|
 Bob's
best bet for wind - Saturday Aug 08/09 1200 MST
The gorge was awesome ... some super high wind windsurfing,
and the best kiting I've ever had there!
Finally ... a solid westerly flow is forecast foe
southern Alberta! It will start Sunday afternoon, peak on Monday,
and hang in on Tuesday!
Keho is looking sunny, 25C and wind becoming 30SW
on Sunday, 40 - 60SW on Monday, and 30 - 50SW on Tuesday. The Oldman
will be stronger ... 30 - 50SW on Sunday, 50 - 70SW on Monday,
and 30 - 50SW on Tuesday. High winds in the summertime do not seem
to have the same punch as winds in the spring and the fall ...
so sometimes you will have to tune your rig to have a little more
power!
Another chinook is setting up starting next weekend ... yahooo!
The wind it back! After the worst spring / summer in memory ...
maybe we are due for the best fall!
Perfect timing for the The Force
10 club Beginners Weekend ... Aug. 22-23/09.
If you are interesting in learning how to windsurf
....then here's your chance. The Force
10 Boardsailing Club is having a Beginners weekend Aug.
22-23 at Little Bow Lake (1.5 hrs S of Calgary). Entrance to the
lake is from the East side ... head for Lomond, then turn South.
Easy to get to from Keho.
Little Bow is a smallish, weed free lake with sandy
beaches and a sandy bottom ... works on any wind direction ...
but is especially good in strong NW conditions. Great conditions
for both kites and windsurfers ... the kite launches are all a
little bit tight.
Please contact Doug
Ross if you are planning to show up and let him know what
equipment you can bring. He would like to have some idea how
much beginner equip is going to be on site.
When there is a westerly flow, it is always windy close to the
mountains earlier in the day, at Pincher Creek / Oldman Dam ...
the wind spreads out over the prairies later (You can actually
do a bit of work and then catch an afternoon or evening session
at Keho). The rule of thumb is if it blowing 30k at Claresholm,
turn and go to Keho ... if the wind at Claresholm is very light,
keep on going to the Oldman. Claresholm is actually in the wind
shadow of the Porcupine hills, so do not expect strong Westerly
winds there ... usually if its 30kW at Claresholm, it will be 60+
at Keho Lake!
Atmospheric and Oceanic conditions during the past month continued
to reflect a nuetral condition,
as observed by the NOAA Climate
Prediction Centers Seasonal Outlook. Conditions are favorable
for a transition from ENSO-neutral to El Niño conditions
during June - August 2009. Both the Canadian and American long
range models are predicting that Aug, Sept and Oct will
be a little drier than normal conditions in southern
Alberta.
The water is warming up ...
a 4/3mm steamer in comfortable. With the new super
stretchy rubber ... the thick suits are very flexible and comfortable
... and of course, warm. Try it ... you'll like it!
Be careful out on the water ... it still is pretty
chilly ... you are on your own. There is no rescue
service!
The Ranch is looking great, Kitebeach,
the Graineries and Kehokipa are
all in great shape ... its time to play. Remember ... be a good
citizen and pack out your garbage. Try to leave these places better
than you find them. We use these places by the grace of AB Environment
... its best if we don't give them any reasons to doubt there decisions.
Keho is the home of Alberta's first successful barrel
roll, forward loop and backwards loop ... thats the word on windsurfing!
It is also the home to some pretty good kitesurfing ... flat water
behind the points, and very good swell to ride when its windy.
This is hard core sailing ... bring the whole quiver, down to 3.0
square meters ... and sub 10m kites.
Located 1 1/2 hours southeast of Calgary, there's
access from the Force 10 leases on the northeast
side of the lake and from the
Ranch. Keho is most recommended during southwest and westerly
winds and is good for riders looking for decent-sized inland waves. Extreme
wind conditions, not uncommon here, sometimes make getting
offshore difficult. If you plan to visit often, join the club.
The swell is huge and the wind is usually steadier than at the
Oldman.There is a variety of launches available ...
the Ranch (farmer Don's point) - The Ranch is
open for both overnight and dayuse at Keho. There will be a locked
gate off the main road. Those campers that have seasonal spots
will open the gate when they are on site. If the gate is open,
kite ranch is open!! There is a firepit and washrooms ... and best
of all, Gord's pride and joy, new horseshoes pits! It is the place
to camp at Keho lake. Wind direction is side onshore at the end
of the point, but side offshore below the point when its SW ...
fantastic flat water below the point ... mmm, butter ... and chop
out in the lake. This is an awesome spot in E, N and S winds as
well.
KiteBeach - North shore, 2 km west of Kehokipa via
dirt access road (east of rock causeway). Excellent kite launch,
shallow water, rigging area. Flat water behind the small points
... and some small to medium sized waves to play on over the sand
bars. Side shore with W wind, side-on in SW ... and pretty onshore
in S wind. DAY USE ONLY. This is an awesome kite location with
a sandy launch. Please park well back from the launch area ...
pack out your trash! Site is leased to FORCE 10 BOARDSAILING
CLUB from the Alberta government.
The point at Kitebeach has been reshaped
again and has been reseeded this spring. AB environment has just
given the Force 10 boardsailing club permission to maintain the
site ... according to their conditions ... eventually, it will
be an awesome launch this season.
DUE TO THE CURRENT STATUS of Kitebeach, all camping
and washrooms should be at Kehokipa or the
Ranch. DAY USE ONLY at Kitebeach until status is in
order, "Please do not jeopardize access to this excellent
kite site".
Granaries - North shore 1 km west of Kehokipa across
from the 6 steel granaries. Side shore with W wind, side-on in
SW ... and pretty onshore in S wind. Beginner to advanced, sandy
bay, flat water launch protected by old road point to the west,
nice thick waves about 200 meters out, not as steep as Kehokipa but
great to ride, shallow waist deep water for 50 meters out. The
start of the very good waves on a strong S to W blow. Excellent
site for beginner day’s and experts especially on those really
big 100 km SW wind day’s when Kehokipa closes out.
DAY USE ONLY. Tall grass rigging. Do not use this site if ground
it wet as you will get stuck. Excellent downwind landing spot when
you are learning to kite at the Ranch and kitebeach.
Kehokipa - North east shore of Keho lake.
Advanced to expert windsurfing and kiting, sand and rock launch,
large steep ramps and waves break close to shore, nasty side current
and beach break when winds are from SW above 80 km, excellent spectator
viewing, outhouse, fire pit, ample parking, grass rigging, free
overnight camping. Probably the best high performance windsurfing
site in southern Alberta. Site is leased to FORCE
10 BOARDSAILING CLUB from the Alberta government.
Speed site - Southwest corner, access via
orange NAVTACH hay barns. This has been the location of some very,
very fast speed runs during past speed competitions. SW and West
winds blow off shore here creating flat water even in 100km winds.
Great side to side - onshore wind kite spot in N wind. An early
season site, weeds tend to grow in the shallow water by August.
Boat Launch (the Jetties) - South shore, directly
across from Kehokipa. If there is a North onshore wind
try this site for a real treat of semi hollow big waves that
can wrap around the long rock jetty. Park, rig and launch by
the trailer parking area south of rocks.
Thanks to Laurent Marechal for the maps!
If riding out of the
Ranch ... please do not drive your vehicle out on
the point. It is a condition of the lease, that vehicles are
not allowed past the camping area. Somebody was out on it on
last week ... bad boys!
See you on the water!
aloha, bob |
