Good morning sailors!
Hood River's community is more like a family than a town. I'm not sure if all small towns are this way, but this community feels unique to me. I imagine it has something to do with the fact that the majority of people here are living in the Gorge because they enjoy windsurfing, kiting, mountain biking, and everything else the Gorge has to offer. Because of this, instead of just seeing each other at the grocery store or local bar, we all spend a lot of fun time together at the beaches and trails and develop deeper friendships. I think this makes us more like brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles (hey, in some kinship systems, including Hawaii's, everyone older than you IS auntie or uncle) than simple neighbors..
My point is that we're all affected when someone within the community passes away. On that note, with sadness, we say goodbye to Mark Estes, our entertaining friend and sesh-saving Volvo mechanic, who passed away at The Wall yesterday under sunny skies, with 3.7 winds blowing and good swell on the river. If you make it on the water today, dedicate your session to him and to the people who tried their best to save his life yesterday.
Today is your last day for a few days to claim some quality time on the water. With the cloud line set up past Hood River, Doug's and The Wall will once again be the windiest spots. High pressure will be building today, shifting the flow more to onshore. This tends to make things gusty at The Wall, so perhaps Rowena is the call today. Look for winds to rise to the mid twenties this afternoon, nothing like yesterday's nuker, but still worth rigging.
Tomorrow and Saturday see warmer temperatures and potential wakeboarding conditions (Dan, where's the boat? Kathy?). We may still have some remnants of wind tomorrow, but kiteboarders will have the best shot at water time.
You guys take care and be safe today.
Print | posted @ Thursday, May 08, 2008 8:53 AM