The Gorge is my Gym

Good morning!

This week’s report is brought to you by Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association. It’s PSA week, so no prizes. You’re actually supposed to join CGWA this week. Why? Because CGWA protects your beaches and keeps you updated on all the windsurfing happenings at their website, gorgewindsurfing.org. So, consider joining CGWA for $25 by clicking here. I’m a member. You should be too.

It’s going to be a lot lighter on the river today than it was yesterday. Low pressure is holding over the entire Northwest, keeping gradients from building today. At 5am, there was .06 from Portland to The Dalles, and the low clouds were past Hood River.

With this setup, the Sandbar and Hatchery will see gusty 12-14 today, and Lyle, Doug’s and Rufus will see 14-17 or so.

Tomorrow starts off very light, as the low pressure settles across the Cascades and keeps gradients very weak. As high pressure builds at the coast late in the day, winds should pick up a little bit. By mid-afternoon tomorrow, we should see upper teens from Stevenson down to Hood River.

Sunday starts off light too, but an approaching frontal system in the afternoon will give us gusty mid-twenties west winds near Doug’s in the afternoon.

Boaters, the White Salmon’s still hovering around 1.85 feet and the Klickitat’s right around 750 cfs. If you’re available Saturday, there’s a free kayak slalom clinic on the Clackamas. Give Alder Creek a call for more information or head here for more information. There’s also an associated race on Sunday.

Coming up Saturday, it’s Friends of the Forest day at Mt. Hood Meadows. Show up a 9am at the main lodge and help with projects around the hill. And all weekend long, it’s the Bigfoot Bash and Bounty in Home Valley. Come on down and celebrate all things sasquatch. And if you’re looking for something to do on Saturday night, Lilo and Stitch, the best animated movie ever, plays at Jackson Park in Hood River.

Also this weekend is the Oregon Open Ocean SUP race at Newport, Oregon. Check it out here. Closer to home, there’s a free windsurfing clinic with Cliff Ryden on Northwave’s lawn on Sunday from noon ‘til 2pm.

That’s it for today. Whatever you do today, have an awesome day!

Temira

p.s. If you find this report useful, entertaining, or just want to recognize all the hard work that goes into it, please take the time to make a donation by clicking on the button at the bottom of the page. For a suggested donation of $10, I’ll add you to the email version of this list ‘til May 2011, putting you in the running for cool prizes donated by the weekly sponsors.

Good morning!

This week’s report is brought to you by Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association. It’s PSA week, so no prizes. You’re actually supposed to join CGWA this week. Why? Because CGWA protects your beaches and keeps you updated on all the windsurfing happenings at their website, gorgewindsurfing.org. So, consider joining CGWA for $25 by clicking here. I’m a member. You should be too.

If you like lots of wind, clear your schedule today, because it’s going to be a big day on the river. At 5am, a cold front was making its way into the Northwest, and marine clouds were pushing into P ortland. The Portland to The Dalles Gradient was a .14 early, with another .04 out east.

The wind was blowing in the upper teens at 5am, but it’s going to pick up quickly today. We’ll see a quick build into the 25-28 range from Stevenson to the Hatchery, with 19-23 at the Sandbar. As the front approaches, the wind will pick up to 30+ for a little while at the Hatchery, and then probably get gusty near Hood River, and pick up in the desert. This afternoon brings 28-32 or more at Doug’s, Rufus, and Arlington, with strongest, steadiest wind at Arlington and Roosevelt.

On Friday, low pressure sets up across the Cascades, keeping Hood River cool and cloudy and shifting the strongest, steadiest wind east. Even so, the wind will probably only blow in the 17-20 range at best tomorrow. Saturday looks lighter than Friday, but that could change.

Coming up tonight, there’s the Dirty Fingers hot lap in Post Canyon, the Thursday night Tri practice, and a free crossfit workout meeting at the south end of the event site at 5:30.

Boaters, the White Salmon’s still hovering around 1.85 feet and the Klickitat’s right around 750 cfs. If you’re available Saturday, there’s a free kayak slalom clinic on the Clackamas. Give Alder Creek a call for more information or head here for more information. There’s also an associated race on Sunday.

Also this weekend is the Oregon Open Ocean SUP race at Newport, Oregon. Check it out here. Closer to home, there’s a free windsurfing clinic with Cliff Ryden on Northwave’s lawn on Sunday from noon ‘til 2pm.

And finally, don’t forget about the Bigfoot Bash and Bounty coming up this weekend in Home Valley.

That’s it for today. Whatever you do today, have an awesome day!

Temira

p.s. If you find this report useful, entertaining, or just want to recognize all the hard work that goes into it, please take the time to make a donation by clicking on the button at the bottom of the page. For a suggested donation of $10, I’ll add you to the email version of this list ‘til May 2011, putting you in the running for cool prizes donated by the weekly sponsors.