Temira's Gorge Forecast

worky worky worky (Thursday)

2008-07-24T07:18:04-07:00:00

Hello Sailors,

I'm sitting in my friend Tomi's kitchen listening to the quiet roar of water heating for coffee. That means this forecast is being written without the aid of caffeine.

(momentary delay that you wouldn't have known about had I not told you)

The boiling water has joined forces with the waiting coffee grounds.

(now we have to wait 4-5 minutes)

We had a sail and board demo day at Rowena yesterday. I think Jeff Henderson was able to demo more gear than anyone else. We started with marginal 2.9 conditions, so he took out the 2.9, 3.2, 3.0 and 3.5. Yes, Hot Sails is dedicated to your super-nuclear needs. =) A bunch of people then showed up, glad for all the small gear available for demo.

You will not be sailing 3.0 today. As a matter of fact, you're not going to be on the water at all. Go work. Looks like light conditions will prevail all day long.

Tomorrow starts out the same. I may just put in a call to Cathy for wakeboarding or sailboating. Or better yet, I'll go have lunch in Portland with a friend. 3ish looks like the time to return to town, as cooler air filters in to Portland and a front approaches the coast. The frontal approach windsurfing beaches (Stevenson, Doug's, Avery, Biggs and Arlington) will see gusty 24-28 or better (if we're lucky) after I get back for lunch (yes, Mother Nature waits for me now... kidding... kidding).

An upper trough takes up residence off the coast this weekend. Normally this is a bad thing, but this trough is coupled with fronts, keeping Portland cool and cloudy and the Gorge warm and windy. Dawn patrol looks like the call Saturday (probably Doug's) and 22-26 for the rest of the day. Sunday looks like a carbon copy of Saturday.

I'm working all day today (good timing, eh?), so I will see all of you on the water tomorrow afternoon!

Have a great day!

Temira

Forecasty Forecasty Forecasty

2008-07-23T07:37:11-07:00:00

Hi Everyone!

I do the radio forecast the night before, and if the setup is questionable, I set my alarm for 6am and double-check. Many days I have to re-record the report early in the morning. You can tell those reports. They're the droning dreary reports. Today I was supposed to check the report and make sure we could do a Hot Sails and Exocet demo at Rowena from 12-4. I slept through my alarm. Really slept through my loud alarm. For 50 minutes. I was so tired after yesterday.

Fortunately, we're good to go. So... Free Exocet board and Hot Sails demos at Rowena from 12-4 today. Here's my take on Exocet boards: I hate buying boards. I do everything I can to get people to loan them to me for a season or give them to me outright (after 4 years as Gorge Freestyle Champ, I have a little pull. Not much, but enough to wrangle a free board every few years). I'm buying 2, not one but two, Exocets. They are awesome. No details for you, though. You'll just have to try them. I recommend the 68 Usurf (really 72L or so) and the 84 Usurf (more like 86, and works just fine in mast high waves). End of shameless sponsor plug.

Free beer and snacks (oh yeah, and a rigging clinic with the stunning Jeffrey Henderson of Hot Sails Maui) at 2nd Wind at 6 tonight.

On to the wind.....

Gradients are down from yesterday (but when are they ever bigger?). We have .11, .07 and .28. That says "Maryhill" to me to start. As the clouds back off, Doug's, Rowena, and Mosier and the corridor fill in. Let's go with 25-29 here and 30ish at The Wall. But you're coming to Rowena to try gear with me, right?

Tomorrow looks pitiful. Warm, sunny, flat... a perfect day for Cathy to be the pillar of the community on the river.

Friday looks great. Quite windy in the afternoon as marine clouds return to the Gorge.

See you guys at Rowena and then at 2nd Wind.

Have a fantastic day!

Free Demos, Free Beer and oh, Rigging Clinic

2008-07-21T15:51:58-07:00:00

This from Pepi at the vastly improved 2nd Wind Sports:

We'll be hosting a Hot Sails demo, along with Exocet Sailboards, on Wednesday. The plan is to be at Rowena from 10-4pm, and will be dependent on wind conditions. If there is not enough wind, we will post an update of the alternate location.

Wednesday evening, starting at 6pm at 2nd Wind Sports (210 Oak St) we will be hosting a HOT SAILS RIGGING CLINIC with owner/designer JEFFrey HENDERSON. We plan on having free beer and snacks for attendees.

Please contact 2nd Wind Sports for any questions or updates.

That's 2nd Wind's take. Here's mine:

Jeffrey Henderson is brilliant. It's worth coming to the clinic just to meet him. I'll be there too, so you can meet me. He's way more fun, guaranteed. ;-)

As for the demos, come try out the Superfreak sails. You've seen them on the water, and I know you're curious. Dacron? Yep. The most durable, lightest sails on the planet will be available for you to try. For free.

Of course, if you show up with cookies or chocolate, I won't complain.

Tuesday manic Tuesday (Monday Forecast)

2008-07-21T09:07:03-07:00:00

Hello Sailors!

Good morning sporty people! Now that Gorge games is over, it’s safe to head back to your favorite play spots. Beaches are beaches again, not venues.

Weatherwise, today looks like a repeat of yesterday. An upper level low lurks off the coast, limiting morning winds to the lackluster 15-18 range in the corridor. That pesky low crosses the state late, allowing Stevenson, Doug’s, and Arlington to climb into the mid twenties around 5pm. The Hatch will be gusty, as will Maryhill.

Tomorrow sees a deep morning marine layer, low pressure in the desert, and the passage of a weak front in the morning. By afternoon, everywhere east of the cloudline will blow hard. Maybe nuclear. I’m hoping for a far east session. Onegaishimasu!

Wednesday night brings a sweet party with the brilliant mind behind Hot Sails Maui. We’ll be at 2^nd Wind in the evening, playing with sails and having social hour. I'm pushing for a keg (no, that was not on the radio). After all, that's the only real way to entice people to come to a rigging clinic, right?Be there or be square.

Today is a much better day for you than tomorrow, if you’re a road biker, and earlier is better than later. If you’re looking for a challenge, go ride with the speedsters this evening. Meet at 5pm in front of Mountain View cycles. While your legs are burning and your lungs are on fire, remember this: “Pain is weakness leaving your body.”

Paddlers and rafters: 3.61 feet on the Hood, 2.78 feet on the White Salmon 434 cfs on the Little White and 320 cfs on the wind river.

Ok, isn't that fun. You guys got all the information from the radio today. I hate it when I have to do that. But... if I don't go write this article, I'm going to be in such trouble with Josh!

Have a great day!

Temira

Good News/Bad News forecast

2008-07-19T09:52:50-07:00:00

Hello everyone!

It's a good news/bad news day today. As many of you have heard already, there was a windsurfing fatality yesterday at Doug's. Damian (not a local, as best I know) was out working on forwards and backs in 3.7 conditions in Doug's. He apparently hit his head and drowned.

I'll make this short and sweet.

Wear a helmet. I don't care if you're a pro or a gaper. If you spend enough days on the water, you're going to get smacked in the head. If you pass out, you'll drown and die. At that point, you won't care, but your friends and family are going to be really bummed. I know you wear a helmet when you bike and ski and ride your motorcycle and (you get the point)... And I know you put your seatbelt on when you get in the car (if you don't, you're a fool and are exempt from wearing a helmet)... So, think of your friends and family. Be safe while windsurfing and WEAR A HELMET.

Spend the extra money for a nice helmet, and you won't even know you're wearing it.

That wasn't very short.

Anyway, on to the forecast.

All the models predicted nothing today, so this is a pleasant surprise. It's going to blow in the corridor until about 12 or 1 in the 23-27 range. With Portland clearing earlier today, we'll see a big midday lull. Once the lull hits the corridor, heat to Doug's or Rowena for 22-25 later. Rowena was incredible yesterday. Good swell and big ramps. I couldn't believe it. It was one of the best days I've had in the Gorge (well, funnest, anyway).

Tomorrow is looking like a little less marine push in the morning. That means a little less wind. I'll call 21-24.

Now, on to the good news. Meredith Meskin and Ron Martin (and Ricky the dog) are getting married today!!!!! You've probably seen them on the water. Ron sails off the point on Hot Sails Superfreaks (shameless sponsor plug) and Meredith rips it up on her brand new Hot Sails Divas (additional shameless sponsor plug - the Divas are made just for short and/or light people, so if you're a gal struggling with manly sails, talk to Meredith). Anyway... I think they are awesome together and I can't wait for the wedding tonight!

Now, go buy a helmet or Momma Temira is going to get mad.

Have a great day!

Temira

Oh yeah. And that's not because it's Friday.

2008-07-18T08:35:05-07:00:00

Hello everyone,

Now that's what I"m talking about. It was 25 at the Hatch at 5am. I know, because the wind was so strong coming thourgh my window that my bed was shaking. I though a cat had jumped on the bed.

Anyway, just go sailing. I woke up 30 seconds ago.

It's going to rip all day. High to the west, heat low to the east. Finally, the perfect setup. 27-30 this morning in the corridor.27-31 from Doug's to Maryhilll later.

Weaker tomorrow. Really weak, actually, until late. 17-21 in Stevenson and the corridor late.

Sunday looks a bit better.

Ron and Meredith are getting married tomorrow!!! Yippee!!!

Have a great day!