Hi Everyone!
I’m not much into hindcasting and/or gloating, but I have to make a comment about Doug’s Beach yesterday. In ten years of windsurfing the Gorge, I have never seen such huge swell or such overpowering winds there. We’ve all thought Doug’s was broken the last few years, but it isn’t anymore. Swells reached epic size yesterday… well over 10 feet for the few people with small enough gear for the conditions. It was totally ridiculous, but don't feel bad if you missed it. You really needed a 3.0 or smaller, and even that was too much!
Today will be a bit lighter than yesterday, and that’s not a bad thing for most people. We started with a .11 gradient, and winds will climb to the mid twenties this afternoon. The Hatch and Sandbar are your best bets today. Swell was huge at the White Salmon and the Hatch yesterday and should be the same today.
A stronger marine push combined with high pressure and a thermal bump will turn Friday into another great day for windsurfing and kiting by afternoon.
So much for this high pressure shutting off the wind as predicted earlier in the week. Maybe we'll get one day off this weekend... isn't looking like Saturday is that day.
Just for fun... I have some mountain bike information from Kay Kucera: She says Surveyors is open from the North end but the higher trails haven’t been cleared yet. Oak Ridge is open and 15 Mile is accessible from the lower trailhead for an out-and-back, but no loop with Cedar Creek. 8 mile and knebal springs might be doable, but there is still snow on parts of the trail. And once again, please stay off Hospital Hill at the request of the landowners until at least the end of the weekend.
Well... I have to go clean a bunch of houses and do some other stuff today. You guys will have to sail without me, unless a miracle gives us late sailing at the Hatch.
Have a great day!