June 14, 2011 - Hatchery Meyhem

Bruce Peterson can't quite believe the rack.

Tuesday started out like all other days with coffee at Dog River, then breakfast at Bette's - followed by touring the shops.  There was lots of excitement at Sailworks.

Bruce Peterson and Dale Cook were very impressed with Big Air Jim's rack. It is a show stopper... nobody can quite believe it.....

Brad didn't know what to rig - so he rigged everything.

 I arrived  at the Hatchery around 11:30, followed by the rest of the gang.  The wind was light, but appeared to be building.

I wanted to try my Naish (big board) again, so I rigged my 5.6 and went out.  Mike and I were some of the only sailors on the water, and the only ones from our group.  We slogged a bit at first, but then had a great session for about forty-five minutes.  The wind continued to build, and eventually we both got blown off the water. I made it back, but fully sheeted out, knees bent, trying to survive through the large swells near the beach, and looking like a total amateur... while the pro's were wave riding and jumping around me...

Kent had his best day ever, and his worst,
 all in the same session.
(The average was GREAT!)

I switched to my Kode (smaller board) and had another great session, until I was blown off the water again!

Sometimes it is best to wait for an hour for the wind to settle - then pick the correct sail size and sail for the rest of the day without chasing the wind with continual rigging.....

Not Tuesday!

Blaine always has fun - on or off the water
Although he is feeling guilty, because
Winnie is sending him emails telling
him how hard she is working at home...

 Every time Brad finished rigging something, the wind had changed.  He ended the day with three sails rigged, all his boards down at the water, and only had two reaches for the day. Very frustrating.
Big Air Jim started out fine then got totally over powered.  Trying to waterstart, overpowered in the large swell, he went "over the handlebars" and landed on his boom.  He said he thought he broke his arm...

After recovering, he tried to waterstart again, did the same thing, and landed on the same arm in the same place....  (what do they say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result???)  Anyway he drifted in to the next beach down the river - Swell City to visit his friends there.

We sent out a rescue mission and brought him home.  Lots of Ice and beer seem to have helped a lot and he is expecting a full recovery.

Big Jim and Handre were both blown off the water.  Handre ended up a Kodak point with the experts and had to walk back.  They decided to move to the Event site, where there is less current and a friendlier launch.

Big Air Jim and Brad - swapping lies...

After a short sail on his 4.7, Kent came off the water to rig his 4.2.  He thought that rather than struggling a little over powered, he could re-rig and be comfortable for the rest of the day.....

I was also re-rigging to a 4.2 after being blown off the water the last time.  We both finished rigging our 4.2's and got to the water just as the wind died. He re-rigged, went down to the beach, and the wind shut off.
It was only about 2:30...

Ted had a good day - sailed lots, and
totally worn out...

The wind was quite light, with strong gusts for the rest of the afternoon.  I went back out on my 5.6 and Nash.  I had a good ride across the river, then spent quite a bit of time in the middle trying to waterstart with not enough wind to keep the sail out of the water, then had another totally over powered, totally out of control survival run to the beach.
.
We all de-rigged and sat around talking about the day- swapping stories and lies.




Brad suggested we go home and watch game 7 of the Stanley Cup.  We all agreed that it would be a good idea until Mike Pocock reminded us that the game wasn't until Wednesday.... I thought Brad was a hockey fan.....

We were just about ready to leave, when the trees started to move and the wind started to pick up. At first we joked about it, but then headed down to the river for a look.  The river was going off, and several experts were out.


Kent, Blaine and Harold A, decided to rig.  The wind was extreme, with big lulls in between.  The swell in the river was huge.  Kent got out first.  He had some of his best wave rides ever, but also spent a lot of time in the water waiting for a puff.  Chatting with the other sailors later, they agreed that it was some of the best sailing they had ever had, mixed with some of the worst - all in the same session. Kent was out for about an hour, before the wind dropped off again.

Harold got out, but rigged too small, and couldn't get going.  He went out and back but that was about it.
Blaine having rigged, and suited up in his wetsuit, got down to the beach.. watched Harold, and looked at Kent - way down river - and decided not to go ..  probably a wise decision.

With the inconsistent wind, and the huge current, we are all finding the Hatchery to be much more of a challenge than usual.  Very humbling.

Most of us went to China Gorge for dinner - then watched the days video at the house.
Ross and Andreas arrived back at the house late.  Apparently they had lots of fun at the Coast kiting and Stand Up Paddleboarding, although it seems they lost a good part of a day because they had had to much time in a local pub the day before.

Early to bed - looking forward to sore muscles and doing it all again tomorrow....

Can someone pass the ice and ibuprofen.....

Ted