (Alan Noble)
Subject: October Gorge Report
Reply-To: noble@sj.ate.slb.com ()
Organization: Schlumberger Technologies, San Jose, CA.
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 92 00:25:27 GMT

Monday 12 October

Phil and I leave the San Francisco Bay Area around 10PM and drive north.  We
make it to Lake Shasta about 5 hours later and bivouac at Barney Cove.  This
California state campground is officially "closed" due to the low water level,
but is still accessible by car.  That means its FREE!

Tuesday 13 

Called "Windsight" wind data service; forecast is for easterlies.  Get going
again around 10 AM, after mandatory coffee and granola.  Arrive at Rooster Rock
around 5 PM, the first good sailing site on the Columbia River in easterly
conditions.  It's been blowing 4.5 m^2 most of the day, but is now subsiding.
After much debate, we launch with 5.9 sails and enjoy one hour of very scenic
sunset sailing.  The river is narrow at Rooster Rock the strong current is in
the same direction as the easterly wind, but our 14" blades keep us
upwind/upstream.  Camp at Viento Oregon State Park.  Nice facilities, but the
midnight freight trains are bloody noisy!

Wednesday 14

Called Windsight; expecting 30+ knot easterlies at Stevenson.  Gulp down
coffee, bananas, and cereal and get to the Bob's Beach parking lot by 9 AM
(about the tenth car there).  Meet sailors rigging 3.5's on the beach, and
others coming in on 3.3's.  Phil and I look at our pitiful quivers.  My
smallest is a Gaastra 4.4; Phil's is a Waddell 4.2.  Hmmm.  Wonder if it's
gonna die down any time soon?  Nah.  Locals reckon it'll sustain at least to
noon.  So we drive to Hood River, and rent a Waddell 3.3 and a 3.7 to share,
plus an 8'0" Gorge board each.  FYI, my board is a 9'0" Seatrend; Phil's is a
8'8" ASD.  Finally get back to Stevenson a couple of hours later.  I take the
3.7 and my Seatrend, Phil the 3.3 and the rental.  I'm plenty powered, but Phil
is slogging.  Poorly formed 2' swells, or thereabouts.  45 minutes later I give
him the 3.7, which works with the 8'0" nicely.  Later it's good on my 4.4 but
by 3 PM it's barely peaking 20 knots, and we've had enough.  In fact, almost
everyone is off the water by 3:30 PM.

Sailing the easterlies wasn't bad at all, if you're used to pointing at all,
that is.  Talking with a Rhonda Smith instructor (Matt) that night, I got the
distinct impression that Gorge sailors are spoiled rotten, accustomed as they
are to Summer westerlies and opposing river flow.  Nevertheless, I was
surprised to learn from another sailor (John at "Big Winds") that the easterly
sailing in mid-Winter is very good, if you have the stomach for it.

Thursday 15

Called Windsight--what else?  You gotta love it!  The weather has switched to
westerlies overnight and the forecast is for wind east of Hood River, but
lighter than yesterday.  I change the 8'0" for an 8'4".  Phil keeps the 8'0".
We head out to Doug's Beach, where it's blowing 20 knots by 2 PM, and seems to
be picking up.  I take my Seatrend and a 5.3--a tad too much power.  Phil on a
4.7 and the 8'0" has too little.  I try 8'4" with the same sail, but it's as
gusty as hell and the holes are killing me (unaccustomed as I am anything that
tiny).  So I go back to old faithful, the 9'0".  Phil tries the 8'4" with the
4.7 but retires it promptly in favor of his old stead, the 8'8".  Finally,
we're happy and sail in 2.5'-3' swells for a couple more hours.  I'm pretty
happy just to complete more than 2 jibes in a row!

Back on the beach, "going-back-to-Utah" Greg is trying to sell me his Gorge
quiver: 3.3/3.7/4.2/4.7 '91 Surf Slalom Wadells.

  [Alan] Greg, what the hell do I need a 3.3 for in the Bay Area?  
  [Greg} OK, take what you need then.
  [Alan] Lemme me think about it. 
         ...30 seconds later.. 
  [Alan] OK, I'll take everything but the 3.3.
  [Greg] Done.  Got cash?
  [Alan] Nope.  

So we agree to meet tomorrow, except I don't get his phone number or surname.
All I know is that he works for Tony Logosz (Gorge boardmaker).

Friday 16

Called Windsight--light (15 knot) westerlies expected in the afternoon.  Go
looking for Tony Logosz' "factory".  Find "going-back-to-Utah" Greg and Jeff
Logosz.  After buying the sails, we get a guided tour of the factory by Jeff.
Jeff is really friendly and explains the principles of board construction to
us.  His boards are truly works of art, and one hour later I am the proud owner
of an 8'0" Logosz spoon-nose wave board!  Phil walks out with a 9'6" "Velocity"
slalom board.  Really, it is an EXCELLENT time of year to pick up stuff in the
Gorge.  Why wait?

Later we sail Swell City on 5.9 for a few hours.  I estimate the swells were 2'
on the Washington side.  Afterwards we call Windsight.  The forecast is for
little wind in the Gorge, but it is expected to blow on the South Coast.  We
leave for Newport.

Saturday 17

We drive down the coast to Bandan, and find a couple of locals out on 5.3's at
2:30 PM.  The beach is REAL wide though and we are lazy, so we drive down the
coast to check out conditions further south.  Soon as we get past Port Orford,
the wind dies and stays that way for the next 20 miles.  So we go back to Port
Orford and find 25+ knots at "Paradise Point".  No one else is sailing but we
rig up and traipse down to the beach anyway.  The shore break looks nasty
though, and my gut curls.  I already broke one mast this year at Santa Cruz and
don't feel like replacing another one.  Guess I didn't really want sail that
much anyway!

We enjoy an amazing sunset over dinner then head inland for I-5.

Sunday 18

Back in the SF Bay Area by 2PM and the Golden Gate Bridge is fogged in
completely.  Find steady 5.9 conditions at Flying Tigers.

Summary

The Columbia River Gorge blows in October.  Rumors that the Gorge shuts down
when the Bay Area does are WRONG!


Alan Noble
Phil March